ELEMENTARY BASS
EDITOR ’ S NOTE
ELEMENTARY BASS
Ronny McClure had an idea . It wasn ’ t a unique idea , but he was in a unique position to act on it . McClure wanted to teach kids how to fish . The difference between Ronny McClure and most other folks who ’ ve conjured up the same idea is that he ’ s a trained educator with an actual classroom . McClure teaches physical education to about 300 students at Roundstone Elementary School in rural Mt . Vernon , Ky . Roundstone is the smallest elementary school in Rock Castle County , about 50 miles south of Lexington . McClure describes it as “ maybe a poorer school ,” where some of the students might get to fish , but most rarely have the chance .
That ’ s why his idea sounded so good . After all , most small-town kids , when given the opportunity , take to fishing pretty quickly .
And he figured that if PE classes offered archery and other non-traditional activities , why shouldn ’ t he teach fishing ?
“ My principal was all for it ,” McClure says . “ I actually approached him with the idea to see what he thought , and he thought it was great . He said that ’ s something he hadn ’ t heard of yet .”
The only problem was that McClure didn ’ t have the funds to buy the equipment he needed . So he reached out to Bill Taylor , FLW ’ s senior director of tournament operations and a friend of the McClure family , who gave McClure some important contacts at tackle companies that provide discounts for youth fishing programs . He was able to strike a deal with the folks at Zebco , who were willing to sell McClure a classroom set of rod-and-reel combos at half price . Then he spoke of his idea to local businessman Danny Offutt , owner of Lakeside Electric , who volunteered financial support .
“ He likes to fish a lot , too ,” McClure says . “ He also thought it was a good idea . He said , ‘ I tell you what , you just order what you need , and I ’ ll pay for it .’”
An idea , some enthusiasm and the generous support of a die-hard bass angler is all it took for McClure to add fishing to the PE curriculum at Roundstone Elementary .
He plans to implement a three- to four-week unit of study this spring , focusing on the basics : equipment , casting accuracy and distance , simple knot tying .
I don ’ t know how many other elementary schools , if any , are teaching fishing in the classroom , but I hope McClure ’ s venture is a success . And I think it will be .
Fishing , like archery , is a sport that kids can participate in for their entire lives , whether recreationally or competitively . If they enjoy it , it ’ ll stick with them , unlike many of the traditional ball sports , which most kids stop playing competitively once they finish high school . Fishing also offers an important connection to the natural world . And as long as generous folks like McClure and Offutt , as well as the thousands of FLW and TBF members who participate in youth outreach programs , keep giving generously of their time , energy and enthusiasm , we ’ ll hear more stories like the one from this small country school in the future , and we ’ ll usher another generation of avid anglers into the sport .
Curtis Niedermier , Editor-in-Chief
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FLWFISHING . COM I NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2017