National Fishing in Schools Program to Host Tournament, Skills Competition

NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will be hosting a National Fishing in Schools Program (NFSP) fishing and skills tournament on Saturday, May 11 with Foggy Bottom Canoe Rental in Kingston Springs serving as the event headquarters.

The TWRA, along with the NFSP, is presenting the inaugural event. The tournament is open to any students in grades 6-12. Registration for the event can be made here. The registration deadline is May 1.

Check-in is 7-8:30 a.m. on event day. Following check-in, participants will take to the Harpeth River in canoes. Both flycasting and spin-casting rods/reels may be used. All fish to be entered in the contest must be photographed on measuring tape, showing its length, then released.

Fishermen must be off the water by 11:30 a.m. Trophies will be presented to the top three places in each division, middle school (grades 6-8), and high school (9-12). 

The cost for entry is $10 per canoe, to be paid at the time of registration, to Foggy Bottom Canoe Rental. Following the fishing competition, a free barbecue lunch will be provided for the participants at Harpeth Middle School in Kingston Springs from 12-1 p.m.

At 1 p.m., at Harpeth Middle School, the skills competition will begin. There will be two stations set up for fly casting accuracy, along with fish and fly identification. Medals and trophies will be presented to the top three places in each division for most accumulated points. 

For more information, call Don Crawford at (615) 293-5746 or Jeff Recker at (615) 335-0229.

---TWRA---