I’m thrilled to announce as of June 1^st, I’ve stepped into the Aquatic Education Manager role. I’m excited and humbled to be your next Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD) Aquatic Education Manager and to continue to work alongside a seasoned, passionate team of Greg Akins, Heather England, Keira Quam, and Robert Ramirez.

For 13 years, while at the helm as Aquatic Education Manager, Karen Marks guided the program to new heights, while continuing to help build a rock-steady foundation of impassioned volunteers and top-tier programming.

I joined the TPWD Aquatic Education program as the Central/South Texas Training specialist in 2018, however my educational and volunteer programming experience began years ago. In 2004, I led trail maintenance projects in the Washington Cascades, coordinated conservation projects in Alaska, taught US History in Phoenix, Arizona, then returned to Texas in 2009 to work with an environmental education non-profit for over 8 years.

Through my time as an educator and over 10 years managing volunteer programming, I’ve learned much and look forward to contributing to a robust community of volunteers and partners as well as further the legacy of aquatic education programming that began 30 years ago in Texas.

I welcome the opportunity to work with you and look forward to the new, exciting heights our team of staff and volunteers will go.

Photo credit - TPWD

By Bill Hodges, TPWD Volunteer Angler Edu Area Chief Trainer & Past President of Fort Worth Fly Fishers.

For years, I tied my own flies for fly fishing but recently discovered the fun of wood carving fish and other animals. 

I use several tools with which to carve. I start with a 3x3x12 inch block of Basswood. I select a picture of the carving I wish to make, mainly using the Pinterest app, or by other means.

I copy the outline of the object onto the wood from a side view, and a top view. Once these are transferred to the block of basswood, I cut them both out with a band saw, leaving the actual 3-D piece.

First, I use a band sander to round out the basic shape, then a Dremel rotary tool with various tips for further sanding and to add more detail.

I spray with a shellac sealer to prepare the wood for acrylic paint. You can use a paint brush or an airbrush for blending different colors.

I like to mount the sculpture on a wooden base using a small dowel inserted into a hole drilled into the base as well as in the bottom of the object. A hobby store is an excellent place to buy accessories for the base and surrounding area.

Things such as colored felt, fake plants, rocks, seashells, etc. add beauty to the piece.

You can order 2 inch brass plates, inscribe the name of the object, along with your signature and the year. Your rotary tool with a small tip can be used for this purpose. Tiny brass screws come with the plates.

Let your imagination run wild and you will learn something from each carving. Above all, have fun with this super hobby that furthers your knowledge about fish and their habitat.

Photo credits - Bill Hodges

This summer our Angler Education team built on the night fishing program that started developing over the past year, with another successful event at Inks Lake State Park- North Fishing Pier. The Angler Education team collaborated with Inks Lake State Park staff and volunteers to host a night full of glow in the dark fishing and fun, bringing in 150 attendees! At this event, attendees learned how to create a glow in the dark bobber with the support of our DIY bobber guide (below) and put them to the test fishing off the pier as the sun set over the lake. Attendees also received plenty of Angler Education information and glow sticks to use while fishing. A huge thank you to the staff and volunteers at Inks Lake State Park for making this happen!

This program is an excellent idea all year long, but especially for fishing hot summers in Texas, offering a more pleasant and safer experience away from the heat. With safety in mind, it’s important that there is appropriate lighting available for attendees to ensure safe angling practices are being followed, especially when casting and removing hooks from fish.

This event was possible because of the TPWD Tackle Loaner Program. All the tackle loaner equipment at Inks Lake was put to good use and provided many individuals with an opportunity to fish. To learn more about the Tackle Loaner program and locations near you, visit our site Tackle Loaner Program.

Photo credits - Connor McLean

Materials

• Slotted Peg float (Example is shown below. Different sized floats can be used as well, depending on your target fish)
• Small Light Stick (diameters may differ)
• Standard Transparent Tape (if needed)

Assembly & Implementation

1. Remove a light stick from the bag, bend gently and shake to activate the light.
2. Wrap a single layer of transparent tape around the light stick. (It is important to use clear tape to avoid obstruction of light from the stick).
3. Using the line from your fishing rod, slip the float onto your line using the groove.
4. Insert your taped light stick into the float hole, leaving most of the stick coming out the top. (Additional layers of tape may be added to increase the snugness of the light stick).
5. To adjust the length of the line from the bobber, simply remove the light stick and slide the bobber along the line, re-inserting the light stick at the desired length.
6. Once your bobber is in place, put on your favorite bait and go fish!

Many people in this world experience pain. Most people are aware that many of our veterans’ experience difficulties after returning home. In addition, people have pain from physical devastation or from acute or chronic medical conditions like brain surgery, arthritis, Parkinson's disease, the loss of a loved one, traumatic events, or PTSD experiences. Some though, are fortunate to find groups who help them experience some moments of peace and step away from their burdens. Some even find groups that will include their family so they can share lighthearted, positive activities and make life-long memories having fun.  

The past years of seeing successes with sufferers of PTSD, Parkinson’s, traumatic brain injuries, depression, and other acute and chronic physical pain are the reasons we started a non-profit 501(c)3 organization called Eagle Rest Reserve. This organization provides outdoor and artistic restorative activities for veterans, first responders, healthcare professionals, other public servants and their families. These activities are one of the Outdoor Therapy’s offered by the Fort Worth Veterans Administration (VA).

The primary focus is teaching fly fishing and fly tying to our Eagles, passed along through fishing trips and fly-tying events. All equipment and supplies are provided at no cost to our Eagles.

The goal is to teach skills and provide equipment and tools to Eagles for them (as well as their families) to be able to share positive, fun moments any time, not just during the scheduled events.

This is our way of saying “THANK YOU” to those who serve our country and communities, and to offer some help to those who help us. If you are a first responder or part of their family, see below to contact Eagles Rest Reserve to get your first responder and their family involved.

Ever wonder how fisheries biologists keep tabs on fish populations? Electrofishing offers a fascinating glimpse into this aquatic world. Recently, the Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences Fishing Club, located in Fort Worth, partnered with Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD) for an electrofishing event on the Trinity River. This experience highlighted the power of citizen science and data collection, even for everyday angler educators.

Electrofishing utilizes a low-voltage current to temporarily stun fish, allowing for safe capture, identification and release. It's a valuable tool for biologists to assess species diversity, population dynamic, and overall fish health. During our event, TPWD biologists led the sampling, while our students eagerly awaited the netted bounty.

By Adam Comer, Aquatic Education Manager

It’s a pleasure to take a moment and share the latest program materials and reporting.

Spanish versions for the “Fishing Tips for Beginners” Card and updated “Learn to Fish: A Basic Guide for the Beginning Angler” books are available to order for your Angler Ed events and/ or classes. Check out our supply catalog for more Spanish options.

Hello! My name is Connor McLean, and I am the Aquatic Education Intern for the Austin region this summer. This year I will graduate from Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in biology with grades 7-12 Life sciences teaching certification. I am very thankful for being given this opportunity to grow and learn more about Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Aquatic Education (AED) program. My time with TPWD this summer was chock full of meaningful experiences that I will never forget. The work that I did with Adam Comer and AED Team greatly enhanced my understanding of Aquatic Education and the dynamics involved when working with the public.

This summer was full of teaching knot tying, facilitating backyard bass casting, and teaching youth the basics of fish habitat. I quickly got to see the importance of these events, and the effects they can have on our communities. A big highlight from this summer, was Adam and I holding a night fishing program with Inks Lake State Park. Leading up to this event, I got to create an instructional document and troubleshoot some ideas for the glow in the dark bobbers! Another great thing I did this summer, was an outreach event at the Meadows Center for Family Fun Day. I got to create my own interactive model which showed the importance of water for wildlife and educate people about the Angler Instructor Program.

This summer I was also provided with many opportunities to learn more about the different components of aquatic science. I got to go river sampling with inland fisheries, become boater education certified, and got trained as a community scientist for water quality and riparian evaluation! I enjoyed all the work I got to do this summer, thank you to the AED team and TPWD for having me on board this summer!

Photo credits - Connor McLean

Hello there! My name is Bao Nguyen-Hoang, and I am the Aquatic Education Intern in Houston this summer. I was born and raised in Houston, but I am currently attending Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, majoring in Marine Science and Environmental Studies, with minors in Coastal Management and Mathematics.

My hobbies include fishing and aquarium keeping. I have always been passionate about aquatic habitats and the animals that call them home. I grew up fishing in Galveston Bay, spending many weekends on the water with my dad and my uncle, which are some of my fondest memories. I mainly kayak and wade fish, targeting redfish, speckled trout, flounder, and snook. I recently caught my PB Red! 

This summer internship has given me many experiences that I will never forget. I was able to spread my passion for fishing and the outdoors to over 100 kids through the 4 Angler Education trainings I held. Through Greg’s connections, I had the opportunities to meet with many professionals in the marine science field at the Dickinson Marine Lab and Sea Center, who provided me with insight on future education and employment decisions. Finally, I built an aquaponics system, blending my love for aquariums and fishkeeping with the ability to grow plants such as tomatoes, cilantro, and peas more effectively. Look for that article in the winter Reel Lines! 

Overall, this summer internship with TPWD has been extremely rewarding. I learned a lot about education, outreach, and received much needed guidance for my future. It was an amazing experience for my first internship, and I can’t wait to keep on learning and growing as a person. I would like to thank my boss Greg Akins and the entire Aquatic Education team for letting me spend the summer working with them and gaining experiences that will last a lifetime.

Photo credits - Bao Nguyen-Hoang

The training was successful with participants joining in fun games and activities, cooking demonstrations, a photo booth and presentations by Angler Ed. staff, as well as guest speakers Mischelle Diaz - Communication Division Director, Tim Birdsong - Inland Fisheries Division Director, Rob Owens - Outreach and Education Director, Jeff Powell - Game Warden and Jason Mercer - Angler & Boater R3 Program Specialist. 

Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) started a campaign this summer called Second Catch. We wanted to make sure people were aware of this great idea!

"Women who fish have significantly greater grit, confidence and self-esteem than women who don’t. But research tells us girls stop fishing at a 11% higher rate than boys, and often feel excluded from fishing and boating trips.

This summer let’s encourage girls and women to get back on the water so they can continue building their confidence through adolescence and beyond with RBFF’s Second Catch campaign - an extension of the Find Your Best Self on the Water Campaign led by Take Me Fishing™.

We invite you to share the Second Catch message showing one girl’s journey back to the water. The animated Second Catch campaign videos show the heartwarming journey of a father and daughter whose shared love for fishing drifts apart—only to be rekindled years later when the daughter’s passion brings them back on the water."

In addition, they have a lot of great information about fishing in Texas on their Take Me Fishing website.