The Fishing Foundation

04/01/2026

The plaque says it all! At the 2026 Cool Running and North Coast Bass Anglers Association Awards Banquet, held at Hellriegel’s Inn in Painesville, Ohio, I captured Co-Angler of the Year honors for the third consecutive year. The evening celebrated the season’s top anglers, recognizing excellence, consistency, and dedication to the sport. (Dennis Knowles holding the plaque)

03/03/2026

The Fishing Foundation's 
Pursuit to Create Avid Anglers

OPPORTUNITY MISSED
6% of adults in the U.S., or 15.5 million people, wanted to fish as kids but did not. As adults, 55% have gone on to fish, while 45% of these have not fished, or upwards of 7 million adults who might be anglers today if fishing was available to them in their younger years.

These 'lost' anglers represent a possible 18% increase in the total number of anglers that fish today.

YOUTH ANGLING PROGRAMS POTENTIAL
Youth angling programs serve to help people discover if fishing is right for them and help spark the interest of beginning anglers to fish. 

While as many as half of all fishermen consider themselves anglers, nearly 20% had no interest in the sport until attending a fishing program and a third were interested but did not consider themselves “capable” and needed support.

Many people participate in youth fishing programs because they do not have access to fishing partners, water ways, gear, or information to get started. Youth fishing programs, like The Fishing Foundation, help fill this gap by providing the support roles many youth are missing.

TARGETING THE YOUTH
The greater the exposure to fishing as a youth, the more likely they will participate as an adult.

Three quarters of first-time youth anglers tried it prior to their twelfth birthday.

Of adult anglers who participated in a youth program, 84% did so before the age of 14.

11/21/2025

New Release from The Fishing Foundation!
Learn to Fish Coloring Book for Kids is Here!

We are thrilled to announce the release of our newest publication, Learn to Fish Coloring Book for Kids! A companion to our 2022 guide, Learn to Fish: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginning Anglers, this fun, educational coloring book introduces young anglers, ages 4 – 10, to the world of fishing.

It’s a playful mix of black-and-white illustrations that highlight such things as different fish species, what to bring on a fishing trip, fishing safety, and basic equipment such as live bait, bobbers, weights, and hooks—all ready for kids to color. Accompanying each illustration is fun, educational word games and puzzles that make learning how to fish both enjoyable and memorable.

Please consider buying one or more copies! Proceeds from the coloring book sales support The Fishing Foundation’s mission of taking kids fishing. Order your copy today on Amazon (link below). When you receive it, we’d love for you to leave a quick review on Amazon—your feedback helps us reach even more families. https://www.amazon.com/Learn-Fish-Coloring-Book-Kids/dp/B0G1RTD8K6?ref_=ast_author_dp&th=1&psc=1

Thank you for supporting The Fishing Foundation and helping us continue building outdoor experiences for children and families in our community.

PLEASE “SHARE” THIS POST!

Dennis & Gail
Co-Founders, The Fishing Foundation
,

10/31/2025

https://conta.cc/47svFTH

Email from The Fishing Foundation Summer Fishing   October 2025 Newsletter Celebrating 2 Years of  “Hooked” in Signal Cleveland! This month marks the second anniversary of Hooked, our comic strip pa

10/19/2025

Celebrating 2 Years of “Hooked” in Signal Cleveland!

This month marks the second anniversary of Hooked, our comic strip partnership with Signal Cleveland! What began as a fun and creative extension of our mission at The Fishing Foundation (TFF) has grown into a monthly feature, combining storytelling, and humor.

Hooked features a multicultural cast of teens who form a fishing club, the strip follows their lighthearted adventures as they learn the ins and outs of angling, environmental stewardship, conservation, water safety, and friendship.

Hooked was born from the colorful illustrations and characters found in our educational book, Learn to Fish: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginning Anglers. The response to the book sparked the idea for the strip—and we couldn’t be prouder of how far it’s come.

To date, The Fishing Foundation has introduced more than 2,000 people to the joys of fishing throughout Northeast Ohio, particularly in underserved communities. And with Hooked, we’re reaching even more people with our message: fishing is for everyone, and the outdoors is open to all.

Thank you to all our readers and supporters who have followed the adventures of our Hooked in Signal Cleveland these past two years.

10/08/2025

https://conta.cc/4ms7usI

Email from The Fishing Foundation Summer Fishing   September 2025 Newsletter Coming soon... The Fishing Foundation Kid's Coloring Book Introduce your little ones to our soon to be released Learn to

10/04/2025

From the Water to the Page

In 2010, I founded The Fishing Foundation with one goal: to improve kids’ lives through the sport of fishing. Over the years, I’ve taken thousands of beginning anglers out on the water and witnessed their smiles, laughter, and joyful shouts as they caught their first fish. https://thefishingfoundation.org/

Those experiences inspired me to create something lasting: a fully illustrated, 100+ page guide — Learn to Fish: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginning Anglers — designed especially for ages 8–18. This book is more than instructions on knots, tackle, and casting. It’s about capturing the joy, confidence, and connection that fishing brings.

Throughout the book, you’ll find not only practical lessons but also the spirit of fishing itself, brought to life with vibrant illustrations and wisdom drawn from years of teaching. To make it even more special, I’ve included many of the photos we’ve collected along the way — real kids, real moments, real memories made on the water.

Fishing isn’t just about catching fish. It’s about patience, adventure, family, and friendships. It’s about discovering the outdoors — and discovering yourself.

Hook your copy today and join the fun of fishing!

10/04/2025

08/07/2025

https://conta.cc/40K3QT8

Email from Summer Fishing   July 2025 Newsletter Seeking Leaders! (left to right) Neighborhood Leadership Development Program (NLDP) Graduate, Sara Szelagowski, NLDP Senior Policy Advisor and Program

06/09/2025

https://conta.cc/43FwQMv

Email from The Fishing Foundation Summer Fishing   Cops, Kids & Casting! May 2025 Newsletter THE FISHING FOUNDATION, EUCLID PD AND DIVISION OF WILDLIFE TEAM UP Euclid, Ohio – The Fishing Foundation pa

05/20/2025

From our Fishing Foundation, Euclid Police Hooked on Fishing event today... , ,