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2008 Brass Bluegill Award

blake

Life Member
From the IDNR:

2008 Brass Bluegill Award

Brad Freidhof, naturalist for Johnson County Conservation Board, is the 2008 recipient of the Brass Bluegill Award, presented each year to an instructor who has established an outstanding local program that exemplifies the goals of Fish Iowa!

Freidhof's love of fishing began as a child when he started fishing with his father and uncle in local creeks. As he got older, their fishing trips expanded to the Mighty Mississippi.

"I didn't know I would eventually become a naturalist, but I loved fishing and I thought that regardless of what future career opportunities existed for me that I was going to make fishing and fishing education a part of it," he said.

For the past 13 years, Freidhof has used Fish Iowa! to help educate thousands of youth about fish and fishing in Pocahontas and Johnson County. Iowa's great aquatic resources are Brad's classroom. His field trips incorporate a wetland study and a fishing program to provide students with a better understanding of the watershed as well as teaching about the diversity and complexity of the aquatic web of life.

Taking kids fishing is a great way to establish or reaffirm their connection with the land, he said. "I typically try to immerse the students in the subject matter, both figuratively and literally," said Freidhof.

Since moving to Johnson County, Freidhof has expanded fishing education offerings to include fly-fishing and ice fishing. In 2005, he initiated partnerships with park and recreation departments to provide family-specific fishing opportunities.

"This cooperative venture has provided me an outlet to an untapped urban market and provides the park and recreation departments with a skilled educator at no cost. It's a win-win situation," he said. Last year, 90 kids from Iowa City attended a week-long "survivor" camp at F.W. Kent Park. They had a great time hiking, canoeing, and (of course) fishing.

Freidhof became a mentor in 2005 and has trained 20 Fish Iowa! instructors who have reached more than 5,400 youth. He feels it is important to give people all the skills needed to make them an informed angler, so he also does a "Catch It, Clean It and Cook It" class for adults.

He was presented the Brass Bluegill Award March 13, during the Natural Resource Commission meeting at the Annett Nature Center, south of Indianola.

The Brass Bluegill Award has been co-sponsored by Pure Fishing and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Aquatic Education Program since 1997. Pure Fishing is committed to inspiring people to go fishing and helping them learn how to fish, where to fish, and what fishing tackle to use. Pure Fishing is the parent company of Berkley, Abu Garcia, Fenwick, Red Wolf, Mitchell, Johnson, Spider, Coleman Family Fishing, and Toby. Their world headquarters is in Spirit Lake. Fish Iowa! strives to create safe anglers and responsible stewards of our aquatic resources.
 
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