Life Member Kim Henderson had never dreamed he’d be a television spokesman for the sport of fishing, until he found out he’d won an Anglers’ Legacy contest through World Fishing Network (WFN).

The prize, he discovered, was an all-expenses paid trip to the Miami International Boat Show last February, along with the chance to appear in a television commercial that encourages anglers to bring new recruits to the sport. It’s scheduled to air on WFN and WFN HD through the remainder of the summer.

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After earlier entering the NAFC Anglers’ Legacy Sweepstakes, he explains, Henderson found the WFN competition online and wrote an entry essay that described what it was like growing up and fishing with his father and brothers.

He also discussed his passion for teaching others to fish. His was one of four winning entries from among hundreds that arrived from all over the country.

Henderson, a realtor and appraiser from Alliance, Ohio, is a lifelong angler who carries a fishing rod and tackle box wherever his work takes him.

“I’m on the road a lot with my job,” he said, “and when I get the opportunity to fish a pond or stream I see along the way, I usually take it.”

He also delights in passing along his passion for fishing. While he never misses a chance to teach youngsters how to fish, his primary effort toward the goal is the annual kids’ fishing derby he organizes each year in conjunction with his hometown’s annual Carnation Festival.

“We have to get kids more interested in the outdoors,” he says, “and during the derby, we typically get about 150 of them fishing for bass and bluegills at Silver Park.

“It’s a great way to introduce them to the sport, and my goal is to be able to give a rod-and-reel to every youngster who enters for the first time—to get them outfitted so they can go fishing on their own.”

Editor’s Note: The Carnation Festival Fishing Derby, which Kim organizes, is scheduled for Aug. 9, and he’s always in need of new tackle for the children and items to fill gift bags for all the participants. If you’d like to help out a fellow Club member, email Kim at: kimethhenderson@yahoo.com.

 

Kim Henderson Anglers’ Pledge Essay

I took the pledge to be able to teach others and help the youths of today to learn what I learned from my father and friends.

Being raised in a family of four boys, growing up in a middle-class family, the one thing we really enjoyed was our fishing trips with our father. My father had a knack for finding the right fishing holes or spots for us to always, well almost always, to be able to catch fish.

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He would take us down back-country roads and we would follow a stream or creek to a deep section of the creek and there we would fish, and we would be so excited to catch fish. It brought us such joy on my and my younger brother’s faces, ages 4 to 13, to be able to fish with our dad, and actually catch fish.

Back in those days, our father usually worked two or three jobs, and we didn’t get to spend a lot of time with him, but when we did, we went fishing and caught fish, which made us all so happy. And since those younger days I still fish a lot. It’s the only sport I truly enjoy, and I still go to some of those special spots that we went as kids.

Now I love to take younger kids fishing, and give them tackle. I have a group of younger boys, mostly from one-parent homes, that I enjoy taking fishing, either one at a time or a group. I really enjoy teaching kids how to fish, how to bait their hook and how to retrieve their fish, and what really makes it worthwhile is seeing their smiling faces as they catch a fish. Brings back such fond memories. Wow what a feeling for them and me, I’m so very thankful for being able to help others and bring them great joy like our father brought us as kids.

I enjoy it so much that this year I am Chairing a Fishing Derby in my hometown this Aug 2009 for the Carnation Parade Festival at our local park, which will draw 150 kids, with the help of the Berkley Fishing Team and a couple of our local fishing pros, I feel this will be a educational and fun event for kids of all ages, and being able to give away goodie bags and tackle, and trophies. This is the reason I took the Pledge.

Kim Henderson