This program was conceived and developed because recent research has demonstrated that traditional programs have generally failed to move participants beyond introductory experiences to the ultimate goals of increasing knowledge and then changing attitudes, changing values and changing behaviors. The 4-H Sportfishing Program has been developed to address the identified weaknesses of most traditional fishing and aquatic resource education programs. Traditional youth fishing programs have generally failed to move participants beyond simple introductory experiences to the ultimate goals of increasing knowledge and then changing attitudes, changing values and changing behaviors. One major factor influencing the limited success of previous programs is the level of involvement of participants in the program. While such programs can reach large numbers of youth, they characteristically offered only brief contact and exposure to the information provided.
Brief exposure limits the level of involvement and commitment that youth invest in the program.
We now know that greater success is likely if the experiences foster long-term involvement and higher levels of commitment from both the participants and the programmers. For more detailed information on the Youth Sportfishing Program, check out the Program Summary which can be printed and used as a promotional or recruitment tool. The Youth Sportfishing Program in Mississippi has been initiated as a series of local Pilot Programs across the state. These local Pilots are single or multiple county efforts, and will run for 18 months. Following evaluation and refinement, the Youth Sportfishing Program will be implemented statewide in as many locations as possible.