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GFC OFFERS FIVE-YEAR LICENSE BONUS PACKAGE

In 1997 the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission (GFC) offered the first ever value-added bonus pack to anglers who bought a five-year license. The program was so overwhelmingly popular among anglers and industry sponsors that the GFC is now repeating the offer for the third straight year.

During February and March 1999, if you want a whopper of a deal, purchase a 5-Year Freshwater Fishing License for $61.50, at your tax collector's office (or call 1-888-FISH-FLA and use a credit card, a $3.95 service charge will be added). You will not only receive five full years of freshwater fishing fun, but you will also receive a bonus pack in the mail with more than $40 worth of free lures, magazines, programs and other samples, plus nearly $500 worth of special offers and rebates. In addition, the license you receive will be an embossed plastic card that won't break down and get lost like annual cardboard licenses.

Click here to see a news release about this program.

How can such a deal happen?

This special promotional event is the result of the Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission (GFC) working with representatives from bait and tackle manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, as well as, boat and electronic dealers, outdoor publishers and others who are interested in recreational fishing. This promotion allows them to provide you a sample of their quality products.

FIRST ELITE ANGLERS RECOGNIZED

Florida's "Big Catch" angler recognition program provides recognition to anglers who catch quality-sized fish of any of 33 different species. Applications are available in the "Regulations Summary" and on separate forms, from most bait-and-tackle shops and from sports retailers that sell fishing licenses.

In addition to recognizing individual big catches with full-color certificates of recognition, and window stickers, the FWC also recognizes Specialists, Master and Elite Anglers. Specialists are those who catch at least five qualifying fish of the same species, such as largemouth bass. Masters catch qualifying fish of five different species, for instance largemouth bass, bluegill, sunshine bass, crappie and channel catfish. An Elite Angler has to catch qualifying fish from ten different species.

The first two Elite Anglers completed their quests for 10 qualifying fish during 1998. They were officially recognized at the January 1999 Commission meeting.

Stacy Blackburn, of Milton, Florida, recorded Big Catches of blue and white catfish, black crappie, bluegill, brown and yellow bullheads, largemouth bass, redbreast and spotted sunfish, and warmouth Mr. Blackburn has a family of Big Catch anglers. Wife, Tanya has received three angler recognition awards. Seven-year old Skylar has several youth recognition awards, and six-year old Kayla is a bluegill specialist. Eight-year old Mathew has received a master award for catching trophies in at least five different species (warmouth, bluegill, chain pickerel, bowfin and largemouth bass). So far there have been fourteen Master Awards given. Six of these anglers were youths. Mathew is our youngest Master Angler.

Boe Jacquard, of Inglis, Florida, is the second elite angler. His ten different species included largemouth bass (he's also a specialist), redear sunfish, bluegill, warmouth, channel catfish, brown bullhead, redbreast sunfish, yellow bullhead, chain pickerel, longnose gar and bowfin.

To date, in addition to the 2 Elite Anglers and 14 Masters, we have registered 40 specialists. In 1998 alone, there were 609 adult and 103 youth "Big Catch" certificates issued.

If there are any sceptics left out there, here's more evidence that Florida bass fishing is great--in 1998, 136 bass over 10 pounds were registered. The biggest for the year was 16.4 pounds (photo)and was caught in Lake Istokpoga.

Remember that although we have an uncertified record of 20.13 pounds, the certified record is only 17.27 pounds. To have a record certified the fish must be legally caught using sportfishing methods, weighed on a certified scale (with a valid certification date) and examined by a FWC biologist.

BASS SPECIALTY PLATES

The ‘go fishing' tag, which features a largemouth bass, bluegill and redear sunfish in a natural eel grass bed, provides the background for the Master and Elite angler certificates. The art on the tag, which costs $27 more than a regular plate for your vehicle or trailer, has generated over a million and a half dollars for fish and wildlife conservation. Next time you renew, consider purchasing a bass tag as an investment in your sport's future.