Catch a Florida Memory celebrates 1-year anniversary with new partnerships, monthly raffles

October is a big month for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Catch a Florida Memory Saltwater Angler Recognition programs. As we celebrate one year since the official launch of the Saltwater Reel Big Fish and Saltwater Fish Life List programs, Catch a Florida Memory is excited to kick off new monthly raffles conducted by the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida. We are also excited to announce our new partnership with McLean Angling.
McLean Angling, a specialist landing net manufacturer out of New Zealand, will provide high quality landing nets (valued at $125) to some of Catch a Florida Memory’s successful anglers. These unique landing nets allow anglers to both accurately weigh and measure a fish while it is still in the net, minimizing handling and time out of the water to help increase the fish’s chance of survival upon release. Additionally, the nets are knotless and rubber-coated to protect the fish’s skin, scales and slime coat, making them a great option for the conservation-minded angler.
Several of these landing nets will be given away in the new monthly raffle, providing bonus prizes to anglers who have successfully achieved a Grand Slam, Life List Fish Club, or Saltwater Reel Big Fish. The monthly raffles take place on the third Thursday of each month, and at least two winners are drawn at a time. Prizes may include landing nets from McLean Angling, fillet knives from Smith’s Consumer Products, Bluefin rods and reels from the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, fishing gear from Live to Fish, fish ink prints from the Fish Print Shop and more. Each winning angler will be awarded a single prize. Winners are drawn at random from a list of all successful Catch a Florida Memory Saltwater Angler Recognition program participants since June 2013. Anglers may only win the raffle once per calendar year.
The first monthly raffle winners were announced in August and September with Gavin W. Brock (successful Shoreline Grand Slam angler) winning a McLean landing net, Sean McElmurray (Life List 10-Fish Club alum) winning a Bluefin rod and reel combo, and Jonathan Allaire (successful Inshore Grand Slam angler) and Chris Perry (Life List 10-Fish Club alum) each receiving a Smith’s fillet knife. Winners are announced via Facebook at Facebook.com/CatchaFLMemory, and displayed the following day on CatchaFloridaMemory.com. The next monthly drawing is slated for Oct. 19; entries must be approved by Wednesday, Oct. 18 to qualify.
For more information, visit CatchaFloridaMemory.com or like and follow Facebook.com/CatchaFLMemory. To learn more about McLean Angling’s conservation-minded landing nets, visit McleanAngling.co.nz. To learn more about the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, visit FishWildlifeFlorida.org.