As we cruise into our New Year with positive expectations for sales improvement all around, it’s fitting to highlight the longest continuous initiative that has introduced more than 9,000 women to fishing.
Betty Bauman’s Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing University series is dedicated to attracting more women to sport fishing and to promoting conservation and responsible angling. Bauman has announced the initial 2024 schedule.
Over the last 27 years, Bauman’s efforts have introduced more women to angling adventures than any other recognized program. Moreover, many marine dealers have sent customers to an LLGF event as part of their customer-relations emphasis.
The LLGF programs are good for both beginners and those who fish but desire to improve techniques and success. “When it comes to fishing, you never know it all,” Bauman says. “Women don’t need to belong to any group or club to attend. They can also register men if they desire to learn as a couple, and we see quite a few annually.”
The typical LLGF event includes a welcome party usually held Friday evening, followed by Saturday instruction featuring proper use of equipment, hands-on technique practice, lunch and more. There sometimes is offered a scaled down event with much of the same instruction but in shorter classes — an afternoon vs. all day — and there are no-meal events.
“We know our anglers learn more in one weekend than they might otherwise in years,” Bauman says. “We make each session unique, plus there are special events, including the chance to apply all that new knowledge by actually charter fishing inshore or offshore following the instruction sessions.”
The initial 2024 schedule includes:
• Feb. 3: Big Miami Fishing Seminar Weekend
• March 2: Freshwater Bass Seminar, Dania Beach, Fla.
• March 23-24: South Gulf Coast Saltwater Weekend Inshore Seminar, Fort Myers, Fla.
• April 19-21: Spring Florida Saltwater Weekend Seminar, Fort Lauderdale
• May 17-19: Keys Fishing, Learning on the Water, Islamorada, Fla.
• Sept. 20-21: Guy Harvey Outpost Bass Seminar & Tournament, Lake Wales, Fla.
• Oct. 18-20: Fall Keys Saltwater Weekend Seminar and Fishing, Islamorada, Fla.
• Nov. 23-24: St. Augustine Surf Fishing Academy at Guy Harvey Resort
Bauman has received numerous national awards for her work, including Woman of the Year by the American Sportfishing Association; a Top 21 Most Influential Marine Industry Leader for the 21st Century by Boating Industry magazine; Bass Pro Shops’ Pass It On Award; and one of the top women in American boating by BoatUS. Magazine.
The Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing Foundation is a non-profit directly supported by many manufacturers and suppliers in the marine industry. They include Mercury, Penn, Lowrance, Costa, Seaguar, Taco Marine, Take Me Fishing, Vamos a Pescar, Magic Tilt, Power Pole, AFTCO, Star brite, Icom, Frogg Toggs, Future Angler Foundation and Freedom Boat Club.
