Take Me Fishing campaign aims at getting more people out fishing

MADISON – Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank today announced the state has begun its second year of the Take Me Fishing Campaign in partnership with the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation. The campaign uses direct marketing and radio advertising to reach out to anglers who have fished in recent years but haven’t bought a license in at least one of the last five years. As part of the campaign, more than 55,000 post cards were mailed today to anglers meeting this criteria.

“This program has proven to be effective in bringing families back to fishing on Wisconsin’s waters and we are happy to continue our partnership with the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation,” Secretary Frank said. “We were very pleased with last year’s results, and hope we can get even more anglers out on Wisconsin waters this year.”

Last year, the campaign’s first, Wisconsin lured back more anglers than any other state: 11,231 of 41,322 people (27 percent) receiving the mailing bought a fishing license. Altogether, more than 223,000 fishing licenses and permits were sold in 29 of the 30 states that participated in 2008.

“Wisconsin is known throughout the country for our great fishing,” Secretary Frank said. “Fishing is an important part of Wisconsin’s heritage that supports healthy families, healthy local economies and a healthy environment.”

For every additional license the DNR sells, it receives $10 in federal funding from excise tax on the sale of fishing gear to invest in improving fishing for everyone.

Thirty-two states will launch their programs over the coming weeks with two separate mailings, aiming to bring lapsed anglers back to the sport, according to RBFF [www.rbff.org] (exit DNR). The second year of the program continues to integrate radio advertising and public relations support from the RBFF to enhance the direct mail effort. Another element of the campaign is TakeMeFishing.org, the campaign Web site where anglers can find tips on fishing tackle to use, fishing techniques, fish identification, maps showing lakes and rivers to fish, and links to all states’ fisheries program.

Take Me Fishing is a three-year-project. Find more information about Wisconsin’s participation in the DNR’s fishing media kit, under the tab, “campaign.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis Schenborn (608) 267-7591 or Rachel Piacenza (608) 261-6431