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The IGFA's Hall and museum catches the attention of international anglers who are seeking knowledge of the sport.
By MIKE SCARANTINO
© St. Petersburg Times, published February 16, 2002
New York's Cooperstown is home to the Baseball Hall of Fame, and Ohio has the football shrine.
But Florida has the best of them all.
The International Gamefish Association Hall of Fame and Museum is located in Dania Beach. It is an exciting place for anglers of all ages to visit. The Hall is a mecca to those who seek the greatest piscatorial pursuits the world has to offer, and I finally got to see it in all its dazzling beauty.
The association has been the keeper of the world's recreational sportfishing records since its beginning in 1939.
Founded by Michael Lerner of New York City, the IGFA's inaugural responsibilities were to establish ethical international regulations and serve as the central processing unit for record catch data.
Today, the IGFA's duties have expanded far beyond those rudimentary yet vital tasks.
With the opening of this $32 million, 60,000 square-foot Hall of Fame and museum in 1998, the facility has become a home for international anglers seeking knowledge and a place to preserve the history of fishing.
The center includes a marina, the E.K. Harry library, a learning laboratory, and a three-acre wetland for ecological tours that also serves as a home to numerous species of fish and birds. There are seven different educational and entertainment galleries for anglers and their families to enjoy -- from history exhibits and the grand Hall to the fishing simulator room and miniature marina behind the facility that includes the sistership to Hemmingway's Pilar.
Conservation and education have become top priorities in the IGFA's mission. The organization constantly discourages the needless killing of fish.
While the IGFA supports anglers keeping a catch for consumption -- provided it's caught within the rules of law and ethical fishing -- the catch-and-release method is an important issue for the organization.
To support its mission, the IGFA will pre-certify scales for member anglers who wish to reel in, weigh, photograph, and release potential record catches. There's criteria to be met before a weigh station becomes certified, but there are numerous benefits for the proprietor and angling public. As an extension to the program, professional guides can become certified by the IGFA. From the moment you drive up to the premises, it is easy to see the magnitude of the project the IGFA undertook to construct the massive and beautiful facility. From the magnificent billfish fountain at the entrance to the dazzling architecture, it's an eye-opening experience.
"The original project started out at a cost of $15 million and grew to 32 million as we began to understand the broad scope of services we could provide for the worldwide angling public," said Mike Leech, the IGFA president.
The real beauty of the project, Leech said, came in the form of its funding.
The cost was covered by the use of private money, with more than 40 percent of it coming from the organization's trustees. The IGFA has 360 volunteer representatives spanning 120 countries, and those individuals belong and contribute to more than 1,000 sportfishing-related organizations. It is the representatives who help keep the IGFA abreast of fishing and conservation matters around the globe. Through these individuals, the organization has unequaled opportunity to spread the word on conservation.
In most areas around the world, it's the representatives who are the conservation leaders in their communities. It is the little things that count most to Leech.
"Our new junior angler program is high on our list of priorities," he said. "Trustees announced at the June 1, 2001 meeting the creation of the IGFA Junior Angler World Championship."
A series of qualifying events this year will lead to the first championship, in 2003, Leech said.
"The reason IGFA created this program was to encourage young anglers to stay involved in fishing and receive recognition for their outstanding achievements," he said.
"I especially enjoy reading all the Junior and small fry angler correspondences telling me about their accomplishments," Leech said. "It's all very exciting."
A trip to the Hall of Fame and museum is a fantastic opportunity for the whole family.
Next door to the facility is a huge outdoor retail center complete with a seafood restaurant.
Only 40 minutes west, the Everglades have fantastic angling opportunities. Catches of South American cichlids, Mayan cichlids, peacock and Florida bass attract anglers and tourists from around the world.
Or, if fishing isn't your thing, try an airboat ride through the river of grass. -- If you have a question or comment, call Capt. Mike Scarantino, (352) 683-4868.