By Brittany Wallace
Fishing clubs in Florida are not hard to find, but Cast Away Anglers Fishing Club is different from the rest. The club works hard to educate its members about fishing and things that pertain to Tampa Bay area. The focus of the club is on saltwater and fresh water fishing and other fishing-related activities.
The Cast Away Anglers Fishing Club began in September 2013. The education committee comes up with what the club is going to cover in the 12 meetings scheduled for the upcoming year. They take seriously the advice from the 109 members when making up the schedule. The president of the club is Robert Preston.
Preston said this about the Cast Away Anglers, “I think we present a good social atmosphere, I think we present interesting information, and we set up a condition of opportunities of camaraderie.”
A benefit of joining the club if you have interest is that it actually teaches people how to fish in Florida, which is different than other states. It is beneficial for people not originally from Florida. The charter members help out with this learning process.
At an average club meeting, there is a guest speaker who educates the members on fishing, tackle, and Tampa Bay. Sometimes tables are set up with different experts who teach about fishing.
Other events held on non-club days are inshore (near the shore) and offshore (out to sea) charter trips. These happen twice a year. Other trips sponsored by The Freedom Vote Club happen two to three times a month.
The club also reaches out to the community with events such as visiting the Suncoast Youth Conservation center. The Cast Away Anglers was one of the first volunteer groups to ever work with them.
The Cast Away Anglers club meets the first Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Ruskin Elks Lodge, 1630 US Hwy. 41 S. Preston would like for everyone to know everyone is welcome. Email Castawatangkersfl@gmail.com, or visit www.castawayanglersclubfl.org.
