Lawmakers hooked on Sultan man’s idea for at-risk kids

SULTAN — A Snohomish County man is angling to get kids hooked on fishing.

Bob Klement, of Sultan, came up with an idea for a new law that would allow programs for at-risk children and teens to get group fishing permits instead of having to pay for each angler.

He pitched it to state Sen. Kirk Pearson, R-Monroe, just before the start of the legislative session in January. Pearson said he thought it was a great idea and got to work on a bill right away.

“It’s one of those bills that makes so much sense,” he said. “My fellow legislators, they got it.”

The bill passed unanimously through the House and Senate. Gov. Jay Inslee signed it into law April 24.

“When the governor put pen to paper, my dream came true,” Klement said. “This bill is a rarity because it’s one of the few that passed on the first try. The impact it’s going to have on kids in this state is tremendous.”

Effective July 24, free group permits can be issued on a seasonal basis to a state or local agency, or nonprofit group that runs a program for at-risk youth. Catch record cards also are to be provided at no cost to those fishing under a group permit.

The record cards are required for certain types of fish and must be turned in to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife regardless of whether there’s a catch.

Ordinarily, the first card is free and each additional card costs $12.60. The price of a regular fishing permit varies for different age groups and types of fish. For those 16 and older, a freshwater fishing licence costs $29.50 and a saltwater permit is $30.05.

Klement wanted to reduce the cost of fishing with the bill in hopes that more young people would be able to enjoy outdoor recreation and stay out of trouble.

“It’s got an awesome, awesome potential to help a lot of kids,” he said.

Klement and Pearson said they still have work to do before fishing season starts in June. They’re spreading the word about the group permits and looking for donated fishing gear to give to groups that work with at-risk youth.

That way, nonprofits such as the Boys &Girls Clubs, Volunteers of America and the Edge Effect in Index can take advantage of the free group permits.

Calei Vaughn, director of Volunteers of America Sky Valley Services in Sultan, said she’s already organizing a fishing trip. The expense of buying individual licences for each fisher previously prevented the nonprofit from taking young people out on the river, she said.

“We live in one of the best spots for recreation in Washington state,” Vaughn said. “We want to take advantage of it as soon as possible.”

Vaughn also heads the Sultan Community Task Force, a volunteer group aimed at solving problems related to poverty, homelessness and at-risk youth. Klement got the idea for the law while working with that group.

The retired Army combat veteran said he finds peace on the Skykomish River. Klement, 48, has enjoyed angling since he was old enough to hold a fishing pole. Now he’d like to share his skill with young people who might need a mentor to stay on the right track.

“So many of these kids are heading down the wrong path,” he said. “If we can catch just a couple and change their lives, it’ll be a tremendous benefit for the community.”

People can make arrangements to donate fishing gear by emailing Klement at silverhookd1@gmail.com.

Amy Nile: 425-339-3192; anile@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @AmyNileReports.