FLW pros to participate in Pennsylvania charity fishing event

Marcellus Shale Coalition 3 Rivers Challenge to help raise money for aquatic resources, environmental science education in Pittsburgh area

The inaugural Marcellus Shale Coalition 3 Rivers Challenge, presented by FLW September 27-29 in Pittsburgh, Pa., is a special charity fishing tournament designed to support environmental and aquatic children’s education programs in western Pennsylvania.

The three-day event – which includes opportunities for the public to meet with the pros, take part in family fishing activities, attend the sponsor/exhibit expo and watch live tournament weigh-ins – is scheduled to take place at Pittsburgh’s North Shore Riverwalk.

Designated visits with FLW pros will take place on Sept. 27 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. On Sept. 28, a pro-am fishing event will run from 2 to 6 p.m. On Sept. 29, a variety of family fishing activities will commence at 10 a.m., while FLW walleye and bass pros will battle for the tournament title from 2 to 6 p.m. on Pittsburgh’s famed Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio waterways. A sponsor/exhibit expo will also run from noon to 7 p.m. on both Sept. 28 and Sept. 29.

All events, included weigh-ins, are free and open to the public.

In addition, the first 300 registrants for the family fishing event will receive a free rod and reel combination. Registration forms for the family fishing event are available online.

For a look at the complete schedule of events, click here.

All for a good cause

Specifically, the event will help fund Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s “KARE” initiative (Keystone Aquatic Resources Education) for students in K-12.

It will also enhance the Commission’s “Fishing Fundamentals – Family Fishing Program,” targeted to kids aged 8-12, and designed to engage families in the activity of fishing by teaching them basic skills in the sport.

Also helped in the effort is the Commission’s Boating Safety and Education outreach program for K-12 students. The program is designed to teach students proper boating techniques on Pennsylvania waters.

Additionally, the event will benefit RiverQuest, the floating classroom ship based in Pittsburgh as well as its award-winning “School Fields Study” program, which serves both students and teachers. This five-hour program offers a wealth of instruction about environmental science and is geared primarily to students in grades 4-12. Aboard the green ship “Explorer,” students are engaged in adventure-based learning and discovery.

This three-day challenge is also being coordinated in partnership with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Full coverage of the Sept. 29 pro tournament will also air on the NBC Sports Network on Oct. 28.

For an overview of the Marcellus Shale Coalition 3 Rivers Challenge, click here.