Skip to main content

About The Los Angeles Rod & Reel Club Foundation

The Los Angeles Rod and Reel Club Foundation is dedicated to children’s fishing, veterans fishing, conservation of the resources, and the preservation of sportfishing. Since 1951, the Foundation has planned, arranged and funded charitable and youth activities, and in 2016 implemented a veterans fishing program to help veterans with service related disabilities.. The Foundation encourages and financially supports research and educational programs that will ensure the future of recreational angling.

Fishing programs sponsored by the Foundation provide children in need with the opportunity to participate in recreational fishing. Our annual outing for special needs children occurs at Hansen Dam. The children enjoy a refreshing day outdoors, catch some fish (stocked by the Foundation), have a barbeque lunch and are delighted by the annual special guest appearance from a Forestry employee costumed as Smokey the Bear. The veterans fishing program is part of the recreational therapy for the West Los Angeles and Long Beach Veterans Administration facilities

Providing local saltwater fishing experiences for disadvantaged kids and at-risk children on multiple trips on local party boats out of Los Angeles landings is as rewarding for the volunteers as the youthful participants. The Foundation fully pays for the boats, equipment and food provided to the participants. For some of the children, this is the first time that they have seen the ocean. For some veterans this is their first-time fishing, and for all the veterans, it offers a day of comradery and new experiences on the ocean.https://www.1to1replicawatches.com/

Scholarships provided to California State University Long Beach undergraduate and graduate students have helped to provide marine biology research relevant and pertinent to local sportfishing issues. The Foundation has been able to assist other organizations that take kids fishing or are dedicated to preserving the ocean and its living creatures as a sustainable resource for all to enjoy.

The Foundation is a recognized 501(c)(3) charitable organization, funded by donations from club members, outside individuals and fund-raising activities. The Foundation has an annual fund-raising auction during the last Sunday in February. Donations to this critical fund-raising event come from organizations and individuals who understand the need for children to be mentored and educated in ways not necessarily available in the classroom. Contribution can be made in any form. Gift Certificates and/or products have been popular forms of donation.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Los Angeles Rod and Reel Club Foundation is to provide children in need with the opportunity to participate in recreational fishing through the various fishing programs sponsored by the Foundation.

The Foundation provides these opportunities to encourage and support future generations of anglers. When introducing youth to the enjoyment of the sport, the adult volunteers at these programs set high standards for sportsmanship while teaching the youngsters both the skills and the ethics of sport fishing

The Foundation encourages and financially supports research and educational programs that will ensure the future of recreational angling.

Mentors Trip

Taking “at-risk” children for a day of fun with each child having a mentor while learning the skills of fishing. One trip is planned in June and two are in August each year.

Lou Berke Trout and Catfish Derby

Each year since 2003 the foundation sponsors the Lou Berke Trout and Catfish Derby for special needs children. This event is usually held in March or April. 50 students participate in this activity. The students come from the Los Angeles Unified School District for special education. In addition to the 50 students, this event requires 100 volunteers from cooking breakfast and lunch, to preparing tackle and cleaning fish with the ultimate goal of having a one-to-one ratio with each student while fishing.

Kids Trip

July is the month. This is an event the foundation has been sponsoring since 1950. We have taken over 16,000 kids thru the years – usually 150 to 200+ kids participate. A typical day includes meeting at the crack of dawn, consuming something for a quick breakfast. Fishing a half day along with all the food they can eat from the galley. We supply all tackle, food and beverage along with a trophy for each child participating in this event. These children come from areas which include the Boys & Girls Club of the greater Los Angeles and Angeles and surrounding areas, orphanages, LA’s Best, Vista Del Mar, New Directions for Youth plus foster children, etc.

Veterans Trips

Each year the Foundation sponsors four deep-sea fishing trips for veterans with service-related disabilities. We work with the West Los Angeles and Long Beach Veterans administration hospitals and outpatient services and CalVet to identify veterans for the trips. We are pleased to partner with Larry Brown Long Range Charity Charters to help fund these veterans’ fishing trips.

Additional Activities

The foundation has a long annual tradition of providing several grant programs.

Grad Research

One grant offered is to the Cal State University Long Beach Marine Biology Department giving three graduate students pursuing Masters Degrees and two undergraduate students. The foundation believes in nurturing student activities related to the wellbeing of our ocean resources. Professor Chris Lowe, Department head of Marine Biology has been a speaker at one of our monthly general dinner meetings or our annual banquet.

See:  http://www.csulb.edu/biological-sciences/scholarships

Other Grants

Other grant programs include Aquarium of the Pacific, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, Hubbs Sea World White Sea Bass Hatchery, Marina Del Rey grow out pens, Friends of Castaic and others.

Fishing Tackle Swap Meet

Once a year we have a swap meet of fishing tackle donated by club members – funds raised used to support foundation activities.

Donations

If you would like to make a donation, either use our online form or please make the check out to the Los Angeles Rod and Reel Club Foundation and mail to 3125 Old Conejo Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 or call 818-772-4668.