Become a Tackle Box Ambassador: First Training to be Held March 21st in Saranac Lake
Click to register for the first Tackle Box Ambassador Training
ACLC Wildlife Technician Leah Boget and ACLC Board member Eric Potter help some of Eric’s neighbors in Brandreth Lake do a tackle box inventory.
Click to learn more about the Tackle Box Ambassador Program
The Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation (ACLC) is recruiting individuals from communities around the Adirondacks who want become Tackle Box Ambassadors. The first training will be held Saturday, March 21, 2026 from 11 am - 1 pm in Saranac Lake, NY. (Details on the venue are being confirmed and will be updated soon.) Lunch will be provided.
The goal of Tackle Box Ambassadors is to engage members of their own communities in learning about the threats of lead fishing tackle to loons and other wildlife, and to help others make the switch to lead-free tackle. Ambassadors will offer to help anglers inventory their tackle boxes, identify lead tackle that can be turned in for recycling, and offer lead-free replacements along with a voucher to exchange for $10-worth of lead-free tackle at participating tackle shops.
Anyone from any community can volunteer to be a Tackle Box Ambassador. While experience as an angler or with fishing tackle is welcome, no prior experience is needed to participate.
Ambassadors will attend an in-person training and will receive:
Information about the dangers of lead to all living things, and the dangers of lead fishing tackle to loons and other wildlife specifically
Information about current laws around lead tackle
Guidelines for identifying lead tackle, including what kinds of tackle are more likely to include lead, how to tell if a piece of tackle is made of lead, and simple ways to “test” whether tackle contains lead
Guidance for having conversations about lead, including avoiding conflict
Ideas for holding tackle box inventory events at local venues and events, and how to promote tackle box inventories, and setting realistic goals for engagement for the 2026 fishing season based on individual capacity and availability
Ambassadors will also receive a free t-shirt, ACLC stickers and educational materials to distribute, and lead-free tackle and vouchers to offer to anglers who turn in lead tackle.
“The goal of the Tackle Box Ambassador program is to support volunteers who can make a difference in their own communities,” said Leah Boget, ACLC wildlife technician. “Hearing about the dangers of lead tackle from your own neighbor can make a bigger impact than simply reading about it online. This grassroots, community-based approach relies on relationships and the credibility that comes with being local to spread the word and encourage action.”
The training will be led by ACLC staff, ACLC Board member Eric Potter, and Sam Grimone, owner of Woods & Waters sport shop in Saranac Lake.
If you have questions, or would like to learn more about scheduling a Tackle Box Ambassador training at a location in another part of the Adirondack Park, please email lboget@adkloon.org.