05/21/2026
For over 40 years, Big Ray's has been opening their doors in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Kodiak and handing fishing gear to every fifth-grader who walks in. No purchase necessary. If you have a fifth-grader graduating this spring, bring them and their report card to a Big Ray's store the third week of May. It's first-come, first-served, so arrive early.
"The Rod That Starts It" is the story behind a tradition that has been shaping Alaska's next generation of anglers for decades. Featuring Melissa's conversation with Jesse Glamann, co-owner of Big Ray's, about what it really means to put a rod in a kid's hands.
Read the blog and catch the full interview on the Fish Alaska Podcast.
