Big Rays fifth grade giveaway nurtures the tradition of Alaska’s fishing future one rod and reel at a time.
By Melissa Norris
There is a moment every parent who fishes knows well—that first time your kid feels the line go tight. Their eyes grow wide, their grip tightens, and the making of an angler takes root. Here in Alaska, one company stands out for working quietly and generously to make sure that moment stands a chance.
I sat down recently with Jesse Glamann, co-owner of Big Ray’s, to talk about the store’s annual fifth-grade-graduate gear giveaway. Each May, when school gets out in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Kodiak, their respective stores give away hundreds of rod-and-reel combos suitable for local fishing options. This program is what community stewardship looks like. It’s a first-come, first-served giveaway. People line up before the doors even open. All you have to do is bring your fifth-grader and their recent report card to receive this generous gift from Big Ray’s. Homeschooled kids are welcome too. They’ll hand out fishing equipment until they run out.
A Tradition of Sharing Alaska Fishing with Youth
The program did not begin with Big Ray’s. It began with Tom and Cheryl Merriman at Mack’s Sporting Goods back around 1980. This was the original sportfishing retail store in Kodiak where Jesse learned all about running an outfitting store before Army Navy/Big Ray’s acquired them. A simple, generous idea paired with the notion that fifth grade is the magic age when kids are ready to get out on the water on their own terms. Not with the Snoopy rod of their childhood or a cast-off borrowed from a parent, but with real gear that is theirs to own, maintain, and fish.
What started as a modest tradition has grown into something remarkable. This year, Big Ray’s is planning to give away approximately 400 rod-and-reel combos to 5th-grade graduates across all three store locations. In Kodiak, where the program has the longest roots, participation typically runs between 40- and 70 kids. In Anchorage and Fairbanks, the cap is set at 150 apiece.
Don’t miss the full interview on the Fish Alaska Podcast!
The gear itself is matched to the community. In Fairbanks, combos lean toward trout and grayling, while in Anchorage, it’s something that covers a range of species, including salmon and trout. For Kodiak, kids get rigged up with pink salmon in mind. In 2026 Big Ray’s is giving out Shakespeare Navigator and Okuma Exotic combos, and each goes out with line on the reel ready to fish. Just add water where fish are found. That is the Big Ray’s gift to every fifth-grader who walks through the door. Shout out to Okuma and Pure Fishing for their support.
One of the things that struck me most in my conversation with Jesse was how quietly this program has operated. For decades, they just called the schools, let a few teachers know, and opened the doors. No big advertising campaign. No press release. Sometimes they would slip a note in with the report-card packets going home.
That is the kind of thing I want to shout from the rooftops. In a time when every good deed comes with a content strategy, Big Ray’s has been handing out hundreds of fishing rods to kids for over four decades simply because it’s a good thing to do. Social media has helped spread the word in recent years, but the heart of the program isn’t about brand awareness. It is about being Alaskan. We could continue to quietly let this program go without accolade, but how would we inspire others?
Pride in Ownership
As a parent, I have come to appreciate something in recent years that Jesse articulated better than I ever have: There is a profound difference between borrowing Dad’s rod and holding your own. I see it with my 11-year-old daughter. The moment something is hers, whether it is fishing gear or a pickleball paddle, she becomes more engaged. The ownership changes the relationship to the activity.
Notes like these make the Big Ray’s team smile from ear to ear. You bring your fifth grader, Big Ray’s supplies the gear. Stores in Kodiak, Anchorage, and Fairbanks participate in the graduation giveaway. © Big Ray’s
Jesse knows this too. “If it’s theirs to take care of, they take ownership and pride when they catch their fish on their own tackle.” He paused and smiled. “And then there’s that day when the rod gets bent a little too far.” Many anglers know that story. Those are the lessons that stick.
The Big Ray’s gear giveaway is a first-come, first-serve annual event that takes place the third week in May. Look for Big Ray’s on Facebook or Instagram to learn about the dates in your community. © Big Ray’s
Jesse’s own wife was a recipient of the fifth-grade giveaway. She grew up fishing with that rod provided by the company she now helps run. That is not a footnote; it is the whole point of the program. Jesse talked about what the program means beyond the sport of fishing: bringing home dinner, subsistence, and being Alaskan. “When you bring that back to the plate,” he said, “that’s really kind of why we’re doing it.”
I was reminded of something I heard recently from the hosts of the Alaska Wild Project podcast, a great program Big Ray’s also sponsors. They talked about labeling their fish and game packages in the freezer with the name of their kid who caught or harvested it. I have been thinking about that ever since. What a beautifully simple way to connect a child to the full meaning of what they did out on the water.
More Than a Giveaway
There is a brag-board story Jesse shared that stands out. Back when the store had a physical board where people would pin their fishing photos, a former fifth-grade giveaway recipient came in and posted a picture of himself holding up a 30-pound halibut. All those years later, his fifth-grade rod was now his skiff rod. That rod had become part of his fishing life.
Jesse said something toward the end of our conversation that I think every angler should hear. He talked about the very real challenges this state faces: access, commercial fishing pressures, limits, regulations, and a future that is not guaranteed to look like our past. “It’s important that from a young age, this is just part of who we are. So that when that day comes to stand up about access or rights or limits, we’re remembering why we’re here, why we’re doing it. It’s not about any one day, it’s about our lifestyle.”
That is why programs like this one matter so deeply. It is not just about catching fish. It is about raising a generation of Alaskans who understand what the resource means. After all, who do we think inherits the responsibility? It takes the people who hold the rod and reel in their hands, cleaning and eating fish. It takes knowing what it is like to stand at the edge of a river with a rod that belongs to you, waiting for that line to go tight. Those are the people who will continue to fight for our fisheries. Those are the people who will remember.
Attention Fifth-Graders!
If you have a fifth-grade graduate in your family, mark your calendar for the third week of May and get them to a Big Ray’s store. Arrive early and bring the report card. To Jesse, Jessica, and the entire Big Ray’s team—thank you. Not just for the gear, but for the vision behind it. For understanding that what you put in a child’s hands today shapes who they become on the water for the rest of their life. Alaska’s fishing future is in good hands.
Melissa Norris
About the Author Melissa Norris
Melissa Norris is the founder and Publisher of Fish Alaska and Hunt Alaska magazines. She has over two decades of experience fishing all over Alaska, writing about her time in the field, testing gear, planning trips and cooking and harvesting wild Alaska seafood. In addition to writing tons of content for the magazine and our website, Melissa heads our digital platforms and leads the design team.