Two friends investing a few hours in a boat on a beautiful lake can solve a lot of the world’s problems if they put their minds to it.

Or, they can share fishing tips, analyze the weather or recall career decisions.

The day was young, the morning fresh and the optimism bubbling when Harry Emmerling and I met at the lake early Thursday for a few hours of bass fishing. We’ve been fishing friends for eight years, but Thursday was the first time we had actually fished together.

We had a lot to talk about, and the fish gave us plenty of opportunity. The “bite” was slow, non-existent in fact. No worries. That’s fishing.

Fishing is important to Emmerling. After his U.S. Air Force service, he studied fisheries biology in college, took seasonal work in his chosen field, then went to work for the City of East Liverpool as baby daughters came along.

Born and raised on the banks of the Ohio River, Emmerling was destined to become a fisherman. A proud “river rat,” he’s never too far from the action. He’s an avid topwater lure angler, but also skilled with Senkos, Ned rigs and all the stuff essential to the well-rounded Ohio bass angler.

For Emmerling, however, fishing never strays too far from his motivation to give back. Now more than a decade since its founding, his Student Fishing League – popularly known as the SFL – occupies much of his time when he’s not working for East Liverpool, cuddling grandchildren and making sure his daughter is doing well at the University of Akron.

More than a fishing league, the SFL brings together young people from Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, instills responsibility, rewards performance, builds friendships and so much more. And, yes, the students do learn about fishing.

The SFL is Harry Emmerling through and through, but he is quick to share credit with the volunteer moms: Julie Citino, Amanda Kohler, Diedre Schimpf and Heather Barnouse.

“They do all the work,” he said with his characteristic grin. “I just do the talking.”

Perhaps, but Emmerling is the brains of the SFL, the organizer, promoter, counselor and coach. He’s at the ramp before the sun rises and he’s there until the last trophy is awarded. He recruits veteran anglers with bass boats who volunteer to coach student anglers. He also appreciates assistance provided by Dick Thayer, Wayne Wells, Mark Wilkinson and others who help set up for SFL events.

Over the years, Emmerling has created esprit d’corps among the hundreds of kids who have passed through the SFL. A number of graduated SFL anglers have returned to the program as coaches to pass their experience forward.

Student competitors wear personalized competition jerseys in their school colors and test their talents in a series of weekend tournaments, culminating in the SFL championship. This year’s champion was Rohan Kelly of United Local High School, who was coached throughout his SFL career by Tyler Woak.

Like Woak, I have been in the boat with SFL anglers in tournaments and special “bass camps.” It is an honor to share the excitement and fulfillment we get from bass fishing and to see the joy of learning and succeeding on the faces of the young anglers. I have been impressed by the students encouraging each other, celebrating their friends’ successes and sharing their experiences with parents back at the dock.

Emmerling and I talked about all this and more as we made hundreds of casts to bass apparently suffering from lockjaw. The morning passed quickly, as it often does for anglers on a lake.

Back at the dock, I apologized about the fish failing to cooperate.

“Hey, that’s fishing,” Emmerling said.

Another lesson learned. Fishing is a lot more than catching.

Jack Wollitz writes weekly about fishing experiences throughout the region. Contact him at jackbbaass@gmail.com.