Conservation Department Offers Family Fishing Classes
In the rush-rush lifestyle, many parents’ good intentions to take their children fishing often remains in dry dock.
That’s too bad because, although the world of family life is ever-changing, the benefits of getting kids involved in fishing are the same as they’ve always been. Fishing is still a good way to connect children with the outdoors, it’s still a good way to get them off the couch and involved in a healthier lifestyle and it’s still a good way to create or strengthen family bonds.
These benefits are the reasons the Missouri Department of Conservation is interested in getting people involved in its Discover Nature Fishing Program. This statewide program provides a series of lessons to help kids and families gain skills and confidence to go fishing. All classes are free. They are for youths ages 7-15, but the focus isn’t solely on kids. To be eligible to participate, youths must be accompanied by an adult or people can register and participate as entire families.
Each class is two hours long. Participants don’t have to take all four classes, but must take the first lesson before registering for any of the other three. The topics of the four clinics are:
• Lesson One: Equipment, casting, proper fish handling
• Lesson Two: How to a knot and bait a hook
• Lesson Three: Five common Missouri fish, their anatomy, habitats and lifestyles
• Lesson Four: Fishing with lures, fishing regulations
If the desire to take your family fishing is strong, but your experience is weak, don’t be discouraged. MDC’s Discover Nature Fishing Program could provide the motivation to take your family fishing. One of the things this program emphasizes is that families can have plenty of fun by sticking to the basics.
One stroll through any outdoors store will show fishing has become an activity with many complexities. But people interested in becoming more involved in fishing shouldn’t be intimidated by the sport’s details. If you have a basic knowledge of the equipment and understand a few simple techniques, fishing can be as enjoyable for you and your family as it is for your more experienced friends.
In southwest Missouri, Discover Nature Fishing classes will be taught through August in Springfield, Branson, Joplin and Mount Vernon. People can get information on the dates and locations of upcoming Discover Nature Fishing classes by going to www.missouriconservation.org and entering “Discover Nature Fishing” in the SEARCH box. People in the southwest part of the state can register by calling MDC’s Southwest Regional Office in Springfield, 417-8956880. People in the south-central part of the state can get more information about the Discover Nature Fishing Program by calling MDC’s Ozark Regional Office in West Plains at 417-256-7161.