# Starting a School Fishing Clubs need Ideas



## faycofishin (Jul 5, 2018)

Good evening my name is Louis Reid I am a teacher at Washington CH HS I am starting a school fishing club at Washington CH High School. I am looking for Ideas and thoughts on how to make this successful.

1. I am requiring students who want to be in the club to have a 2.0 GPA like the Student Angler Federation requires.

2. I have reached out to a few locals who have ponds that will allow us to fish them for that the kids could have success at. 

3. I think I am going to bring in the local Game Warden to talk to the students also. 


Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated. There are many opportunities to fish in college now and this is also a way to keep students interested in school I feel .


----------



## Alaskangiles (Aug 15, 2019)

That is awesome! If you don’t know the local GW, he’s a good dude. I have zero doubt that he would be 100% behind you on this. Plenty of opportunities around for kids to learn. Between creeks, farm ponds, reservoirs. 

Get them kids HOOKED!


----------



## hgbjr (May 15, 2008)

Louis, First let me say I think what your doing is great. Anytime spent passing on the outdoors experiences to our youth is time well spent. I would encourage you to contact B.A.S.S. and F.L.W. to see what they may suggest or even may offer in way of assistance. I believe they may have high school level competition available when you are ready? Also, never be shy about contacting the sporting goods stores ie: Bass Pro, Walmart, Cabelas……. about donations etc... always have your tax deductible ID # with you and have a ID from the school id'ing you as the fishn rep. Also, I would contact the local fish clubs, maybe you could start a draw partner night, teaming one of your students with one of the adults for competition. Gives em great experience and great fun. Man wish I lived closer so I could help out. Anyway, anything I can do, just ask. JB


----------



## BuckeyeTom (Apr 6, 2004)

Thank you for giving them something to do and learn! Plenty of great anglers on here that would be more than happy to help. Need more of this in today's world!!!!


----------



## maynard (May 19, 2007)

Wow, where was this when I was in school? Love the idea! Maybe you can also organize clean-ups along waterways, water sampling, stream restoration, and seining to identify what all species exist. Kind of a mix of fishing club/service club.


----------



## BadgerYaker (Jul 27, 2019)

maynard said:


> Wow, where was this when I was in school? Love the idea! Maybe you can also organize clean-ups along waterways, water sampling, stream restoration, and seining to identify what all species exist. Kind of a mix of fishing club/service club.



We got to do this in my high school biology honors class. Was the best thing I did in h.s.


----------



## zimmerj (Oct 17, 2014)

Consider contacting Mad River Outfitters. They could possibly do a fly casting instruction class.


----------



## $diesel$ (Aug 3, 2018)

Excellent idea, sir. Get them out as often as you can. I'm 62 years old and have spent my entire life fishing. The best teacher i ever had was experience, experience and more experience.
I'm not knocking your abilities as a teacher, in fact, i admire you for what your doing, just saying , with your assistance and a ton of time on or at the water, will make these kids good fishermen for life.

Good luck.


----------



## Doboy (Oct 13, 2008)

"Any thoughts or *ideas* would be appreciated."

Check all of you local Sportsman Clubs. Many of them should have ample property & or private stocked lakes or quarries large enough to hold such an event,,, & they should be more than happy to host, sponsor, & or financially help you out.
Next, contact the Game Warden, ODNR, Boy- Girl Scouts. You will need INSURANCE,,,, 
Every youth & their parents will have to sign a NO-FAULT-CLAUSE contract.



IF YOU WERE CLOSER TO 'Y-Town,,,,,,You could bring the whole class to our club.
Our sportsman club sponsors a YOUTH FIELD DAY, every other year. It's an OPEN HOUSE event with pre-registration on a first come first served basis. 
We help to sponsor 80 to 190 kids most years. 2 weeks ago, we had 177 at our club.
It takes donations from MOST of the clubs in our area,,,,, to help make such a large undertaking possible.
We now have FISHING, CANOE-KAYAK- ARCHERY, .22 PISTOL & RIFLE, .410 & 20 G SHOTGUN Target & Trap shooting, & MUZZELOADER exhibits. 
With free Hot dogs, sloppy Joe & burgers, chips & drinks for lunch.
We also have enough 'related' GIFTS donated for a huge raffle,,,, we make sure that every child goes home with a dandy present. From off-road bicycles to bows, to loaded tackle boxes & fishing pole combos.

Well,,,, I sure hope your ideas materialize,,,, Please keep us posted.
We definitely need to get all of our youth OFF THE COUCH, away from those 'phones', & out, into the sportsman's FIELDS.
Good Luck ;>)


----------



## bubbster (Jun 2, 2013)

Fishing a local pond kept me out of trouble! Paul Petrich was the name of the man who owned this pond. It is now a part of Silver creek Metro park in Summit county Ohio. Thank you Mr. Petrich/now deceased. This is a good project! Maybe take these club members to local bait shops and leave a can at each one for donations for a Lake Erie charter for the club. Bet they all would do that for you! What a great thing! I've often said that the reason for so many young people in trouble is, they have no property to hunt or fish. Today everything is No No No!


----------



## bubbster (Jun 2, 2013)

Hey, maybe aluminum can collecting. My dad used to collect and turn in on Earth day for his hunting license money.


----------



## Doboy (Oct 13, 2008)

"I've often said that the reason for so many young people in trouble is, *they have no property to hunt or fish."*

4x Ditto that! Almost my exact, bitch,,,, maybe 100-200 times!

OR they DON'T have PARENTS, FAMILY & FRIENDS who will take some time to TEACH THEM! 
*(how to 'play' outdoors,,,,, along with having the physical capabilities needed to master them )*
& now,,,, with the '*PAY* TO HUNT, to FISH, to DO ANYTHING OUTDOORS,,,, It's getting harder & harder to get them involved.

*( Every spring, I've been stocking a neighborhood housing development sediment pond down the street,,,, I was SO HAPPY to see 5-10 kids fishing there now!
Some of the neighbors SHUT IT DOWN,,,, HAD IT POSTED !
They didn't want the KIDS WALKING ACROSS THEIR GRASS!!!???? wt')*


I've never been a strong advocate of 'teaching' or forcing the OUTDOOR SPORTS like baseball, football, soccer,,, GOLF, etc on our youth.

I've seen WAY too many kids that just shot HOOPS, sun up, sun down, 24-7,,,, all through school,,,, all through summer,,, & they never learned to 'TURN A WRENCH'!
& Ya, they are on the TEAM, & have acquired some social 'SKILLS',,,, *
but after that GAME is over,,,, they NEVER GAINED A SKILL that will support them through life!?*

I was always ragging on the 4 kids next door,,, 
sure, they can easily make 3-pointers,,,, But I would always ask them, *"WHEN THE GAME IS OVER, CAN YOU EAT THAT BASKETBALL!???"
OR
CAN YOU CHANGE YOUR CAR TIRE?
CAN YOU FIX THE TAIL LIGHTS ON YOUR CAR?
or FIX THE LIGHTS ON A ('BOAT') TRAILER,,,
or CHANGE THE PLUG ON A LAWN MOWER,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,, 

MAN,,,,, DID THOSE KIDS HATE MY CONSTANT BADGERING!

Well Guess what,,,,, NOW that they are married or 'moved out',,, they now know 100% what I was talking about. 
Now,,, while they are over here borrowing my TOOLS,,, I hear; "Geee,, I would have never bought a house if I knew how much UPKEEP it takes!!!" "& PLUMBERS, ELECTRICIANS, & MOWER MECHANICS ARE SO EXPENSIVE!?"

(lmbo,,,,,, that basketball PRO next door, He hit the water curb box TWICE this year! 
BOTH of his new lawn mowers are out back,,, waiting for ME to FIX THEM!!! ;>)
*

*SO,,,,, I TOTALLY APPLAUD FACOFISHIN,,,,, or anybody who will take the time to *
*TAKE A KID OUTDOORS,,,,, IN THE WOODS,,, or FISH'N!!! ;>)

*


----------



## Pike (Apr 7, 2004)

- Learn how to tie knots (multiple for different situations)
- Learn how to rig baits, lots of new bass set-ups in the last couple of years.
- Take a boater safety class, have department of Water Craft Speak to the group.


----------



## Tazmanme (Jul 5, 2017)

Saw this might have some benefit, good luck.


----------



## faycofishin (Jul 5, 2018)

Just an update. 

We have had our initial sign up we have over 50 kids both boys and girls who have signed up . My next step is securing a few locations dates, and a few people to help with this large group. We will be fishing on Sunday nights through October. Thanks for the positivity and thoughts and Ideas.


----------



## BaddFish (Jun 20, 2009)

Way to go faycofishin!
A few ideas:
-contact an OGF lead members, maybe they can donate some hats/shirts to your cause
-contact a lake erie charter captain- maybe they can not only provide a free/or reduced cost run on Erie for those interested, but also REALLY give hands on insight to what its like to be a Captain; safety; fishing techniques; reading electronics
-contact Cabela's or say Fin,Feather & Fur for donations... get these kids loaded up with gear!
-get a marine biologist involved, ODNR etc.. let them review the world of streams/rivers- I loved this as kid, always keep the class room time to a minimum though! 

Good luck & God Bless.


----------



## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Maybe you could collect some older rods with broken tips let them repair and keep them. I bet a post on ogf requesting the rods would get you plenty. I have a few I could donate


----------

