High School Fishing Group Ideas/Experience – Looking for Advice

So here is the situation, my Fiance is an English teacher at the local high school. Since we have started dating she has really started to like fishing and because of this some times talks about either us fishing together or some trip I may be on to her students. Because of this she has come to realize there are a lot of high school students that really like to fish, but a fair amount of them either have parents who do not fish or come from very poor family’s that can not afford for the kids to fish/go anywhere but where their bike or feet may take them. She has been talking to me over the last 6 months about starting a fishing club at the high school to talk about fishing topics with the students, teach them a few general things, maybe line up a trip once a year if possible or something like that. The other reason she thinks this would be a great idea is that there is now a fair amount of trap shooting teams in the area and there is nothing related to fishing that is discussed for the students. I told her (after 6 months of discussion) that I will start to look into it. I would really enjoy this, and since I now work right in town and live 3 miles from the High School it would be easy to try and put something together, but if I were to do something on these lines I want to make sure it is done right so I thought I would ask and see if anyone else has done something along these lines.

A couple of points that may help my cause:
1.The company I work at is very supportive of non profit work and would help with time off/some financial help
2.I am involved in a few different pro staff groups in the fishing industry so I feel I may be able to leverage that in getting equipment/support help down the road if I ended up needing it
3. I would enjoy sharing my love for the outdoors and have had the ability to work with relatives kids and take them on trips/talk to them about fishing and help them grow

I really have no idea what the end product of a High School fishing club would be right now as I am just starting to explore the idea and probably would not start it until next fall. My initial thought would be just a group that could meet once a month to discuss some general topics of fishing, discuss tackle and when/how to use it to start with. Maybe at one point down the road include a once a year trip if enough help/boats could be arranged but that may not happen.

So, now that I have been pretty long winded I would like to hear some thoughts. If it matters we are located right around Albert Lea MN.

I have been looking into the same here in Isle where I teach. This spring we are starting a HS trap team. The Isle Sportsmen’s club has been a key factor in getting this off the ground and your local chapter may have some offerings as well for a fishing club. Im my future vision we will develop a Outdoor Club.
In my classes we mace ice scoops, rattle reels and this year we are making ice rods and the kids like the idea of the club but with such a small student body most are involved in sports already.
Send me a PM and maybe we can collaborate.

Both of you need to be commended for what you are looking to do. We need hundreds more like you. I’m a bass guy and we have a number of Junior Bass Clubs that are doing exactly what you are thinking about doing.Then in addition to the clubs, they have opportunities to participate in National Fishing programs such as the Student High School Angler program http://www.highschoolfishing.org/getting-started/ or the B.A.S.S Bassmaster High School program http://www.bassmaster.com/high-school#

I’m not sure how well this would transfer, but I was a part of a summer-school type fishing program in grades 5 – 6 or so. There were kids of all ages in it however, so perhaps it would work well with high-school kids.

Over the course of two summers, here’s just a few of the projects/activities we did:

-Wood lure making – variety of lure styles
-Jig and sinker-pouring
-Lure painting
-ice jig making – soldering hooks to tiny willowleaf spoons
-Contour map study
-Fly-tying
-Hook and line only fishing tournaments near streams
-Minnow seining/trapping
-Fishing Videos
-Soft plastics making
-Annual fishing day with families

I know I’m forgetting a pile of things we did at the moment, but I can truly say that this summer class helped to shape my future in fishing.

I look back now however, and like most teachers, much of the funds, materials, and especially the extra time came almost completely from the guy who ran the course. For him, it was fun and rewarding, but his generosity was something that I’ll never forget. It’s also an idea that I plan to act-on just like yourself.

Kudos to you Brandon for taking this on, and keep us posted with updates as to your plans and how things are coming along. I’m extremely interested, and I know others here are too.

Thanks,

Joel

I found a great resource today. I work at a community bank and the President is very involved in community projects, he brought up some good points of trying to find a group to branch off of so that they have the non profit status, insurance/liability all covered. I am thinking of looking at the local Jaycee’s group (he sits on the board) and see if they will help either with covering the group as a division of their chapter or helping to lead me through the process of setting all of this up. I appreciate the ideas and look forward to seeing what I can come up with this winter.

Brandon

http://studentfishing.com/

http://www.ihsa.org/SportsActivities/BassFishing.aspx

Just two associations that are working with kids to be able to consider competition… I am taking the time to try to get an ice fishing team off the ground this winter at my school. Willie bee (Keith Heberlein) of IDO Lake Mi charter fishing is a coach/supporter of the ice fishing team(s) here in WI. So give it some more time and we’ll see more info coming.

Mark

I started a fishing class last year at the middle school where I teach. I was in the same boat as you and not sure where to start. I made a call to the Nebraska Game and Parks to see if they had anything to offer. They directed me to some curriculums that were on-line. There were excellent lesson ideas in the sites they directed me to. We have a Cabelas in town also and they have sent speakers to my class. I don’t have the address to the web-sites handy right now but if you would like them let me know.

Good Luck

Give this a try.
CALLING ALL HIGH SCHOOL FISHING CLUBS!
We want you on the Berkley Team.

Now is the time to register your high school fishing team for the 2015 Berkley® High Fishing Club Challenge.
If you participated last year you know the fun we had with the monthly challenges and all the great prizes available throughout the season. The opportunity to win first, second, or third place in the challenge can add hundreds or even thousands of dollars to your clubs arsenal of fishing supplies. If you are new to the Berkley High Challenge don’t miss this great opportunity to team with the most notable brand in the fishing tackle industry – BERKLEY®

The Berkley High Challenge promotes the joy of fishing while learning techniques to develop the skills to create lifelong anglers. Your club can be big or small, skilled or novice, freshwater or saltwater, or can fish for any species. It’s not about the biggest or the most fish, it’s about the joy of the sport.

We don’t focus on tournaments but we are launching the new year now, in June, so that we can follow and reward your team’s summer time fishing activities .
But all that will come later. Now is the time to sign-up.

Go to the Berkley website home page and click on the trophy photo to get started now.
http://www.berkley-fishing.com

2014 Champions – Lake Havasu City High School Anglers (AZ). They were one of the smallest clubs in the contest but fought hard to earn $4000 in prizes for their team.

Where are you located? Here in Goodhue, I have been involved with another teacher here in an activity that might work for you. Once a year, usually in the Spring, we take about 20-30 students from grades 7-12 to the Alma Fishing Float. We leave about 7:30, arrive about 8:30, and fish on the Float until about 2 PM. they have tackle and food available, or you can bring your own. Tim & Jim Lodermeier are the owners, and are more than willing to help beginners out. We have done this for about 20 years. If you are thinking club or other, more often meetings, I think they would be willing to welcome groups. Many of the kids who have joined us have become regulars and enjoy the variety involved with River fishing. We usually catch between 10 and 13 different species each time down. (There is another Float near Dresbach (best dam Fishing Float) where Captain Tom has always welcomed groups, too. I hope this helps.