Date: 7/22/09
Contact: Doug Nielsen
Phone: 702-486-5127 x 3500

SCHOOL KIDS FIND HOT FISHING IN JULY

With temperatures soaring well over 100 degrees, you may not expect for local fishing to be very good, but local school groups recently found the opposite to be true.

While attending fishing clinics at Floyd Lamb Park members of two different school groups caught more than 80 fish, mostly bluegill. The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) hosted the fishing clinics through its Angler Education Program, something the agency has been doing in Southern Nevada for more than 15 years. The clinics are available to both public and private schools.

Some may consider time spent at a fishing clinic to be somewhat frivolous, but the program actually meets many of the state science standards for the second graders who take part, said Ivy Santee, Angler Education coordinator for NDOW. The kids learn about the different fish species found in Nevada, as well as about their habitat needs and adaptations. They also learn about the fish’s place in the food chain. But, what really impresses the kids is a day like the one Mrs. Orton’s class had at Floyd Lamb Park just last week. The kids, from Theron and Naomi Goynes Elementary School, caught 22 bluegill in only 30 minutes. All together, three classes from the school caught 44 fish and had a great time despite the high temperatures.

The day before, a handful of kindergarteners caught a total of 47 bluegill, and they did so in less than two hours. Even though the kids caught a lot of fish, they had almost twice as many worms stolen from them as fish caught. And every fish was released back into the pond.

Santee said the, “The trick for catching bluegill is simple – use a small hook no bigger than size 10 threaded with a plump meal worm (with a kiss blown to them) and sit very still while waiting for a fish to bite.”

Funding for NDOW’s Angler Education program comes from federal excise taxes on all fishing equipment, which means everyone who fishes and buys fishing products is helping to sponsor fishing education throughout Nevada. They are giving our up-and-coming anglers an opportunity to learn in the great outdoors.

Teachers who are interested in learning more about the NDOW Angler Education experience can find more information on Interact / Beyond the Classroom/ Nevada Department of Wildlife, or by calling Ivy Santee at (702) 486-5127 x 3503.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, and promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. For more information, visit www.ndow.org.