Outlaw's HideOut: GO Fish!

This summer the Missouri Department of Conservation conducted an education program, Go Fish, targeting children ages 8-15 providing great instruction with fishing opportunities. The program was conducted at several small lakes around the St. Louis area. Two of our grandchildren, Alex & Jacob, participated in the program and enjoyed it very much. The lake where we went was at August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area about 12 miles away with about 25 small lakes. A small lake was set aside for only the Go Fish program. It was well stocked with sunfish, catfish, large mouth bass and small mouth bass. Class size was limited to 16 with 4 to 5 volunteer instructors. Each class was 2 hours consisting of about 30 minutes of instruction on various fishing basics followed by 1 1/2 hours of fishing. At each class a small item of fishing gear was given to the kids. At class 6 the instructors demonstrated the cleaning technique for sunfish, catfish and bass. Then these fish were cooked along with a batch of catfish that had been purchased for this class. When all seven different classes (Hooks) were finished each child received a very good combo spinning rod and reel. The idea was that by the end of the summer program they had all the information and gear to go fishing except a parent or grandparent to take them. So my assignment is to take them fishing, now that the program is finished.

GO FISH! Seven Hooks

1. Basic Fishing I: Fishing equipment basics, baiting techniques, casting
2. Basic Fishing II: Fish handling—(proper way to hold a largemouth bass, channel catfish and bluegill), knot tying—(Palomar knot and clinch knot)
3. Basic Fishing III: Fish identification—(largemouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill, hybrid sunfish), Fish Biology—(fish anatomy, behavior, life cycle)
4. Lure Fishing: How to identify and use—spinner baits, crank baits, jigs, soft plastics and top water lures
5. Species Specific Fishing: Techniques and baits to specifically target—largemouth bass or channel catfish
6. Cleaning and Cooking: Proper and safe cooking and cleaning techniques, caring for your catch and securing a fish to a stringer. Note: Anglers will not participate in cooking or cleaning the fish. They will learn by demonstration from trained GO FISH! volunteers.
7. Aquatic Ecology, Conservation, & Ethics: Components of healthy aquatic communities-(fish, insects, plants, habitat, etc.), aquatic food webs, how regulations protect aquatic ecosystems and how anglers can impact aquatic conservation

Casting practice and first catch.

Lure fishing using the Beatle Spin lure to catch large mouth bass.

I warned Alex & Jacob that catfishing was a totally different style of fishing. Not cast and reel in, but cast out the line, watch the bobber and wait. With days where you have not luck at all.
Catfishing day was a very hot day with only a few catfish caught among the 16 kids. Not much of any kind of fish was biting that day. Alex only caught a small mouth bass and a turtle that got away. The instructors kept reminding the kids on slow, no catch days to remember that it was was called fishing not catching.