FISHING
1. (a) Become familiar with the freshwater
fishing laws, regulations, and license requirements for your state.
(b) If you live in a coastal state, become familiar with the
saltwater fishing laws, regulations, and license requirements for your state. If you live
in an inland state, become familiar with the saltwater fishing laws, regulations, and
license requirements for a coastal state of your choice.
2. (a) Using a map of your state, designate where the different
varieties of water are located, such as warm fresh water, cold fresh water (include tail
waters), brackish water, and salt water.
(b) On the map, note the most popular game fish found in each spot you marked.
(c) On the map, note any protected fish species found in your state.
3. Learn and then teach the following to someone else:
* The four main types of fishing equipment: spincast, spinning, baitcast, and fly.
Explain how they differ and the benefits of each type, describing how one might be better
for certain fishing situations.
* Three different fishing knots.
* How to correctly spool line on a reel of the four types of fishing equipment.
* How to execute three different types of cast with two of the four types of fishing
equipment. Use targets. Know safety measures needed while casting.
4. Develop a personal ethical code for fishing. List a variety of potential
ethical situations where choices may have to be made and describe how you plan to make
decisions for those situations.
5. List at least 10 potential safety situations that you could encounter wh@e
fishing in your area and what precautions you should take to protect yourself and your
fishing partners.
6. (a) For two different species of game fish found in your
state, learn where they are in the food chain, the types of waters they can be found in,
and the type of underwater structure and temperature they might be most likely to be found
in during the fall, winter, spring, and summer.
(b) Catch at least one fish of each of the above two species.
7. Do one of the following:
* Build a fishing rod-the type of your choice.
* Tie six freshwater or saltwater flies common to your area.
*Design and make your own fishing lure (not a fly) and explain the fish-attracting
principle of the lure.
8. Do one of the following:
* Plan or assist with a National Fishing Week or National Hunting and Fishing Day
event.
* Assist with a Hooked On Fishing, Not On Drugs program.
* Organize and lead a fishing trip or event to introduce other youth to fishing.
9. Make a tabletop display or presentation for your crew, another crew, a
Cub or Boy Scout group, or another youth group on what you have learned about fishing.
Resources
For More Information
American Sport Fishing Association
1033 North Fairfax Street, Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22314
Billfish Foundation
2419 East Commercial Blvd., Suite 303
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
Black Bass Foundation
260 Crest Road
Edgefield, SC 29824
Federation of Fly Fishers
P.O. Box 1595
Bozeman, MT 59771
Fish America Foundation
1033 North Fairfax Street, Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22314
Hooked on Fishing, Not Drugs Teachers Guide
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Publications Unit
4401 North Fairfax Drive, MS 130
Webb Building
Arlington, VA 22203
International Game Fish Association
1301 East Atlantic Blvd.
Pompano Beach, FL 33060
Izaak Walton League of America, Inc.
Save-a-Stream
707 Conservation Lane
Gaithersberg, MD 20878
National Fishing Week
1033 North Fairfax Street, Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22314
National Marine Fisheries
Office of Public Affairs
1335 East-West Highway
Silver Springs, MD 20910
Trout Unlimited
1500 Wilson Blvd., Suite 310
Arlington, NI-A 22209