Urban and Community Fisheries Programs: Development, Management, and Evaluation

Components of a Successful Fishing Clinic

Lindsey K. Richters, Larry D. Pape, and Richard T. Eades

doi: https://doi.org/10.47886/9781934874042.ch40

Abstract.—The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission incorporated fishing clinics into its Urban Fisheries Program in 1999. Clinics are designed to expose youth to fishing opportunities, and it is our goal to utilize fishing clinics to enrich the lives of youth with the outdoor experience. In the process, we aim to recruit new anglers and ultimately increase fishing permit sales. For a fishing clinic to be successful in recruiting new anglers, it must meet the needs of participants. A fishing clinic must provide them with quality fishing equipment and readily available assistance. It must take place at a location where participants will catch fish in comfort and safety. A clinic must be the grounds for establishing lasting mentor relationships, and most importantly, it must provide participants with the skills necessary for them to enjoy fishing in the future as dedicated anglers. Considering the options for bait, target fish species, equipment, clinic location, participant age, group type, and clinic structure will do much to ensure that a fishing clinic is a success for everyone involved.