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St. Joseph, Mo. – Get started fishing this spring or sharpen your techniques with free Discover Nature — Fishing lessons. All four lessons in the sequence will be offered in one session by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, starting at the MDC Northwest Regional Office in St. Joseph. After classroom instruction, participants will move outside to Everyday Pond for actual fishing with coaching by MDC staff and volunteers.
The Discover Nature — Fishing program lessons start with the basics about tackle, how to cast, how to bait a hook, and how to handle fish. The lessons then progress to information about common Missouri sport fish, where to fish, regulations, and advanced tackle and techniques. This program gives new anglers the knowledge and confidence they need to go fishing and catch fish.
Instructors Kelsey Gillenwater and Brandon Johnson, MDC education assistants, will first talk about fishing tackle and techniques. Then they will provide help and coaching as participants go fishing for an hour. Both the MDC Northwest Regional Office and Everyday Pond are on the campus of Missouri Western State University. MDC will provide all equipment, bait, and lures. No fishing permits are needed while fishing during the lessons.
All ages are welcome to attend. Youths must be accompanied by an adult. Registration is required. To register, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/439. To learn about other Discover Nature — Fishing lessons offered this spring and summer in northwest Missouri, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/43C.
