Let's say you don't know anybody to take you fishing and you don't know where to go. So you're out of luck, right?

Wrong, because this video and the many of the others on this website will help guide you to realistic pathways to making your first catch. Besides watching the video here, check out this link on where to fish on YOUR National Forests, plus explore the step-by-step guide to creating your passport to angling adventure on a National Forest.

If you take the time to decode this video, you'll discover the steps of how these two girls not only found places to go trout fishing on National Forests, they did their own online and in-person research on exactly where to go to catch their first trout. They also did something else that helped them learn where and how to catch a trout... they took the initiative to actually ask mentors to take them trout fishing. So watch this video and learn how you can do the same.

When you're done, take the time to also watch the Your Best Waters video (click on that thumbnail on the right), and discover where many of the best waters in the nation come from and what it means to you and the ecosystems they nourish.

Admittedly, if you're trying to make your first catch (that means catching your first fish), trout may be more of a challenge than perhaps a panfish or catfish. But don't let the challenge stop you. Just the process of fishing for trout will take you on a journey of fishing adventure that's ideal to share with family or a friend. Here's why:

• Trout fishing habitat is often located in remote streams or lakes in pristine environments... like in your National Forests. Just finding and exploring where trout live can be an exciting adventure even if you don't always catch a trout.
• Trout need certain habitats to thrive, so finding what watersheds they live in, then locating where the best places in the stream to fish for them can offer you great lessons in trout ecology. And part of fishing for them is learning what are the best baits, lures, or flies to try and catch them in different ecosystems.
• As you'll see in the video, trout fishing on streams requires that you "hunt" for the right places to fish using your eyes, legs, and smarts. That also contributes to the sense of adventure of weaving your way upstream to see what's around the next bend in the river.
• Even though we recommend you practice responsible "catch-n-release" to help preserve our fish resources, we also know that you might enjoy sharing a delicious trout meal with your family and friends. If you do, practice wise use of the resource and only legally harvest what you need... and don't forget to wet your hands when unhooking and carefully releasing the trout you let go.

To learn more about trout, trout habitat, trout fishing, and the habitat restoration work of conservation groups like Trout Unlimited, check out the reference links below... such as TU's Save Our Steams youth clubs.

Wherever you try to fish for trout, please remember to check beforehand on local fishing regulations and license requirements, including the need for a "trout stamp" that helps pay for trout habitat. To learn more about trout, trout habitats, and fishing for trout, click on the LEARN MORE button below, plus have your teacher download the free lesson activities below. You might get so interested in the wonderful world of trout that you may even want to plan a trout fishing adventure with your family or peeps.

For all kinds of other helpful information and resources on how kids can learn where-to and how-to go fishing, explore our companion KidsFishing.US website. To discover more about becoming a future angler, visit our educational partners that helped make this video, webpage and lesson possible by clicking on their logos below.

Okay, we left you off with Step 4... armed with three powerful things on your side; 1) solid reasons why you want to form a club, 2) other students who also want to share in the “education of fishing”, 3) a faculty advisor to help support your club… you’re now ready to meet with your school principal or superintendent (with your teammates) and pitch the idea – reasons why it’s good for students and education plus how it’s going to work with structured support of HighSchoolFishing.org.

Step 5 - Along with your teammates and possibly your advisor, meet with your school principal or superintendent to pitch the idea. Show him or her that you're taking this seriously by making your presentation with a printed list of the educational and beneficial reasons for forming your club. Also be prepared to show them one or more of the videos here, or the SAF Quickstart video. Now it's time to sell the concept, just as you practiced with your prospective club members. Your pitch should include printed information or online information about:

• Liability insurance coverage that indemnifies the school
• No cost to the school. Only the fishing club members pay a nominal fee to belong to SAF. Plus, SAF has fundraising programs to help schools and teams with costs related to their club.
• Promote the SAF motto of "education through fishing". This includes SAF online education, testing at SAF fishing events, and real-life education on the water with coaches and classmates. Plus, it gives students an exciting reason to be connected with their school.
• Team members will need to follow "tan academic code" and maintain a certain GPA
• Opportunities for winning college scholarships and pathways to joining college fishing teams
• Where you'll be fishing and the various opportunities to fish with other clubs and in tournaments around the state, region or nation

Step 6 - Once your have the go ahead from your principal, you'll present the club proposal to your school board so they can formally sanction your "school fishing club". Ta-da! After they formally school-sanctioned your fishing club. It's time to go fish.

But before you go fishing, you'll need to know how to boat and fish safely on the water. So that you, your teacher and your entire class can share in that boating and angling safety, use the free Safe-N-Smart fishing lesson activity below.

To learn about all the ways your team can fish and compete with other high school teams, explore the links below and check out the LEARN MORE tab below.

When you're ready to discover what to do in tournaments and what you'll learn as you fill your "educational tacklebox" with bass-fishing savvy, go to High School Bass Club 104.

For all kinds of other helpful information and resources on how kids can learn where-to and how-to go fishing, explore our companion KidsFishing.US website. To discover more about becoming a future angler, visit our educational partners that helped make this video, webpage and lesson possible by clicking on their logos below.

And if you decide to fish, you really need to get serious about being a safe angler. So take the complete online boating and water safety course using the link below.

Official Boater Safety Courses
and Boat Safety Education Materials

Let's say you'd like to form your own high school bass fishing club, but it sounds like too much of a hassle. Don't worry, lots of students have done it and the four videos and web pages on High School Bass Club (101-102-103-104) will help guide you through the process. So let's get started.

STEP 1 - Become familiar with the process and reasons why for starting a bass fishing club. Review the reasons on High School Bass Club 101.  Also go online to highschoolfishing.org/ and follow the guidelines they offer for forming  your club.

STEP 2 -The process will be easier and more fun if you enlist the help of other students (include a diversity of students and gender) who are interested in fishing. Research the website links provided below and take notes. The more you know, the easier the process and enlisting the support of your club advisor and school administrators. You're actually selling the idea to fellow student anglers and your school administrators, so be upbeat and positive about the whys of starting your club.

STEP 3 - Next, besides enlisting a minimum of two interested students grades 9-12, you'll need to find a club advisor. Use the "pitch points" or the reasons for forming the club that you've researched and feel free to use some of your own reasons relative to your school or geographic area. It makes sense to look for a "faculty advisor" (teacher-coach-counselor) who is also an angler. Or, you can enlist an involved parent or volunteer who is interested in angling and helping with your club.

Step 4 - Now that you're armed with three powerful things on your side; 1) solid reasons why you want to form a club, 2) other students who also want to share in the "education of fishing", 3) a faculty advisor to help support your club... you're now ready to meet with your school principal or superintendent (with your teammates) and pitch the idea - reasons why it's good for students and education plus how it's going to work with structured support of HighSchoolFishing.org.

To find out what to do next in Step 5, watch all four Classroom Videos and take notes. Then go to the High School Bass Club 103 web page to continue with Step 4 and others to complete your journey of creating your school's bass fishing club. And to get the entire class involved in this process of bass fishing discovery, have your teacher download the free lesson here and have it be part of your actual education in school… and on the water!

Still looking for more good reasons to form your club? Then explore the LEARN MORE tab below!

For all kinds of other helpful information and resources on how kids can learn where-to and how-to go fishing, explore our companion KidsFishing.US website. To discover more about becoming a future angler, visit our educational partners that helped make this video, webpage and lesson possible by clicking on their logos below.

And if you decide to fish, you really need to get serious about being a safe angler. So take the complete online boating and water safety course using the link below.

Official Boater Safety Courses
and Boat Safety Education Materials

Imagine being a key player in a high school team sport where you can travel around the state and country to win prizes and even compete for some of the millions of dollars offered in college scholarships. And no, you don't have to be a star athlete and have extraordinary skills at some sport. You can do it all by forming or joining your high school bass fishing club.

There are two major organizations that offer pathways to high school bass fishing clubs. 1) The Student Angler Federation that's part of the The Bass Federation, and 2) B.A.S.S. High School Nation that's part of Bassmaster. Each organization offers all kinds of advice and pathways to form your club and to enter bass fishing tournaments.

Now before you jump into the deep end of the lake, consider some of the reasons why a bass fishing club just might be your ticket to fun, recreation and relationships at school plus might provide a pathway to a college education;

• It gets students off the couch and back into the great outdoors by forming fishing clubs and outdoor activities within the school
• It introduces students to fishing while showing them potential career and educational opportunities through fishing
• Bass fishing clubs also add purpose a student's education by giving them real life examples of how math, science, biology, technology and language arts are used by anglers every day out on the water
• It increases environmental awareness and understanding of aquatic ecosystems with the complex the balance of abiotic and biotic factors
• It reduces stress while forming lasting relationships with like-minded peers in natural settings... oh yeah, it's tons of fun
• Almost anyone can participate... no matter their size, skills, high school, age or gender

So clearly there are solid reasons to form or belong to your high school bass fishing club. But where do you start and what does it take? No worries. We'll decode the whole process in an easy-to-follow step by step plan laid out by the Student Angler Federation. Begin by watching the 101 video here and reviewing the content in the LEAN MORE section below. To get the entire class involved in the this process of discovery, have your teacher download the free lesson here and have it be part of your actual education in school... and on the water! To learn about the next steps in forming your bass fishing club, go to High School Bass Club 102.

For all kinds of other helpful information and resources on how kids can learn where-to and how-to go fishing, explore our companion KidsFishing.US website. To discover more about becoming a future angler, visit our educational partners that helped make this video, webpage and lesson possible by clicking on their logos below.

And if you decide to fish, you really need to get serious about being a safe angler. So take the complete online boating and water safety course using the link below.

Official Boater Safety Courses
and Boat Safety Education Materials

Imagine this, you're a fishing guide in Florida. You have a job that you love. You spend your days taking tourists a few miles off the coast for some of the best fishing experiences of their lives. Life has been good. But what would happen to your livelihood if the waters you fished became polluted? What if invasive species came and wreaked havoc on the natural wildlife population? Your career and the financial well-being of your family is based on the health and safety of your local marine ecosystem. This is just one way that National Marine Sanctuaries benefit local economies!

It is estimated that around $8 billion is generated each year in coastal and ocean dependent economies, where National Marine Sanctuaries are located. Industries like sustainable tourism and responsible recreation benefit from the healthy ecosystem that a national marine sanctuary provides.

When it comes to these ocean parks, there are many different ways that they can benefit a local economy both directly and indirectly. Tourism is one of the largest contributors. Millions of visitors come to these beaches, go diving and snorkeling, surf the waves, book fishing charters and visit local museums and restaurants when in the area. Of course, this is all dependent on a healthy National Marine Sanctuary that's worthy of a trip.

Another, less obvious way, that these marine treasures boost community moral by increasing the quality of life for people living in the surrounding homes and neighborhoods. Clean beaches and abundant wildlife in the area lead to a more desirable living situation for people that appreciate being in the outdoors.

It's safe to say that National Marine Sanctuaries create economic benefits that make them a desirable designation for each and every community that they are apart of. Watch the video that highlights a few people who've based their livelihoods on the health and benefits of their local National Marine Sanctuary. For more information and resources related to National Marine Sanctuaries and Monuments, head to Sanctuaries.NOAA.gov  and marinesanctuary.org!

A U.S. national marine sanctuary is an area within United States waters where the marine environment enjoys special protection. It’s a federally designated area chosen for it’s historical, cultural, archeological, scientific, educational, recreational, ecological, or aesthetic qualities. As of this writing, the national marine sanctuary system consists of 14 marine protected areas that encompass more than 600,000 square miles of marine and Great Lakes waters. From Olympic Coast in the state of Washington to the Florida Keys there are National Marine Sanctuaries all across the country.

With that much area to take care of, marine stewards are an extremely important aspect of these conservation efforts. Every year, thousands of volunteers devote their time, and dedication to protecting national marine sanctuaries for future generations. In 2020, it was estimated that national marine sanctuary volunteers contributed over 118,946 hours to these efforts. That work makes a big difference for these sanctuaires, but as any marine steward could tell you, these protected habitats could always use more volunteers on the local, state and national level.

So if you've ever wanted to explore a shipwreck or get up close and personal with a sea cucumber getting involved with the U.S. national marine sanctuaries might give you that opportunity! As you'll discover, there are so many different reasons to get involved and volunteer your time. In this Into the Outdoors @Home topic, we meet one young marine steward just starting on her journey to a lifetime of conservation. You’ll see that there are many routes someone can take to become a marine steward, but a love for the environment and the passion to protect coastal waters is a thread that connects them all. For more information and resources related to national marine sanctuaries and monuments, head to Sanctuaries.NOAA.gov  and marinesanctuary.org!

Protecting our waters is extremely important for the well-being of the ocean, the marine life that lives there and all of us. Cleaner coastlines and oceans mean we can continue to enjoy our beaches for swimming, fishing and recreation. That's a big win for everyone! So what can you do to help? You can start at home, or at school, just like the kids in the video did! 

Reduce the amount of garbage you make. The less garbage we have on land, inevitably means less garbage ends up in the ocean. You can reduce your garbage footprint by recycling and using recycled materials. Cut down on single-use plastics, use a reusable water bottle, canvas grocery bags, skip the disposable forks and spoons and choose paper over plastic when given the option. It doesn't take much effort to make a big dent in the amount of trash you're sending to the landfill. Buy items that come in less packaging. Have you ever purchased something that comes inside a bag inside a box inside a clamshell plastic case wrapped in shrinkwrap? Choosing to buy items free from unnecessary packaging is an effective way to cut down on waste. Also, your support of companies that package items responsibly could encourage other companies to follow suit. Buy or borrow used items when possible. Humans in general should really think twice about buying so many things. Do we really need them? What if the item you're planning on buying could just be borrowed from a neighbor instead? Or challenge your school to have a "Zero Waste Week" and join hundreds of schools around the country working to reduce waste.

You can help take care of a local stream! Garbage that finds its way into a local stream or river will very likely end up in a larger body of water. Taking care of streams and rivers can include picking up waste, removing invasive species of plants and/or planting trees and other plants native to the area. Getting together with a group to work on a project like this can be fun, and can make a big difference for your community and the marine ecosystems even if you don't live near the ocean. Many schools have environmental clubs and you can even become an Ocean Guardian School too!

Make a difference at a beach near you! Even if you're just visiting for a nice day by the water. Pick up trash others have left behind. Be sure to take all of your trash with you when you leave as well! Also, look online for local efforts to clean-up a local waterway. There may already be a group in your area taking care of the local shoreline. If not, what's stopping you from starting your own?

Change doesn't happen overnight. These things take time. But with small steps, big changes can be made in our environment and in our marine ecosystems. This video highlights some small communities that have made great strides in marine conservation and rehabilitation. Talking to your teacher or members of your community is a great way to start to see if they can help with ideas for your school. For more information and resources related to marine conservation, and National Marine Sanctuaries and Monuments, head to Sanctuaries.NOAA.gov  and marinesanctuary.org!

Watersports are an awesome way to have fun on the water! But before you dive in, it's important to know some basic safety guidelines and rules. When it comes to wakeboarding, this means knowing hand signals to communicate with the people on the boat, and of course - PFDs!

As you watch all four videos in this series on forming your high school bass fishing club, you might consider taking notes on all the things you learn about catching bass, aquatic biology, different aquatic ecosystems, electronics and relationships. And if you think that this starter list is impressive, just wait until you begin team fishing with your friends in either friendly competition or in real bass tournaments.

In this final segment, we'll explore some of those things you'll learn, then offer some advice on what to expect when your team actually enters a fishing tournament in the LEARN MORE section below.

If you can identify several physical differences between largemouth and smallmouth bass by watching our handful of classroom videos here,  just imagine all you'll learn about bass as you continue to lean from fishing, catching and sharing your adventures with your club and other teams. And if you think about it, belonging to your bass fishing club will expand your knowledge of:

• Aquatic ecosystems with biotic and abiotic factors ideal for bass habitat
• Feeding and activity characteristics of species of bass, depending on a host of variables such as time of year, weather, barometric pressure, wind, and more
• Life cycles of bass, including spawning times, age classes, and variables that affect the various stages in their life cycle.
• What bass feed on, when, and why. Then what you can do as a bass angler to catch the most or biggest bass.
• How to use maps and navigational aids combined with your knowledge of habitat and feeding characteristics to locate where to bass in a body of water.
• State-of-the-art technologies for identifying underwater features, habitats and finding fish.

You can probably add a bunch more to this list of what you'll learn in your bass club. But the bottom line is that over time your bass fishing club can help you mature into a "professor of bass-ology" while building relationships that can last a lifetime.

To learn some tips on how you and your team can fish in bass tournaments, explore the LEARN MORE section below.

For all kinds of other helpful information and resources on how kids can learn where-to and how-to go fishing, explore our companion KidsFishing.US website. To discover more about becoming a future angler, visit our educational partners that helped make this video, webpage and lesson possible by clicking on their logos below.

And if you decide to fish, you really need to get serious about being a safe angler. So take the complete online boating and water safety course using the link below.

Official Boater Safety Courses
and Boat Safety Education Materials