Ethical angling doesn't just mean buying a license and following the rules and regulations, there's so much more to it. From respecting our natural environment, fellow anglers, and other members of the lake community, ethical angling looks to ensure quality fishing for generations to come. The ultimate angling experience goes beyond just the joy and excitement of trying to catch a fish, the beauty of the waters we visit and what we do to maintain that beauty plays a large part in the entire adventure. Not to mention, it is an extremely important responsibility! Ethical anglers use their knowledge and awareness of the environment and the ecosystems they visit to become active in supporting the preservation of our natural resources.

Whether they're regulars on the water, or just visiting for the day, ethical anglers respect the rights of others by taking responsibility for themselves. Ethical behavior includes picking up trash, and never dumping any pollutants, such as gasoline or oil, into the water. The ethical angler values and respects the aquatic environment and all living things in it. Carefully handling and releasing alive all fish they catch but do not intend to keep.

And for even more information and resources related to fishing and boating, head to TakeMeFishing.org and DiscoverBoating.com. To learn more about America's Getting Families Fishing Initiative, head to the Future Angler Foundation.

To get serious about being a safe-n-smart angling boater, take the complete online boating safety course using the link below.

Official Boater Safety Courses
and Boat Safety Education Materials

The earth's oceans are home to thousands of species of marine life, from tiny plankton to enormous humpback whales. The Great Lakes' contain more than six thousand shipwrecks - important pieces of history kept preserved in their icy waters. These waters are also the heart of many human communities, from native communities that have depended on the ocean for centuries; to vacationers who use the water to dive, surf and fish; to scientists who study marine life.

In this Into the Outdoors episode and related Into the Outdoors @Home topic videos, we see how National Marine Sanctuary designations across the country are protecting and preserving these precious natural resources.

Find links to the Into the Outdoors @Home topic videos below. These custom learning videos are designed to share with your entire classroom. You’ll also find other educational content, including custom lesson activities that blend peer-driven learning and hands-on activities.

For more information and resources related to National Marine Sanctuaries and Monuments, head to Sanctuaries.NOAA.gov

https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/467139389Campgrounds across the country are hitting new attendance records as families are rediscover the fun and family connections made while camping. In addition to sharing stories round the campfire and roasting S’mores (here’s our favorite recipe ), one of the most exciting ways to have fun while camping is to go fishing. And since many campgrounds also offer fishing opportunities, it can be both fun and have an added bonus of feeding the family with a fresh fish dinner… that is IF you know how to catch a fish.

For those campers new to fishing, that big IF can be what stands between you and reeling in your catch. That’s why we’ve included educational videos on this page that offer sensible and simple methods for catching fish. Combining docks with worms, bobbers and bluegills is a simple introduction to freshwater fishing.

Common fish species that can be caught from a dock include, bluegill, sunfish, perch, crappie, catfish, bass (both largemouth and smallmouth). If you’re lucky,  some of the bigger predator fish such as northern pike and muskie. That’s why dock fishing can offer an easy, simple and relaxing way to catch fish, especially when using natural live bait like red worms, night crawlers, crickets and minnows.

One of the challenges of fishing from shore or a dock, however, is can be limitations associated with being near a very small area of water. There can also be only one type of fish that inhabit this aquatic ecosystem. To branch out, all you need to do is look out across the water to the other side of a big lake or river, or perhaps take note of how others are catching fish while in boats. By using your imagination, you can easily multiply your chances reeling in a catch almost anywhere on that water, and especially from a boat.

For tips on fishing from a boat, see our Into Family Fishing and Boating and Fishing 102 – From A Boat videos. (video thumbnails are located on the upper right of the page). If you’d really like to dive into some more educational fun about blending fishing, boating and camping, have your teacher use the free lesson activity below. It will really get you and your classroom thinking critically about how campgrounds can work with anglers and boaters to generate more happy campers by creatively developing fishing-boating facilities and activities. Learn more about this topic in the LEARN MORE section below.

You’ll discover in our video library of Getting Families Fishing episodes and the related educational topic videos, fishing and boating are fantastic ways to spend time with family, enjoy the outdoors, AND learn a thing or two along the way about aquatic science and yourself.

Explore the dozens of videos on fishing and aquatic science. These custom videos are designed to be shared with the entire classroom. You’ll also find other educational content, including custom lesson activities, that blend peer-driven learning with hands-on activities. All that’s left will be to catch an actual fish!

For even more information and resources related to fishing and boating, head to TakeMeFishing.org and DiscoverBoating.com. To learn more about America’s Getting Families Fishing Initiative, head over to the Future Angler Foundation.

To get serious about being a safe-n-smart angling boater, take the complete online boating safety course using the link below.

Official Boater Safety Courses
and Boat Safety Education Materials

Are you ready to get Into Family Fishing and Boating?

As you’ll discover in this Into the Outdoors episode and related Into the Outdoors @Home topic videos, fishing and boating are fantastic ways to spend time with family, enjoy the outdoors, AND learn a thing or two along the way.

And for even more information and resources related to fishing and boating, head to TakeMeFishing.org and DiscoverBoating.com

Okay, so there's several great ways to enjoy and share the bass fishing fun and education in this show.

First, you can kick back with family or friends to watch this entire half-hour television episode to get the full content in one sitting. Kinda like enjoying a full course meal. Yum-yum.

Then there's the shorter, custom segments on the noted links below. These are the custom "classroom" or learning videos with some bonus content designed to share with your entire classroom. On these links below you'll also find lots of other educational content, including custom lesson activities for your teacher to take your entire classroom on a three to four day journey of peer-driven learning blended with fun and hands-on pathways to try outdoor pursuits yourself.

Whichever way you decide to enjoy the fun and educational content, it's a win-win way for you to get engaged with pathways to discovering more about yourself and the great outdoors.

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.

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

Okay, so there's several great ways to enjoy and share the aquatic education and fishing savvy in this show.

First, you can kick back with family or friends to watch this entire half-hour television episode to get the full content in one sitting. Kinda like enjoying a full course meal. Yum-yum.

Then there's the shorter, custom segments on the noted links below. These are the custom "classroom" or learning videos with some bonus content designed to share with your entire classroom. On these links below you'll also find lots of other educational content, including custom lesson activities for your teacher to take your entire classroom on a three to four day journey of peer-driven learning blended with fun and hands-on pathways to try yourself.

Whichever way you decide to enjoy the fun and educational content, it's a win-win way for you to get engaged with pathways to discovering more about yourself and the outdoors.

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.

Okay, so there's several great ways to enjoy and share the fishing fun and education in this show.

First, you can kick back with family or friends to watch this entire half-hour television episode to get the full content in one sitting. Kinda like enjoying a full course meal. Yum-yum.

Then there's the shorter, custom segments on the noted links below. These are the custom "classroom" or learning videos with some bonus content designed to share with your entire classroom. On these links below you'll also find lots of other educational content, including custom lesson activities for your teacher to take your entire classroom on a three to four day journey of peer-driven learning blended with fun and hands-on pathways to try outdoor pursuits yourself.

Whichever way you decide to enjoy the fun and educational content, it's a win-win way for you to get engaged with pathways to discovering more about yourself and the great outdoors.

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.

Are you craving for delicious fish for dinner? Perhaps you should try lunching on crappie! This is a panfish you can find in rivers and lakes all over the country. They are not picky eaters and so many beginning anglers can pull crappie into the boat by fishing with minnows around downed trees, weeds, stumps, and rocks. And when ranked by anglers on tastiness, crappie are usually at the top of the list!

So what’s the big hype? Crappie do not have a “fishy” taste or odor. Instead, the meat is light and flaky in texture with a sweet and lemony flavor.  And they are also great for your health! Crappie meat is high in protein and Vitamin D, which help your muscles and organs function and improve your immune system. Crappie also contain Omega 3s which are very beneficial to your health. These fatty acids can fight depression, lower risks of heart disease, can help prevent cancer, and promote brain growth!

Yet, you won’t be able to find these in a store or a restaurant! That’s why families and anglers will fish out in nature to get a taste of this yummy fish. And because you are harvesting crappie right from your rivers or lakes, the fish are fresh and still high in nutritional quality. And they make for some great dishes and meals for your family!

So what are some ways you can cook your crappie for dinner? Chew on some of these ideas:

• Grill – This is a great way to sear in the flavor and juices of the fish! You can grill crappie over any type of grill … including a campfire. Lightly coat your crappie fillets with olive oil and then season them with spices, salt, or pepper. Then grill your fillets until the meat easily flakes with your fork.
• Pan Frying – This method doesn’t require much gear. With an adult, heat 1/4” of oil in a pan. Then wet your fillets, coat them with batter or flour, and place your fillets in the pan. Let the fillets fry for 3-5 minutes on each side. This will give your fish a golden crunch while keeping the insides moist.
• Bake – Your fresh crappie fillets are seasoned with salt and pepper, and dipped in butter and lemon juice. Next, you wrap your fillets in aluminum foil, place them on a tray, and bake them in the oven around 400 degrees. This method keeps the center of your fish juicy and moist while giving your meat a nice flake.

• Deep Frying – This is one of the most popular ways to cook crappie ... To learn more, dig into the video and discover how you can deep fry your fish outside by the river!

Oh there are so many delectable ways you can cook crappie for your table! And if you would like to explore how your family can enjoy you meal by having a shore lunch along the riverbank, tap on the “Learn More” section below or by downloading the lesson activity.

But remember …. It’s important you have an adult with you at all times while preparing and cooking your fish! They can be a great helper in the kitchen and ensure you are safe while handling kitchen appliances.

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

One of the most popular panfish that anglers can catch in their freshwaters is the crappie. These panfish provide a lot of fast and fun action to anglers and yet, they are often overlooked in many fishable waters. You can actually find them in all 48 contiguous states and can fish for them all-year-long in rivers and open waters.

Although crappies are overlooked, they do play an important role in their ecosystems. They feed on many zooplankton, insects, minnows, and shad, and are great sources of food for predators such as walleye, bass, and northern pike. If these fish were completely removed from their ecosystems, their disappearance would challenge the survival of larger game fish and birds that depend on crappies for food, and could potentially alter ecosystems greatly.

Okay, okay … if that’s so, how does crappie fishing actually help the environment? Aren’t we taking crappie away?

That’s why we have fishing regulations, which are basically laws that limit what anglers can take from the environment. And by following these laws, anglers can actually help conserve and improve the environment for future generations! How can that be? Well every state’s fishing laws are based on the research that fisheries biologists do on our water sources. They check on the health of the fish populations and their ecosystems. When something is wrong with a fishery, the laws can be altered to improve conditions.

So what kind of limits can you follow as an angler?

Size limits - These restrict the length of fish you can keep. Size limits protect the harvest of young fish and give them a chance to grow strong and reproduce! To see if your fish is for keeps, use a measuring board to estimate the length of your fish.

Creel limits – This law controls the number of a species each person can take in a day. It ensures you do not overfish and sustains a natural balance in the ecosystem. For example, crappie can reproduce quickly and can overcrowd small water bodies if not controlled by anglers. So creel limits for crappie may be higher or smaller in different water bodies.

Seasonal limits – Although you can catch crappie all year long, some states may prohibit anglers from legally fishing for crappie during certain seasons. For example, many fish spawn during the springtime, and laws will limit the time anglers can fish during the spring.  Seasonal limits may also limit give narrower time periods to fish on waterbodies that are heavily fished.

Limits are definitely the way to go! But remember … every state has different regulations. To make sure you are following your state’s laws, check your Department of Natural Resources’s fishing regulations.

So now that you know the laws, are there more ways you can give back to Mother Earth when fishing? And what are some tips to fishing for crappie all-year-round? Unriddle those critical questions by watching the video or clicking on the "Learn More" tab below. Oh! And don't forget to download the lesson activity for your class. You will produce your own public announcement videos for fishery conservation!

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

Can you imagine sitting in a boat on a calm day … hearing the lapping waves, birdsong, and wind through the trees …. And feeling the curious fish underneath you nibbling your fishing line? Fishing is a great way for people to get back to nature. And 51% of anglers say they fish so they can experience the sights and smells and be close to nature.  But to protect our natural resources, it is critical that anglers respect the environment where they fish. And one way you can show your respect and love for the environment is by keeping the fish you catch alive and healthy!

So here are some ways you can sustain your fish and make sure everyone in the future can be close with nature too:

• Keep livewell clean and aerated. A livewell is a water tank that holds the fish you catch and dissolves oxygen into the water to increase your fishes’ survival. The first thing you should do is make sure it is clean. Vegetation or other things that are left in the tank can decompose and foul the water with toxins. This kills your fish … fast. You should also fill your livewell as soon as you put your boat in the water. Take in water from open areas that are not near vegation or with too much sediment. And if you put a fish in the tank … make sure to run the aerator. This helps keep oxygen in the water and allows the fish to breathe.
• Use J-Hooks. These type of hooks are great for panfish like crappie. J Hooks will keep crappie pinned by the mouth and have long shanks that make it easier to remove from the mouth (and if the fish swallows it). Many anglers use needle nose pliers to take these hooks out.
• Use light wire hooks. Light wire hooks are bendable, which is very handy if you snag it on a tree, brush, or stumps. Rather than leaving the wire in the trees or water where it could harm other organisms, you can easily free and salvage it. Light wire hooks are also great for fish that have soft mouths. They set the hook quickly and don’t tear up muscle tissues in the jaw.
• Do not use bug spray or sunscreen. Before touching a fish, make sure that your hands are all clean! Bug spray and sunscreen will coat the gill plates that fish use to breathe … This means they cannot get oxygen and will suffocate. If you happen to have bugspray or sunscreen on your hands, put on gloves.
• Hold fish by mouth. Catching a fish can be super exciting, but if you do not hold your catch properly, you can traumatize or injure the fish. This reduces their chances of surviving after being release. A secure way to hold your fish is by the mouth. This also makes sure that they cannot hurt themselves and that you are not smothering the fish by squeezing it! And before you admire your catch … also wet your hands. This ensures you do not take the protective slime off of the fish. Without this coating, they can vulnerable to infection.
• Return them to water quickly. Remember … fish need water to breathe. So return the fish to water as soon as you can to prevent losses. If you are not sure which fish are for keeps and which should be released back into the water, check up on your fishing limits. These will tell you how long your fish should be, and maximum number you can keep. But a rule of thumb is to return the small fish. These are the babies and they need a chance to grow up and reproduce. Follow this rule and you will keep our fisheries healthy and strong.

When you look at these tips, there are bunches and bunches of ways you can care for your environment while fishing! Ahh … but when you think about it … it’s not only important that anglers take care of the fish, but that they take care of each other as well. So how can your family be safe on the water and have a successful fishing trip out in nature? Dive into the video to investigate the pathways to safe angling. And if you fish out the lesson activity below, your classroom will plan your own safe fishing trip.

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