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

The need for environmental stewards who protect our aquatic ecosystems has never been so great. Right now, our earth faces tons of environmental pressures from humans:

Pollution.  Think of all the chemicals and contaminants from our agricultural fields, industrial factories, sewage, and wastewater that drain into our groundwaters and watersheds: oil, grease, wastewater, fertilizers … All these pollutants can have devastating impacts on our aquatic ecosystems. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, more than 40% of rivers and 35% of lakes have too many nutrients in them from farm fields. These nutrients drain into watersheds, increase algae blooms, lower oxygen levels, degrade macroinvertebrate communities, and harm aquatic life.

Climate Change. Do you use electric power? Or rely on cars to get you around places? If so, you may be contributing to the warming of the planet. These things burn fossil fuels and emit carbon gases at alarming rates, which create a “greenhouse effect”. This has led to a global warming that is changing seasonal precipitation, warming water temperatures, shrinking cold-water fish populations, and lowering our aquatic ecosystem productivity.

Declines in Biodiversity. Biodiversity is the variety of organisms in an ecosystem. The more biodiversity we have in an ecosystem, the more likely an ecosystem can bounce back from natural disasters, like diseases and storms. Biologists say that aquatic organisms are more threatened than any other life forms right now, especially in freshwater ecosystems. According to scientists, freshwater species are disappearing two to five times faster than land animals! This is mainly due to the destruction of habitat.

Habitat Loss.  Our industrial way of life has altered our landscape drastically in the past 300 years … The logging of forests, the spread of cities and agriculture, the development of highways and power lines … these all have contributed to the shrinking of aquatic habitats across the continent!

When looking at all the impacts we have on the planet … it's staggering! So how can we help our environment and become better stewards for planet earth? Did you know it could be something as fun as fishing?

Fishing is not just a recreational sport you can try with your family. It also does loads for your Earth and aquatic ecosystems! Because anglers spend time with Mother Nature and receive her gifts of healthy food, they learn to respect and care for the environment where they fish.  They are also the first ones to notice and report pollution or other environmental issues they see in the ecosystem. You can think of anglers as custodians or guardians of our aquatic ecosystems. Many anglers seek to protect the aquatic species they fish for and contribute to the conservation of our aquatic ecosystems. How do they do that? Every time an angler purchases fishing gear, licenses, or permits … a portion of the money is funded to aquatic fisheries and habitat management! And experts say that preventing habitat loss and restoring habitat are vital to protecting our aquatic ecosystems. So when you look at all the good you can do as an angler … it is incredibly rewarding to our environment!

So are you ready to share in the fun of family fishing and become a steward for planet earth? Well the key to being an Earth steward is to first educate yourself about your environmental surroundings. So wade into this video and explore what you can learn about aquatic habitats when crappie fishing with your family! Or dive into the lesson activity to design and craft your own panfish habitat!

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

Did you know 18% of the American population goes fishing. So what has got people so hooked on this recreation? When anglers were asked why they tried out fishing, they said it helps you spend time with your family, experience excitement and adventure, and there’s an easy access to fishing. These are all great pluses, especially if you need to get away from the grind of homework, chores, and stress!

 

But can you really access this sport with ease … just like the anglers said? Yes, you can! Often, there is a big misconception that you have to travel by boat into wild, remote areas to get to where the fish are. Yet in reality, almost anyone can go fishing. That’s because the majority of people live near rivers.  Rivers are great sources to find your freshwater fish species because they provide many eddies, gravel beds, and shallow waters that fish depend upon for reproduction and growth. They also supply fish with yummy invertebrates as well as pathways that connect migrating fish to our lakes.  Rivers are also our lifelines. They irrigate our crops, give us electricity by moving water through dams, and transport materials by boat. So when you think about it … most cities today are positioned near or along a river!  And because rivers are a public resource, they belong to everyone, which offers us TONS of opportunities in outdoor recreation. This makes your access to fishing pretty easy … especially if you are only a few blocks away.

So where can you find access to your rivers? Most cities have biking paths, public parking lots, or city parks that run along the edge of the river, which makes it pretty simple to find your way to a river bank and get fishing! Some cities also have boat launches where you can cast your fishing line off the dock, or launch your boat, canoe, or kayak into the river.

Okay … so we found your river. But where will the fish be? Ah … well to figure that out, you have to think about where the fish will seek refuge. Rivers have strong currents and also lots of predators. So what kind of cover can fish find in a river system?

 

• Bridges, Docks, and Underwater Structures – These places are dynamite for finding your fish. They slow down the current, which give fish areas to rest and feed on smaller baitfish. And you can normally find lots of underwater structures for you to fish!
• Stumps and Vegetation – See any downed logs, stumps in the water, or areas with overhanging bushes and trees? Stop there. These areas provide lots of shade and protection from birds and predators.
• Islands or Rock Piles – You may see rock piles or sandy islands if your river has low water levels or dams upstream. Since these natural structures break up the current, the downstream side of the rocks and islands can have calmer water. These are good places for fish to find refuge from the strong currents.
• Weeds – These are prime fishing locations. If you spot green vegetation underwater, there may be a group of fish hiding in them. These are calmer areas of the river, and are great places for fish to find food, shade, and cover from predators.
• Talk to an Expert – Still stumped? Good thing there are lots of people you could ask nearby for help. Go to a local bait and tackle shop and ask the staff where the best places are to fish on the river. There may be people who work there that fish the river frequently. Or you can ask any of your relatives, friends, or local fishing clubs for help.

 

Alright. You are almost ready … Your fishing maps should have a lot of X’s marking where you can begin your river adventure. But how do you fish a river? And what other kinds of fish species can you catch? Let’s test the waters and watch the video! You will discover what methods two teens used while fishing in the city for walleye … and lots of other unique river species too! Or visit the “Learn More” section or lesson activity below to boost your urban fishing and outdoor recreation skills.

And remember … you should always wear a life jacket when fishing in or near a river. Even a strong swimmer may need help if swept up by a strong undercurrent. So always make sure you are wearing a life jacket on your river adventure!

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

Walleye are one of the most coveted fish for anglers. They not only hook your family on wild meat that is loaded with essential nutrients and proteins, they are also a way to get your family outside and celebrate your ancestral history. Walleye are some of the oldest fish that humans harvested in North America … for 3,000 years in fact!, Yet, catching them can be quite a challenge. You have to understand their seasons, habitats, behaviors, diets, water temperature and depth selection, and more! That’s a lot of patterns to keep track off. So how can you increase your walleye smarts and share in the tradition of wrangling in a few walleye for dinner? Have you ever thought about visiting a fisheries biologist? 

What’s a fisheries biologist you say? They are a special kind of wildlife biologist that specialize in studying aquatic ecosystems. These scientists focus their studies on fish populations (like the walleye!) and discover their relationships with their biological community. And have you seen the special tools they use to study these fish populations? They are pretty neat. Some look like they came right out of a ghostbuster movie!

But these scientists don’t just study for the biology. By evaluating and monitoring walleye and other fish populations, they can suggest and improve their aquatic habitat and populations.  Their research also determines the legal number of a fish species that anglers are allowed take from the environment. This all supports the wise use of natural resources … and promotes a healthy and balanced ecosystem that keeps us healthy too! Pretty cool career, huh?

And doesn’t chatting with a wildlife biologist sound like a great opportunity to better your walleye fishing skills? Consulting your walleye biologist can help educate you in the anatomy, habitats, seasons, behaviors, diet, and environmental factors that walleye depend on as well as their environmental importance. Now that is a caboodle of useful information for any angler!

To “school” your fishing buddies in walleye biology:

• Contact your local fisheries biologist. Search online for “fisheries” or “fisheries biologist” to find a fisheries biologist’s contact info in your state.
• Watch the video to dive into walleye biology with Fisheries Biologist Ali Shakoore
• Investigate the “Learn More” section or lesson activity below to discover the importance of food webs!

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

Fishing is not just a sport …. It is a technique that can give you many life skills: coordination with your motor skills, savviness with tools and gear, communication with your fishing partners, connections to your natural world, knowledge in surviving the wilderness, the value of patience, and the ability to sustain yourself with wild meat! So if fishing can reward you with so many skills, why not start your fishing adventures with a fish that is a wild time to catch … the walleye! 

Catching this freshwater fish on the hook has actually stumped and tested many anglers – including experts. The walleye is crafty, mysterious, and picky in nature. That’s why anglers identify this species as one of the “most prized” fish. And if your family is new to the mysterious walleye, fear not! With a little preparation, your family can be putting walleye in the boat regularly.

First, every successful angler needs a fishing license! This is your ticket to fishing your natural resources and harvesting this tasty fish for your dinner table. To get your state fishing license, go to Take Me Fishing. While retrieving your license, it is always a good thing to check up on your state's fishing regulations. Regulations are laws that limit the number of a species we can take from our environment. By following the laws, we conserve our fish populations and ensure we can continue fishing in the future.

Next, go find yourself a fishing coach if you can! These are experts who can provide you with invaluable information. They can help you locate the fish, provide gear, and coach you on how to catch Ol’ Marble Eyes! It is also their goal to ensure you wrangle in some walleye, and have a safe and successful trip!  To find your fishing mentor, have your parents ask:

• Grandparents or Extended Family
• Friends
• Fishing clubs

Click here to find out more info about fish coaches!

Next, you will want to decide which fishing method you would like to use! Each method will target different water depths and presentations of the bait. Some methods may be more appropriate to use at different times of the year. So make sure you consult an expert or do your research before using a method.

• Trolling – This technique is when you pull one or more lines with lures or bait behind a boat. It allows you to cover a wider area of water, which is great for highly mobile species like the walleye. You can troll from 0.5 to 3 miles per hour in rivers or lakes. And this method can be used at all times of the year with the appropriate bait! For example, anglers will troll in the summer with crankbaits, which are artificial lures that mimic several of the perch, gobies, and other baitfish that walleye prey on at that time of the year. If you and your family get this right, you may be reeling three or more walleye in at a time! What fun!
• Jigging – This technique may require some finesse. Plastic jigs or live bait (like nightcrawler worms) are attached to your fishing rod. The weight on the line will make the bait swirl and touch the bottom of the lake or river bed. Then, every 3 – 5 seconds, you lift and bounce the rod up and down. And the best part about jigging is you can do this in a boat, on a dock, or along the shore!
• Slip bobber – This is one of the best beginner options. A slip bobber is a plastic flotation device that will suspend your bait at a certain depth (preferably about 6 inches to a foot off the bottom). You can use minnows or leeches as bait with slip bobbers in rivers. Surprisingly, this method can be the most productive method used in certain conditions (low current and sunny skies)! Be sure you target shallow waters in the springtime.

 

Not sure which method to choose? Watch the video to see how two teens catch the mysterious walleye by trolling the Great Lakes with their fishing guide. You and your family will discover all there is to know about this technique and more! And you can set yourself up for success by visiting the “Learn More” tab or by downloading the lesson activity 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

 

When anglers are asked which fish species they would rank at the top of their list of fish to catch …. most will tell you, “Walleye of course!” This gamefish is commonly considered to be the “golden prize” of our North American water bodies. They are not only pursued by expert sport anglers, but also recreational anglers.

So why are people in such a tizzy over this fish species? Well for one, walleye are REALLY tasty. Their white meat is often described as sweet and succulent, and because it has little fat and oils … it does not have a pungent “fishy flavor”. Many anglers cannot wait for this tasty fish to be off the hook and on their fork! But these popular gamefish are not only tasty … but are mysterious as well. Walleye are considered to be elusive … like ghosts that haunt our waters because anglers have a difficult time finding these fish. This is because walleyes are picky about where they like to hangout. So the more you research about their habitat and biology, the more success you will have in finding them on your next fishing adventure!

Hmmmm … so where should you start? IDENTIFICATION. Any angler in pursuit of a new fish should know what their target species looks like. That way you can keep your eyes peeled for them and enjoy the overall fishing experience. Walleye are the largest member of the perch family (Percidae) in North America. Their bodies are generally an olive-yellow color that is mixed with black mottling. There are five or more vertical black bands on their backs while their bellies are white. Walleye also have large mouths with sharp teeth and very big eyes that help them find prey in dark waters. It is easy to confuse these fish with their close relatives, the Sauger. So look for a white tipped tail fin to distinguish walleyes from sauger.

Next, you need to know their distribution and habitat so you know where to fish! Walleyes can actually be found in medium to large-sized rivers and lakes almost everywhere in North America. They natively occur in the Midwest and were introduced in other eastern and western states from stocking programs. To figure out which water bodies have walleye in them near you, use Take Me Fishing’s online map as your guide. Walleyes can be found in rivers all-year-round. “Old Marble Eyes” will gather near dams, docks, logjams, weed beds, and other underwater structures in rivers. In both rivers and lakes, their favorite spots to congregate are on gravel and rock piles because that is where their prey fish like to hangout as well.

Don’t forget to pay attention to the season! This can tell you WHEN to find your fish. Spring and Fall are great times to go walleye fishing because they will be on the hunt for baitfish. In the Spring, males and females will be spawning (laying eggs) in shallow waters and will need the extra energy. In the Fall, walleye will be feeding on prey in warm shallows to fatten themselves for the winter. In the summer and winter, you can find walleye deeper in the water column, which can be more challenging to anglers, but just as fun!

Ahh … you are almost set to finding the elusive walleye. But you may have some questions still running through your head:

• What kind of bait should you use? And what water depth and temperature should you suspend the bait at? To track down the answers, watch the video!
• What are tools I can use to find my walleye? Check out the “Learn More” section.
• Where can I go fishing? Download the lesson activity to discover fishing locations near you!

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