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:
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
Recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard, approved by NASBLA and your state boating license agency, and approved by Transport Canada
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:
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
Recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard, approved by NASBLA and your state boating license agency, and approved by Transport Canadahttps://www.boat-ed.com/
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?
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
Recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard, approved by NASBLA and your state boating license agency, and approved by Transport Canadahttps://www.boat-ed.com/
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:
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:
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.
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
Recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard, approved by NASBLA and your state boating license agency, and approved by Transport Canada
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:
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
Recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard, approved by NASBLA and your state boating license agency, and approved by Transport Canadahttps://www.boat-ed.com/
Anthropologists say that storytelling is central to our human existence. Today, we engage with stories by reading books, talking on the phone, watching movies at home, or catching up with the news. But did you know that the oldest stories ever recorded by humans were about …. hunting?
The oldest story in the world is actually cave art from 44,000 years ago that depicts tiny hunters facing off against wild pigs and buffalo! Archaeologists have found cave art depicting primal hunts all over the world! In the Baja California peninsula, there are 7,000 year old murals of ancient people hunting wild deer and sheep with arrows. And in France, there are cave drawings of paleo hunters pursuing mammoths with spears.
But why tell stories about hunting? What’s so special about it? In Paleolithic times, ancestors braved a harsh landscape full of predators and megafauna with only stone tools and fire. And since clans could burn through a lot of calories in a day, they needed to consume food that was packed with proteins and essential nutrients … especially when plants were scarce in the winter. So people did not hunt just for the meat … but for survival.
One of the very first paleo hunter-gatherers who lived in North America specialized in hunting huge woolly mammoths. These people were called the Clovis people due to the special “Clovis” spearpoints they used to take down these big megafauna. Hmmm …. spears against prehistoric elephants? … Now doesn’t that sound like a wild adventure? Ah yea! But it also could be an extremely dangerous one. Those elephants could hit you, pick you up with their trunks, or trample over you. There was a lot of danger involved. But Clovis people did it, and it rewarded their clan with healthy, wild, nutritious meat. Other parts of the animal were also put to good use: the hides were used to keep them warm in the winter and cover their shelters while the bones could be fashioned into useful tools. Wouldn’t that have felt good? Knowing you were helping your family survive? Their hunting adventures also probably made for some great stories too!
Would you be curious to hear one? Then come sit by the fire and watch this video! You will be able to experience your ancestral heritage and listen to wild Clovis kid hunts from 10,000 BCE. And if you would like to learn how you can share your own hunting story with your peers, investigate the “Learn More” tab or lesson activity below.
Approved by IHEA-USA and your state hunting agency
For 1 million years, humans have had the ability to harness fire, which makes it one of the most significant tools in human evolution. It provided warmth on cold days and nights, frightened away nocturnal predators, and allowed us to sleep on the ground instead of trees. But most of all, fire allowed us to cook our foods. This discovery was paramount to our ancestors’ survival ….
The Clovis people were one of the first Paleo Indians to eat cooked-foods in North America. They were a group of hunter-gatherers who migrated from Asia to our continent in 10,000 BCE. The men were skilled hunters who specialized in using “Clovis points” or spearheads to bring down gigantic behemoths from the last ice age, such as the woolly mammoth. These eight-ton prehistoric elephants had enough meat to feed the clan throughout the winter! Can you imagine? Using spears to fight a 15-foot-tall animal? What a dangerous adventure it must have been … These paleo hunters also pursued other wild game: bison, deer, elk, sometimes pronghorn or mountain sheep, and surprisingly, horses and camels. North America actually used to have unique species of horses and camels, but they went extinct 11,000 years ago due to human arrival and climate change.
So what did the rest of the clan do? While the men were out hunting, the women and children foraged in marshes and forests for nuts, berries, roots, and other plants. This was the best method to sustain your clan. Prehistoric hunts were risky … and chances of success were slim. So the clan heavily relied on foragers to bring back wild foods, or in trades with other clans. Altogether, this made the Paleo diet. According to studies, half of this diet was meat while the other consisted of nuts, seeds, fruits, edible roots, and other plants.
But could they have just eaten this stuff raw? Was cooking really that important?
Oh yeah! Cooking revolutionized the Paleo diet. First of all, fire helped detoxify some foods of poisons as well as sanitize them from harmful parasites and bacteria. Also, preparing and cooking meals over a fire ensured that our ancestors extracted as much energy from the food as possible. Think of it like this … when you prepare your meals, you may have to chop, slice, and pound the foods. Then you heat your foods, which break down the connective tissues in meat and softens the cell walls of plants. So in a way, cooking is like you are “predigesting” the food. And when you eat cooked-foods, your body spends less work breaking down the food and absorbing the fats and nutrients. This is a huge plus to clans. There are a lot of calories that are burned by clan members. So by roasting their meals over a fire, each person could extract more energy for their bodies and brains.
Huh … but what did clans do when they were not able to harvest meat – an energy-dense food? And how does all of this compare to modern-hunting and cooking today? You don’t have to stew on those questions any longer. Just check out the video to see what two teens discover in their Clovis Kid Cook-off. Or if you are hungry for more, forage in the “Learn More” section or download the lesson activity to ignite your wild game cooking skills.
Approved by IHEA-USA and your state hunting agency