Volunteers needed to teach kids how to fish

You can help a group of kids have one of the best experiences they'll have all summer by helping out in one of Utah's youth fishing clubs.

The Division of Wildlife Resources is looking for adult volunteers to teach six to 13 year olds about fishing and the places where fish live. Volunteers are needed in communities stretching from Logan to Salem.

Youth fishing clubs have been established in the following communities, and each club needs volunteers to help:

• Logan (two clubs)
• Brigham City(one club)
• Ogden(one club)
• Roy(one club)
• Clinton(two clubs)
• Syracuse(one club)
• Clearfield(one club)
• Farmington(one club)
• Bountiful(two clubs)
• Murray(two clubs)
• Riverton(one club)
• South Jordan(one club)
• Herriman(one club)
• Orem(one club)
• Spanish Fork(two clubs)
• Salem(one club)
• Saratoga Springs(one club)

"In Syracuse, Riverton and Herriman, we're starting from scratch," says Drew Cushing, community fisheries biologist for the DWR. "These clubs are brand new, and we need lots of volunteers to help."

Volunteer training will be held in each of the communities in February. The training takes one evening to complete. The clubs of about 40 to 80 children each will be formed by April.

To volunteer, or for more information, call Cushing at (801) 538-4774 before Feb. 1. You can also send an e-mail to him at AndrewCushing@utah.gov.

Anyone can help

While volunteers need to be patient and have good communication and teaching skills, they don't need a lot of fishing experience to help. "After they've completed the training, I'm sure they'll feel completely comfortable getting together with their youth fishing club, even if they don't have a lot of fishing experience," Cushing says.

After the training, groups of volunteers spend about two hours once a week, from April through June or July, teaching children about fish and fishing by fishing with them at a local water.

Cushing says a number of rewards await those who volunteer. "When they see the look on a kid's face, the first time they catch a fish, it'll probably make their whole summer," he says.

Youth fishing clubs growing in popularity

"2006 was our most successful year yet," Cushing says. "About 2,500 kids and 250 volunteers participated in the six-week program. Many of the volunteers were folks who had volunteered the year before. They saw the positive influence they had had on these kids, and they wanted to help in the program again."

Cushing says city recreation departments have started offering fishing as a sport, and that's one of biggest reasons for the program's success. "For the first time, fishing has found its way into mainstream sports, right along with soccer, baseball and football," he says.

As the number of children and communities involved in the program continues to grow, so does the need for volunteers. "The number of kids who can participate is largely determined by the number of adults who volunteer to help," Cushing says.