Frequently Asked Questions

Some frequently asked questions about the "Fishing in Schools" Program
"When did "Fishing in Schools" get started"	The Fishing in Schools Program was started in 2009. It was patterned closely after the successful "Archery in Schools" program and many of its practices are employed by NFSP.
"Who started NFSP?"	The School of FlyFishing, a 12 year-old company of Lincoln, Nebraska, committed to providing fly fishing education, working in cooperation with the Nebraska Dept of Education and the National Archery in Schools Program, began developing the program in early 2009.
"What is the Fishing Education Foundation (FEF)?"	NFSP is the registered trade name of the Fishing Education Foundation (FEF.) FEF is a nonprofit corporation that provides grants to schools to help them acquire the NFSP program. The nonprofit receives financial and payment-in-kind contributions from individuals, industry and companies interested in having our youth learn this lifetime outdoor skill. The foundation is guided by a Board of Directors. Schools may apply for funding on this site at FEF Application
"How does a school qualify for funding?"	Grants are available from FEF to schools that qualify to the extent funds are available. For details on how a school qualifies, see "School Qualifications" in this site.
"How do we become a "Pilot School?"	If you are interested in the NFSP program, you are welcomed to participate in a teacher training workshop, even in advance of full commitment to the NFSP program. Your state fish & wildlife agency may be working on a cooperative program with NFSP. Please contact their aquatic education area for details.
"How long is the training to teach me how to provide this program in my school PE class?"	One day. An NFSP Certified Teacher Trainer (Level 2, CTT) provides the instruction to school teachers. This training is usually done in groups at various times in the individual states/regions. Teachers must take and pass a certification assessment before receiving the curriculum and being allowed to teach the program. Please see Teacher Training. See TV program clips..
"Does the curriculum meet educational standards?"	Yes. National academic standards are met in the "Fishing in Schools" 10 day foundation curriculum in these areas: PE, Science, Technology and Language Arts. For further details, see Standards. (Adaptations are underway to meet math and fine arts standards.) See Powerpoint demo.
"How much does the program cost?"	$2920.95 See "Fishing in Schools Program Cost" for details.
"What is Cast A Fly, Catch A Student?"	"Cast A Fly, Catch A Student" is the current curriculum of the Fishing in Schools program. It was created by a team of educators from The School of FlyFishing and high school teachers in Washington state. See a demo. The companion curriculum that uses spincasting equipment instead of flyfishing, called, "Cast A Lure, Catch A Fish", will be available in 2011.
"How do you fish indoors?"	One of the strengths of this program is that despite seasonal changes that prohibit or restrict outdoor activity, "Fishing in Schools" can take place year round. Learning to cast in a gym indoors can be consistently accomplished without regard to weather. It is a great way to encourage youth to get outdoors once Mother Nature allows. See a demo
"How big a gymnasium should we have?"	Most middle & high schools will have no problem. Even the smallest of "standard" size gyms are suitable. If flycasting, height is the most demanding requirement: 22' minimum clearance, with higher better. Width of 50' is OK; length usually the least issue at 90'. If width is an issue, simply set up so that the longer axis length may be used for casting. (For specifics on how schools qualify, see "School Qualifications") (For gym layout ideas, see "gym layout")
"What are CasTargets?"	CasTargets are the unique new casting training/educational aids from The School of FlyFishing. They are an important element in the NFSP curriculum, utilized by a teacher to develop casting accuracy and learning about fish, aquatic resources and lures at the same time. There are several types of targets.
"What is the student reaction to "Fishing in Schools?"	Feedback from students taking the course in the pilot schools and from those participating in NFSP events are very enthusiastic. Here are some "testimonials" from some of the younger ones...
"Why did you start with just fly fishing?" (and not "fishing" in general...)	A few reasons: (1) In the same vein that archery is taught in schools rather than "shooting" (or hunting) (2) Such instruction focuses on proper development of a specific fundamental task rather than many (3) Flycasting, as a method of casting, is easier for the teacher to manage in the school gym because distances are much less (20-35') (4) Fly fishing involves a science: aquatic entomology, that lends itself to meaningful lifetime study and involvement (5) the curriculum involves more than just learning how to cast & use of other casting methods would dilute the amount of time available to devote to the overall learning objectives. The spincasting equipment/curriculum is an option becoming available.