“Can you take me fishing?” can be a daunting question for a parent inexperienced in fishing skills but the Connecticut Aquatic Resources Education, or CARE, program can turn you into a budding angler in just a few hours. And it’s free.
Since 1986, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Division of Fisheries has organized CARE events to teach fishing skills to approximately 10,000 adults and children. Courses range from fishing basics for first-timers to advanced skills – such as fly fishing – for experienced anglers.
The program is funded through the federal Sport Fish Restoration Act from motorboat fuel taxes, excise taxes on fishing gear and import duties on yachts and pleasure boats.
The main goal of the program is to make fishing a family activity. “We want to educate adults so they can educate their children,” said Justin Wiggins, who runs CARE.
CARE runs more than 100 classes and events each year taught by approximately 700 volunteer instructors and Fisheries Division staff. In April, for example, CARE is organizing eight fishing trips and one class across the state. Towns holding events include Waterbury, Wallingford and West Hartford.
The goal is not only to get more anglers on the water but also to use fishing education as a science-based opportunity to encourage appreciation for the environment and Connecticut’s natural resources.
CARE programs depend on experienced fishermen as volunteer instructors. Prospective volunteers undergo a Connecticut State Police background check and a training program before they are certified as instructors. The next certification is scheduled for June 20 in Hartford at the Keney Park Pond House from 4:00 pm to 7:30 pm. An application can be found online here. The group can be reached by phone at (860) 663-1656.
Wiggins guides beginners through CARE’s Let’s Go Fishing Course. This is an online presentation covering the basics of fish and fishing. After that, Wiggins recommends going to one of CARE’s fishing events for hands-on instruction on a local body of water. These classes are designed for adults as well as families with children.
Fish with CARE Events are for adults and teenagers, ages 16 and older, and for younger children with a parent or legal guardian. Under the guidance of instructors, participants try their luck angling for many different types of fish in Connecticut’s waters. Tackle and bait are provided for events that include fishing festivals, fishing clinics and fly fishing and ice fishing classes.
Beginning in 2006, the Community Fishing Waters program was established by the Fisheries Division, under the Urban Fishing designation, to promote natural resources and outdoor recreation opportunities within Connecticut’s major population centers. Sixteen lakes in urban neighborhoods are designated for Community Fishing and are stocked with hardy channel catfish and trout in suitable habitat.
Upcoming events are scheduled for April 6 at White Memorial in Litchfield; April 9 at Butternut Pond in Middletown; April 13 at Lake Elise in Middlebury; April 18 at Wharton Brook State Par in Wallingford and April 21 at Fulton Parkin Waterbury.
More information is available here.
