Contact:

Malynda Nichol, NYSG's Recreational Fisheries Specialist, I FISH NY Program, 631.444.0283

STONY BROOK , NY, July 13, 2007 -- Now that school is out, local lakes, ponds, docks and beaches will be swarming with kids - some enjoying their first fishing trips. "To hook kids on fishing, ensure they have fast action," McGrath advised. "Rather than try for powerful, grown-up favorites like striped bass, target smaller fish that are quick to take a bait and easy to reel up.

Porgies are a great choice. They're plentiful, love clam or squid, and require minimum skills to hook." "I like to get kids started by teaching stewardship of our environment," said Malynda Nichol, a recreational fisheries specialist with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and instructor for the I Fish NY program, a cooperative project with New York State Sea Grant.

Nichol has been catching sunfish this summer with Girl Scouts at Camp Eddy in Bayport. Getting kids fishing, she said, provides a great opportunity to be outdoors with family and friends. She stresses not only how to catch fish, but how to let them go. "Take time to put things in simple terms," Nichol said. "Even second-graders can understand that you need to wet your hands before handling fish to avoid removing their protective slime. Explain how to treat all natural resources with respect and you'll win a kid's heart right from the start."

For more on I FISH NY, check out last spring's feature article, "Youth on the 'Line,'" in Coastlines (click here). I FISH NY is sponsored by NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and taught by New York Sea Grant Recreational Fisheries Specialists.