'Get Hooked' Schools Program

The Get Hooked it’s Fun to Fish Schools Program was launched by Sport and Recreation Victoria in 2001 and has been delivered to several thousand upper primary school students throughout Victoria. In 2004 Fishcare Victoria adopted the ownership and administration of the program to enable its continued delivery through trained teams of volunteer presenters representing Fishcare groups and angling clubs.

The Get Hooked …It’s fun to fish program involves two components, a Schools Recreational Fishing Program, and a National Junior Fishing Codes Education Kit which consists of a series of six 45- minute classroom sessions, developed by Fisheries Victoria with support from the Natural Heritage Trust. This kit covers a Junior Code of Conduct related to fishing, and is linked with SOSE and Science learning outcomes in the CSFII. It is designed to be delivered by primary school teachers and may be downloaded via the DPI internet site.

Learning how to Fish Safely and Sustainably The program aims to:

• Develop in students an appreciation of fishing as a recreational pursuit
• Provide students with the basic skills and knowledge required to go fishing
• Provide the students with a real fishing experience
• Develop in students conservational attitudes and behaviours in respect to aquatic environments
• Instruct students in sustainable fishing practices such as ‘catch and release’, and familiarise them with ‘tag and release’ programs

Three sessions at school, and one actually fishing!

The program consists of four 90-100 minute sessions. The first three sessions are school based and include practical activities such as tying knots and rigs, assembling rods and reels, and casting. Information is also provided on identifying common species, fishing regulations, safety and environmental issues. The fourth session will be held at a local waterway, to provide students with an opportunity to implement their newly acquired fishing skills. There will generally be a space of one week between each session, however this is negotiable and schools may elect to have the program delivered across two days (either in the same or consecutive weeks).

All equipment supplied

Students and teachers will be provided with printed resources which contain activities linked to learning outcomes across three key learning areas in the CSFII. All equipment used in the program such as rods, reels, tackle, and bait, will be supplied.

What does the school need to do?

Schools will be required to provide some basic equipment such as student name tags, scissors, pens, glue sticks, sports hoops and cones etc. The school will also be responsible for the transportation of the students to and from the chosen venue for the fourth session. Most importantly schools need to ensure that at least one staff member (and preferably two if at all possible) will be present during school sessions to monitor student involvement and behaviour.

What’s the cost?

The program is generally offered free to schools, however some presenter teams may need to apply a small fee ($1.00 per student) to cover bait and tackle costs.

How do I book?

To secure a booking contact your regional facilitator on the contacts page of this website

Resources 

 Get Hooked It's Fun to Fish School Brochure

 Get Hooked It's Fun to Fish Presenters Guide

 Get Hooked It's Fun to Fish Student Workbook