Kidsburgh: Fishing club at Pittsburgh Dilworth PreK-5 is a hit
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — We often think of fishing as something people do in the country or outside the city, but there's a program in Pittsburgh that's teaching kids to fish every week.
When KDKA-TV's Kristine Sorensen visited, there were a record 56 fish caught in just an hour at Carnegie Lake in the heart of Highland Park in Pittsburgh.
The fishing club at Pittsburgh Dilworth PreK-5 comes to Carnegie Lake almost every Wednesday in the spring and fall with help from volunteers with the Anglers Fishing Club of Pittsburgh. The kids look forward to it each week.
Seven-year-old Marian Nicholas said, "I really like to look at fishes and feel them."
Aria Haley, 10 years old, said, "I like that we get to hang out with friends and catch fish, which is really exciting."
Student Kali Thorne said, "I love how you get to go outside and not just sit in the house," and 10-year-old Jayden Harden said, "It's fun doing it. It just takes a lot of patience."
The kids learn how to fish, the different types of bait, the types of fish in the stocked lake and how to cast and catch. The goal to get kids off their phones is working.
Chris Massa comes with his 6-year-old son Caleb.
"I think it's great," he said. "It gives kids something to do that's not in front of a screen. They're outside in sunlight and fresh air and it's beautiful."
Andre Nelson comes weekly with his granddaughter, Miliyah Griffin, who's 9.
"I'm really not a fisherman. I don't really like fishing to be honest, but my granddaughter likes it so I love it," he said.
Lori Russo started the fishing club at Dilworth PreK-8, where she is a teacher. She has loved fishing since she was a child and wanted to share that with the students.
"It's just a skill that has brought families together and kids together, and they're learning even though they're having fun," she said.
One of the great things about fishing is it doesn't cost very much, and the hope is while the kids are enjoying this during their special club, they'll come back and fish on their own time.
The kids couldn't wait to show off the fish they caught, but touching them gets mixed reactions.
Aria Haley said, "The fish is all gooey and wet and kinda gross." Student Tadeo Ortiz was holding a fish when he said they are, "very slimey and they move around a lot, but you have to be careful with the back because it's spikey."
Kristine Sorensen asked Volunteer Ed Caldwell with the Anglers Fishing Club what the kids learn from fishing.
"I'm a deacon so I'm going to say faith because if you look out here at this water, you don't see fish. But they're fishing. They're having faith that there's something in there when they throw that worm out there."
Learning faith through fishing -- the unknown in the darkness of the water and the reward for believing.
If you'd like to try fishing with your kids, you can contact the Anglers Fishing Club on its website.
There's also fishing weekly on the Allegheny River at lunchtime for kids and families every Wednesday through Venture Outdoors. We have a link here.
And for all kinds of ideas of things to do with kids, visit here.
