I remember stringing rubber waxworms onto my hook, "Mr. Twisters" my dad called them. And I remember the excitement of watching my bobber go down and feeling the tug on my line. The fish were biting like crazy that day! We pulled out panfish after panfish. They almost certainly were tiny, but to three year old me they were gigantic! That afternoon fishing with my father made a huge impact on me.

For the past four years, I’ve been supervising interns through the DNR’s Fishing in the Neighborhood program. When I’m training them, I always tell them that story to reinforce why their job matters. Research shows that significant experiences in nature influence a child growing up to become an environmentally-responsible adult. I credit that fishing trip with my father for leading me down the path to becoming an environmental educator. It’s hard to overstate how much fun it is for a kid to pull a fish out of the water, and see it up close. I’ve been fishing for my whole life, and that’s where I started. In that boat, with my dad. And now I have a son who is the same age as I was when I started fishing, and watching his excitement to cast his fishing pole makes me happier than just about anything else in the world.

The author and his son. Photo: Kara Anderson

In almost ten years, staff at our Washington Park branch have had the opportunity to fish with thousands of kids and parents. Neighborhood volunteer E.B. Garner launched the annual Fishing Day and the Wednesday Fishing Club twenty years ago. And with the help of our DNR interns (or finterns, as they’re known affectionately here at the Center), we’ve been able to help those programs grow and serve more kids every year.

I’d love to see many more families have a chance to fish in the Washington Park lagoon with us, and many more children grow up to remember fishing fondly as a kid. This summer, we will be offering more fishing programs than we ever have, and working hard to get people of all ages enjoying the outdoors and learning the art of angling.

Learning how to bait a hook in Washington Park from local angler E.B. Garner.

Summer Fishing Programs

Fishing is a wonderful way to connect people of all ages with both nature and their community, and here at the Center we offer some great ways for seasoned and aspiring anglers alike to get involved!

And don't forget, if you've sampled our programs and want to have your own angling adventure, fishing equipment is available to borrow at all three of our branches free for contributing memebers of the Center.

Remember: All adults and children over 16 need a valid fishing license to legally fish in Wisconsin. A great location to purchase a license is at the Milwaukee Natural Resources Department located at 2300 N Dr Martin Luther King, Milwaukee. Call (414) 263-8500 with questions. You can get more license information and even order one online by clicking here!

Wednesday Fishing Club in Washington Park - (multiple dates)

Friday Fishing Club in the Menomonee Valley - (multiple dates)

Family Fishing Adventure - June 24

Family Fish and Paddle - July 8

Family Fishing Adventure - July 22

Fishing for Dinner Series - starts August 3

Family Fishing Adventure - August 19