The new fishing club meets twice every month during A.I. to talk about tackle, knots, strategies and the type of fish they are currently searching for.
The club had their first outing on April 17, at Kill Creek Park which hopefully leads to two fishing trips every year; one in the fall and one in the spring.
The club became a reality this year due to math teacher Jacob Johnson and senior Tristen Carrin’s growing connection.
“[Carrin] was the originator of the club,” Johnson said. “Years ago we actually started fishing after his freshman year. One final, he asked to go fishing and I took him out to Persimmon Hill and we just fished around there.”
Even though it just started as a simple fishing trip, it led to something memorable.
“Every year, on the final day of school, we decided to go fishing with each other,” Carrin said. “And ever since freshman year, we talked about making that fishing club. Finally got to see our dream kind of come true after four years.”
With the club starting as a fun hobby, it is expected to turn into a competition in the next coming years.
“My expectations would be to eventually compete against other high schools,” Johnson said. “I know that East has a team. They’ve actually had a lot of success at the high school level competing against other schools… So that’s my goal. I was a tournament bass fisherman in college, and competed at the college level. So that’s my hope. But I mean, if the club members don’t want to do that, then I understand. So right now we’re just having fun with it and hopefully it’ll lead to competition.”
As Johnson said, even if the members don’t wish to compete, they still have the opportunity to express themselves and have fun through the sport of fishing which Carrin wishes the students get to experience.
“Just see kids join, have fun… and get an experience of what it’s like, how fun it is, and the relationships you can build through it,” Carrin said.
