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A brief mid-day rain shower did little to dampen the spirits of Flight Middle School Fishing Club members on a recent Monday.

According to middle school teacher and club sponsor Gigi Ward, every one of the 16 participating members caught multiple fish including a citation red drum, a ribbon fish, a puffer fish, croakers, a Spanish mackerel, as well as a variety of skates at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head.

Ward said the main purpose of the trip to the pier was for students to get involved in the outdoors and develop real-world skills.

Taking a large chunk out of a regular school day, club members were able to do just that. While sharpening a number of fishing skills that included pole set up, knots, casting, bait choice and fish identification, club members also learned about conservation and how to be responsible anglers. Most found also that working together helped make some hard tasks much easier.

It was also a chance to develop new friendships.

After extensive damages from Hurricane Isabel in 2003, the original 750-foot wooden structure was replaced in 2011 with a new 1,000-foot concrete piling, state-of-the-art, green pier offering educational exhibits and wind turbines with ongoing studies on wave energy, solar energy and long-term data collection of wave action. Administered by the N.C. Aquarium Society, the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources facility plays host to about 200,000 anglers and sightseers yearly.

“Jennette’s Pier offers a Pier Fishing 101 Program that aligns perfectly with our club’s mission,” explained Ward. “It was definitely an educational and motivational activity. While fishing on the pier, our students learned how to cast, reel and the proper catch and release techniques. All bait, tackle and rods are included in the lesson.”

Ward went on to say that part of the motivation for students is a requirement that they maintain passing grades across all subject areas in order to attend any of the club’s scheduled field trips outside of school.

This is the club’s first year operating and this was its first field trip. The school, through Ashley Basnight, was awarded a Trailblazers Club grant through the NC Youth Outdoor Engagement Commission that covered the cost.

“It was a stellar day and we plan to return to the pier to fish another day soon,” added Ward.

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