School Groups! Get off the Bus and Get on the Water

Students can listen, learn and then fish. The Pechmann Fishing Education Center is designed with school groups in mind. Students learn about aquatic habitats, fish anatomy, biology and conservation. All classes meet standard school curriculum requirements in science, math, social studies and language arts.

Once they’ve completed the classroom instruction, kids hit the water to try out their new skills on one of six ponds teeming with fish. Best of all, fishing equipment and bait are provided free.

Boy Scouts! Earn a Merit Badge

Boy Scouts can earn their fly-fishing merit badge by attending a two-day Fly-Fishing Merit Badge clinic. The fun begins with classroom instruction on casting, knot-tying, laws and regulations, rod assembly, aquatic habitats and ethical angling. Scouts then apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to the water, casting for a variety of fish, including trout, bluegill, catfish and Bodie bass. They keep the fish they catch, learn how to clean them and enjoy the fruits — or rather the fish — of their labor, wrapping up the weekend with a big fish fry.

Two clinics are held every March. Contact the center director for specific dates.

Anglers! Fly-Fish for Trout

Anglers can fish for trout in Fayetteville at one of four fly-fishing clinics conducted in winter. Three introductory clinics in January teach beginners the basic skills needed to fly-fish: knots, casting, general equipment knowledge, laws and regulations, etc. An advanced clinic, held in late February for more moderately skilled anglers, covers more complex techniques, such as advanced casting, fly-tying and equipment assembly. 

Annual Public Fishing Events

The Commission works with the Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation Department to host many annual fishing events that are family-oriented and fun, including:

• Special Population Fishing Events – first full week of May
• Mother/Child Fishing Day – Saturday before Mother’s Day
• National Boating and Fishing Week Event – first Saturday in June
• Father/Child Fishing Day – Saturday before Father’s Day
• Ducks Unlimited Greenwing Fishing Event – second Sunday in September*
• National Hunting and Fishing Day – fourth Saturday in September

* This event has a modest fee that includes food, drinks, Ducks Unlimited hat and t-shirt, rod-and-reel combo, and bait.