Learning on the fly: Island high school students take up art of fishing

A Vancouver Island teacher is ready to wade into the daunting task of teaching fly fishing to 30 Campbell River high school students.

The five month experience will kick off in the fall and will include everything from casting basics to fly tying, etymology (the study of bugs) and conservation.

"It's an incredible experience; you just kind of unplug from the day-to-day responsibilities and stuff like that. For me, stewardship is really at the core of this," said Nicolas Pisterzi, who pitched the course to the school district.

Field notes

Pisterzi developed the course for students at Carihi Secondary under new guidelines set out by the provincial government which encourage inquiry-based learning, meaning students are encouraged to learn about math, science and other topics through their own passions and interests.

There's no end to how deep students can dive into a number of topics; fly fishing is famously complicated. Even most lifelong anglers won't claim to have mastered the many arts associated with it.  

If a student realizes they enjoy fishing, they can dig deeper into biology. For those curious about bugs, Pisterzi has plans to teach etymology and for the creative types: fly tying.

Pisterzi said his first priority is to teach the kids about casting and gear, including safety equipiment tips, like the automatic inflation of life jackets. 

"Then get them onto the river and let them fish," said Pisterzi.

There will be a lot of details to cover, from fish identification to how to properly crimp a barbed hook to make it legal for fishing in B.C. where barbed hooks are generally banned.

When it comes to the topic of catch and release, Pisterzi said, he'll teach the kids everything they need to know to make their own decisions.

"I'm teaching them the rules and why they're in place," he told Jason D'Souza, host of CBC's All Points West.

Once the salmon runs dwindle in the winter, it will be time to head back to the classroom and focus on theory and knowledge, according to the lesson plan.

Because Pisterzi only got hooked on fly fishing about three years ago when his wife signed him up for a course, he's lined up the support of "some really great fishermen," who have agreed to mentor students and help out on the river.

He also plans to have a conservation officer join the class to talk about regulations and why they are in place.

The opportunity will give students a chance to learn a sport many people pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars a day to experience.

The sport is complex and expensive; the price of fly gear is often prohibitive for people with low incomes.

Pisterzi said he couldn't have made it all happen without the support of the school district, local business sponsors and random donations from the community.

"I'm tickled by it," he said of the outpouring of support he's received.

A single student on the water will be outfitted with waterproof waders, fishing-specific boots, rod and reel, specialized floating fishing line, life jacket, countless flies and tidbits required to land and release fish safely.  

Donations mean there are full gear kits for more than half of the class, but people will either share or bring their own gear, said Pisterzi.

With files from CBC Radio One's All Points West