We’re Hooked on Fishing
By Claire Robinson | July 17, 2026
Elevate Youth is reeling in good times throughout this spring and summer by serving our youth with almost a dozen FishOn! trips! From Brookline Reservoir and Lake Cochituate to Houghton’s Pond, and even the Boston Harbor, youth shared in excitement and joy of reeling in bluegills and juvenile perch with the Elevate Youth community. Edrick, a seventh-grader, let us know that fishing was “definitely my favorite field trip. I don’t want to leave!”
On one of our fishing trips, a student, Alaia, set a goal of catching fourteen fish in honor of her fourteenth birthday, which was that day. She got close, catching eleven! Her advice? “Trust the process.”
Even our first time anglers had fun, like Janeli, an 8th grader, who said ”I didn’t think I would be able to fish, but I got it! It’s easier than you think.”
While we host fishing events every year, this year we’ve seen an increase of communities joining—meaning that these fun-filled fishing trips are also an important part of something bigger.
While many participants experienced fishing for the first time with us, fishing is an amazing and low impact “gateway” outdoor activity, especially as a beginner-friendly (and cost-friendly) activity to enjoy the outdoors. Despite this, many communities who want to fish still face barriers that prevent them from joining in the fun. This is particularly true for people who are female and/or racial minorities. However, with our fishing trips, Elevate Youth continues to strive for empowering the next generation of female anglers, and support communities of color with fishing to narrow that gap between interest and participation.
That’s especially important because fishing is a gateway activity that leads to participation in other outdoor activities. This fact was evident when, after one of our fishing trips this year, students were asked to step forward if they wanted to do more outdoor activities. Every single student—and there were dozens—stepped forward.
So, increasing access to fishing for our students means that they’ll be more likely to get involved with other outdoor activities, too. And here at Elevate Youth, we’ve certainly already touted the benefits of outdoor activities!
When we teach a kid to fish, we’re not just giving them a one time experience; we’re setting them up for a life filled with outdoor adventure.
If reading this blog post has left you wanting to get involved with our amazing fishing trips, you’re in luck, because we have upcoming opportunities to reel in the fun!
For our families, we’re hosting another family fishing event at Houghton's Pond, on 8/08. Register here if you want to get hooked!
If you’d like to volunteer for a fishing trip, you can sign up here. Also, registration for the Boston Bonanza, our annual virtual fishing tournament, is in full swing and still accepting submissions. Click the link to check out the awesome prizes, and know that by participating, you’ll be supporting fishing trips like the ones here.
Here’s to the rest of a great fishing season!