A Typical Day at Get Schooled

A day at Get Schooled Fishing camp begins at Black Rock Bait and Tackle Shop in Black Rock Bridgeport. Campers arrive around 8 AM and help get our gear in order. We rig the poles, talk about where we are going to fish, the type of fishing we are going to catch and the bait we are going to use. We collect our bait and get on the school bus.

We generally have 2 groups, each going to their own spot. One group to a freshwater location and one to a salt water spot. The specific location will depend on fishing conditions but we’ve fished Lake Mohegan, Perry’s pond, Mill River, Jennings beach, Sasco Beach, and Southport Harbor among a few other spots. We only fish from shore (or jetties or docks) and all locations are local.

Once we arrive at our spot, we fish! Every camper is supplied with their own rod and reel and plenty of access to a variety of bait options. We try to have a maximum ratio of 1 counselor to 4 campers. More often it’s 3 to 1.New fishermen will learn how to bait, cast, and safely remove a hook and experienced anglers can try new techniques or work on their own. There is always help when you need it. We will take a snack and water break each morning.

We are strictly catch and release. Each week, we’ve had kids catch more than a dozen fish in a day and campers that catch few all week. We can’t remember a camper not catching a fish!

Eventually, we head back to the bait shop where the campers can brag about their catches with their friends after they help clean up the gear. Parents can pick up starting at 11:50 AM.