Courses

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will host an Introduction to Fishing program on Sept. 26 at Belladona Pond near Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Education Center in Branson. Participants will learn pole setup, casting, and safe fish handling, with all equipment provided. The program is open to ages 5 and up, with children requiring adult supervision.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Cornhusker Fly Fishers Club will host a beginners fly-fishing and fly-tying class on October 10 at Chadron State Park. Participants will learn casting, fly tying, and knots to catch trout and panfish, with all equipment provided. The $25 workshop is limited to 25 participants.

The Missouri Department of Conservation invites people to a free Beginner Fly-Fishing Instruction & Fishing program on Sept. 24 from 4-8:30 p.m. at Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center in Blue Springs. The program includes indoor instruction, outdoor practice casting, and fly tying. Seating is limited; register at mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com.

The Missouri Department of Conservation is offering a free Intro to Fly Tying program on August 28 at the Washington County Library in Potosi for ages 12 and up. Conservation Educator Matt Murray will teach participants basic tools, materials, and skills to tie their own flies, with all materials provided.

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division offers expanded outdoor education through the Outdoor Alabama Academy, including new webinar-based fishing and hunting workshops, the "Discover Alabama's Public Lands" virtual series, and partnerships with Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's for Hunter Safety Education classes. Hunter education graduates now access PathPerks discounts from over 200 outdoor brands through a partnership with the International Hunter Education Association.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation are hosting two fall Women's Fishing 101 Workshops on October 24 and November 21, 2026, at Waddill Wildlife Refuge in Baton Rouge. Applications open August 17 through September 20, 2026, for women 18 and older seeking to develop fishing skills including fish identification, equipment preparation, and fish handling.

MDC will host a free Learn to Fly Fish introductory class on August 18 at Walther Park in DeSoto for ages 10 and up. Conservation educator Matt Murray will lead participants through fly-fishing basics, safety, rod selection, and casting fundamentals, with all equipment provided.

The Missouri Department of Conservation will host a free introductory fishing program on July 31 at Walther Park in DeSoto. Participants will learn casting, rod basics, tackle, and fish handling. Advanced registration is required.

TPWD hosts a free webinar on August 20 from 6-8 p.m. covering redfish targeting, rod-and-reel techniques, and fisheries projects. Registration is required, and participants can submit redfish-related questions.

NJ Trout in the Classroom is a science-based educational program where students raise trout from eggs provided by the Pequest Trout Hatchery to fingerling size, learning about cold-water conservation and the importance of clean water for organisms and people.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' Fish Math educational program, created by education specialist Ryan Schmaltz and former coordinator Dave Hagengruber, teaches students about fish population estimation using the mark-recapture method. The activity has been added to the Project Wild curriculum guide for global classroom use.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is hosting a free two-day Alternative Methods Catfishing Clinic on June 19-20 at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area in Spanish Lake. Participants ages 9 and up will learn to use trotlines, jug lines, and limb lines, with hands-on experience on the Missouri River led by MDC Conservation Educator Scott Boyd and regional staff.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is hosting free summer webinars covering muskellunge fishing, Boundary Waters fish surveying, rare fish species sampling, moose research, and duck harvest changes. Sessions feature DNR experts including Kamden Glade, Brent Flatten, Brett Nagle, Amanda McGraw, and Bram Verheijen, held every other Wednesday at noon with live captioning and recorded archives available.

The Missouri Department of Conservation invites landowners and land managers to a free pond management workshop on June 13 in Warrensburg. The workshop will cover watersheds, fish stocking, aquatic plants, and invasive species control, including an on-site pond visit.

Minnesota Sea Grant and Texas Sea Grant were selected to lead the Sea Grant Aquaculture Leadership Academy for 2026-2027, training up to 60 professionals with virtual and in-person sessions in Minnesota and Texas. The $350,000 program, administered by the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, will feature hands-on experiences at aquaculture facilities in the Great Lakes and Gulf of America regions.

New Jersey is offering two fly fishing workshops on April 19: Fly Fishing 101 at Pequest Trout Hatchery for ages 12+ and Intro to Saltwater Fly Fishing at Island Beach State Park for ages 18+ in partnership with Atlantic Saltwater Flyrodders. Applications deadline is April 9.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will host a free pond management workshop on April 14 at MDC's Ozark Regional Office in West Plains. Topics include pond site selection, construction, stocking, fisheries management, aquatic vegetation management, watershed management, and nuisance wildlife control.

CB's Saltwater Outfitters in Sarasota, FL will host an Orvis-Endorsed fly fishing school on Saturday, April 11, 2026, led by Certified Instructor Capt. Rick Grassett. The class covers fly casting, saltwater techniques, and fly selection for $225 per person.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will host a free pond management workshop on April 9 in Chillicothe, covering topics including pond construction, stocking, fisheries management, and aquatic vegetation management. Participants may bring pond photos or samples for species identification and management advice.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is offering free public training to become certified aquatic invasive species inspectors. The one-day courses, coordinated by Josh Leonard, cover invasive species biology, impacts, and watercraft inspection techniques, with trainings scheduled statewide from March through July.