We aim to get youth and families hooked on the joys of nature.

I was lucky enough to have my dad introduce me to fishing and the outdoors at a young age. Ever since I can remember I have had a love for being outdoors and a passion for fishing.

Over the years I was able to fish the Monterey Bay with my dad and friends catching everything from sand dabs to salmon. Growing up we would make two annual family camping trips, first to Big Sur where we slept amongst the redwoods, caught crawdads, and swam in the refreshing waters of the Big Sur River and the second trip to the Yuba River where we would spend a week fishing for trout, panning for gold, and exploring the many alpine lakes and trails.

In high school I loved to fish for anything that swam and became serious about fishing for large mouth bass. I was introduced to fishing bass tournaments and was able to participate in several fishing tournaments per year at various lakes throughout the state. I also had the opportunity to take a Marine Biology Class which taught me the fundamentals of our ecosystem and how important it was for all of us to do what we can to keep the system clean and functioning.

I have spent the last 16 years teaching my three children what I know about fishing and the outdoors. All my kids started fishing at a young age and we enjoy the outdoors together whenever possible. My oldest is now in college and am thrilled to see that she continues to enjoy the outdoors and gets her friends and classmates outside exploring the local trails.

I love being out in nature and hope to pass this love and respect for the outdoors onto others by teaching them the basics of fishing, camping, and other outdoor activities.

My hope for each person taking these classes is that they will walk away having learned a skill that will help them enjoy a new hobby outside and to respect and nurture the environment we all enjoy.