WSU Offers Fishing for Physical Education Credit

OGDEN, Utah – There’s more to fishing than just casting and reeling. Weber State University’s physical education program offers an accredited fishing class during late July and early August. The class, which is geared toward beginners, is open to participants from all skill levels.

Jonathan Griffith, WSU adjunct professor, will teach the class in two sections. The first section will be in a classroom setting, which begins July 20. Students will learn about fishing basics such as knots, flies, rods and nymphs — a type of insect. In the second section that takes place Aug. 7-8, students camp overnight in the Uinta mountains and learn about casting, matching flies and lures, insect migration and different habitats.

“It takes more than just getting a fly in the water to catch a fish,” Griffith said. “Presentation of the fly in the water is very important. It needs to look natural. It takes more skill than people realize.”

The class is designed to teach the basic skills associated with fishing. Students will learn basic casting techniques, such as the forward cast, roll and slack line. All participants are required to supply their own fishing and camping equipment.

Griffith said that many students in the past have had little to no experience; he is often surprised by the variety of people who take an interest in fishing.

 “It’s not always those who you think would have a lot of outdoor experience. Usually the beginners are the ones who put in a lot of effort to learning the new skills.”

The average size of fish students catch depends on the location. In the Ogden area, the average length is 12-14 inches. In the colder locations, such as the Wind River and the Uintah Mountains, the average length is 8-12 inches.

Griffith, a fisherman since 2001, has spent a great deal of time fishing various lakes, rivers and streams in Utah and Wyoming mountain ranges.

For more information about the wide variety of physical education courses, taught in the Jerry & Vickie Moyes College of Education, visit weber.edu/physicaleducation. Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.

For high-resolution photos, visit the following links:

wsuucomm.smugmug.com/Press-Release-Photos/2015-photos/July-2015/i-gMWq4QN/0/X2/P1010129-X2.jpg
wsuucomm.smugmug.com/Press-Release-Photos/2015-photos/July-2015/i-6q99WB3/0/X2/P1010127-X2.jpg
wsuucomm.smugmug.com/Press-Release-Photos/2015-photos/July-2015/i-rCnX7Jq/0/X2/P1010122-X2.jpg
Author:
Melissa Smith, office of Media Relations
801-626-7948 • melissasmith9@weber.edu
Contact:
Jonathan Griffith, WSU adjunct instructor
801-773-0200 jonathangriffith2@weber.edu