COLUMBUS, Ohio – Any adult, group, or conservation club who has a sincere interest in taking kids fishing should consider becoming a certified Passport to Fishing instructor, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

A Passport certification course is being offered on Thursday, March 7, at the Wildlife District One office located at 1500 Dublin Road, Columbus. Passport to Fishing is a one-day instructor training program that qualifies individuals to become ODNR Division of Wildlife certified fishing instructors, like a hunter education instructor.

The workshop will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants are encouraged to bring a lunch and to dress for the weather, some of the clinic will take place outside. The workshop is a free, but preregistration is required as seating is limited, and participants will also be required to take part in a background check. To register for the workshop, email Derek Klein at [email protected] or call 614-644-3925.

By becoming a certified instructor, you will be able to help reconnect students with the outdoors. Resources available include grants, equipment, brochures and training. For additional class information and other educational opportunities, visit wildohio.gov. (Click on the Education and Outdoor Discovery tab on the left side of the web page.)

Passport to Fishing was developed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and adopted by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation. Workshops teach volunteers the basics of fishing and how to run a four-station fishing program with a fishing event. These instructors then go back to their communities with a written curriculum and training aids, to teach beginning anglers the basics of fishing.

ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.