A lovely lady at SBCC’s Extended Learning program called me and said they wanted to offer a fishing class, since here we are right on the coast and there are plenty of fresh, tasty fish to catch.
She said as she researched who might teach the class, she kept bumping into my name, so thought we should talk. By the end of that conversation, I agreed to write up some class outlines and submit them as proposals for a series of classes:
Saltwater — boat-based; saltwater — shore-based; freshwater. Plus, a general interest class on sharks (including the big ones) of the Santa Barbara Channel and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.
SBCC has a couple more proposals from me that they are mulling over, and I can share those when the time comes.
The first of those fishing classes is now available for signing up and yes, I will be the teacher. It is the saltwater — boat-based class. The evening, fee-based class begins Monday, March 4, at the Wake Campus on Turnpike Road, and runs 6-8 p.m. each week (except March 25) until April 29, which means students will ratchet up their fishing skills and be primed and ready for the prime fishing season.
By way of a fairness statement, please know that I do get paid something for doing this, but not a great deal, and I see this as more of a community service. Still, it seems fair to share that it is a fee-based class. The class schedule says the fee per student is $96 for the full eight weeks.
I’ll be teaching about fishy things like rods, reels, tackle and accessories, inshore-fishing techniques, deep sea-fishing techniques, and fishing for pelagic species like yellowtail, tuna, sharks and others.
Plus, I’ll be teaching useful details like knot-tying, rigging styles, color selections, line weight and types and bait selection and preparation.
Some say I can catch fish quicker’n a gunslinger can slap leather (which may be true when the fish are biting like crazy), and my goal is to teach my students to do the same. I want people to be able to go “catching” instead of just fishing.
There is just enough time to sign up a family member or friend who loves to fish before Christmas and give him or her a nice surprise. Such a surprise may earn you some gifted fillets when the season gets going.
I’m especially hopeful that plenty of kids as well as adults sign up to jump-start their fishing future. It is Adult Ed, however kids ages 14-18 may be eligible to take classes if their parent and their school fills out and signs an enrollment form for minors.
Enrolling early assures a seat in the class, but if seats are available, folks may sign up all the way until the classes end in late April.
Here is how to sign up for this fee-based class:
Go to https://sbcc.augusoft.net/ and click on Click to Register. Registering will give you a student ID number. Keep that number because it will allow you to sign up for the class.
After registering, find the Search box and enter 22549, which is the class ID. The search takes you to a page where you can sign up. If you are already registered and are signing up for yourself, just login and search for the class ID to sign up.
Alternatively, you can come into the Wake or Schott center offices where staff can help you sign up.
Fisherfolk who want to keep right on learning can then sign up for the next in the series, saltwater — shore-based. In that class, I’ll be teaching about fishing piers, rocky shorelines and beaches.
— Capt. David Bacon operates WaveWalker Charters and is president of SOFTIN Inc., a nonprofit organization providing seafaring opportunities for those in need. Visit softininc.blogspot.com to learn more about the organization and how you can help. Click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.
