FishOn!

Getting Kids Hooked on Fishing!

FishOn! is Elevate Youth’s newest fishing initiative, a program to connect more young people with the sport of fishing in Boston.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Mission

Amplify the well-being of kids living in urban communities by connecting them to nature and the outdoors through an exceptional local fishing experience.

 
 
 
 

What Do We Do?

Facilitate fresh & saltwater fishing adventures for youth in the Greater Boston area. In addition to skill development and having FUN, our young people learn about conservation & ecology through hands-on experiences. All transportation, gear, food, and instruction is provided at no cost!

 
 
 

Goals

Enable an Exceptional Local Fishing Experience

  • Transportation to nearby ponds and lakes with plenty of fish.

  • Provide coaching and mentorship by experienced anglers.

  • Provide all fishing gear and bait.

  • Create a positive learning environment with an emphasis on patience, passion, and fun.

  • Encourage opportunities for further engagement in the sport of fishing.

 
 

OUR METHOD

Elevate Youth works closely with Boston public schools and community youth organizations to provide kids living in urban communities with positive and empowering outdoor experiences. Under the umbrella of Elevate Youth, FishOn! partners with the MA Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW), MA Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), and other organizations in the Greater Boston Area to provide an exceptional fishing experience. Emphasis is placed on local ponds and lakes that are easily accessible by public transportation or transportation provided by Elevate Youth.

 
 
 
 

Youth Experience

 
“Elevate Youth helped me get out my comfort zone”
“It was really fun and I feel so happy I got the opportunity to do this”
“I was catching so many fish”
“Awesome”
 
 
 

2023 Fishing Season

 
 

Locations:

Brookline Reservoir

Lake Cochituate

Scarborough Pond

Camp Sewataro

  • 16 TRIPS

  • 109 Attended

  • Partnered with DFW AND DCR

  • 200+ Fish Caught

 
 

A Message from the Founder From FishOn!

 

Thanks to extraordinary support from Elevate Youth and the MA Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, we successfully launched FishOn! in the spring of 2023, enabling a local fishing experience for over 100 youth from the Dorchester, Roxbury, and Jamaica Plain communities.  I grew up in a small town in upstate New York surrounded by lakes, ponds and rivers and fishing was a big part of my upbringing - with friends, family and often on my own.  It was those experiences that helped me develop an appreciation for nature and the outdoors, and led me to create FishOn!, a program to enable similar experiences for kids living in urban communities around the city of Boston.  As you can see from the many smiling faces, we created some wonderful memories!  We will significantly increase our outings this spring and summer, and hope that you will consider joining us as a volunteer as we expand FishOn!

-Greg Herrema