Pascack Valley’s Fishing Club originated when Social Studies and Financial Literacy teacher Jonathan Rose bonded with students Matthew Bainbridge and Zachary Klein over their shared love of fishing during the spring semester last school year.

“I was in a class with Mr. Rose, and we were talking about fishing because we both fish. Then we started talking about making a fishing club. We both did some work and got approval from Puccio and the Board [of Education],” president and founder of the club, Bainbridge said.

In May, a group of interested students attended a tournament called the Governor’s Surf Fishing Tournament, which takes place at Island Beach State Park and is specifically for high schoolers. While only ten kids showed up, Rose said it was a good opportunity, as they “dipped [their] toe” in the water and had a fun time.

“My hope was to give students something that is outside of the traditional academic being in the building type of experience and to get outside to be in nature and be in the environment,” Rose said. “To me, part of fishing is having that connection with the natural environment and having respect for it. My hope is just to give students that outlet… especially students who haven’t had that before.”

While Rose is the sole advisor of the club, he receives help from Social Studies, Professional Studies, and Internships Supervisor Joe Orlak, who accompanies the club on outings frequently and even discovered the Governor’s Surf Fishing Tournament.

“Last year we kind of had a slow start… so this year we are going to try to get to a handful of little trips,” member of the club John Allmers said. “[The trips] can be local, and, maybe in May, we will do the trip down to Island Beach State Park.”

Rose says that the group is keeping it local for now and fishing at places such as Pascack Brook County Park and Wood Dale Park, but he hopes to get to the beach in the spring.

“Our hope for the winter, while we can’t really fish, is to go over some stuff like how to tie knots and how to put bait on a hook and different equipment,” Rose said. “There are different things we can do without being out on the water. And then, once the spring comes, we’ll kind of get back out there.”

Rose believes that “every outing is a learning experience” and loves to see the experienced fishers helping out the newcomers.

“To me, fishing is always a community of people. It’s always been very helpful,” Rose said. “When… I was trying to learn new things, I’ve talked to local bait and tackle shops, and they always helped me out. So it’s always like passing on that knowledge and that kind of joy to the next person.”

The club currently stands at 65 kids but Vice President Zachary Klein hopes the club will grow even more.

“Hopefully there will be a lot of people that show up—a lot of new fishermen and a lot of experienced people—so there can be a lot of learning and friendships made,” Klein said.

Rose’s Fishing Tips for Success by Sarah Buttikofer