FishOn!

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

 
 
 
 

About FishOn!

  • 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!

  • 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.

  • 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.

    • 35 TRIPS

    • 430 attendees

    • Partnered with Boston Trout Unlimited, Friends of Blue Hills, DFW and DCR

    • Brookline Reservoir

    • Lake Cochituate

    • Scarborough Pond

    • Camp Sewataro

    • Houghton’s Pond

 

Experiences

“Elevate Youth helped me get out of my comfort zone!”
“It was really fun and I feel so happy that I got the opportunity to do this!”
“I was catching so many fish!”
““My students gained so much more than a fishing trip, they gained an experience with the outdoors that will stick with them forever!””
 

A Message from the Founder of 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 increased the number of fishing outings in 2024, including family members in some of the outings, and hope that you will consider joining us as a volunteer as we expand FishOn! experiences in the years ahead!

-Greg Herrema

 
 
 
 

Partners