Courtesy of MassWildlife
It was one of the few dry, sunlit comfortable evenings in July, where nearly two dozen women gathered on the shores of Colburn Pond at Barrett Park in Leominster.
They were attending an in-person Learn to Fish Clinic for Outdoorswomen held by the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Billed as a part of a series of free fishing clinics for beginning anglers, the women’s experience included watching an online fishing tutorial covering basic equipment, safety, regulations, and safety. The second part of the experience was a scheduled two-hour fishing clinic at the city park. The women learned to set up and cast fishing rods, bait hooks, and, when they caught a fish, how to take it safely off the hook. Several MassWildlife staff, both women and men, were on hand providing instruction, information, and encouragement to participants.