LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — The old adage goes: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” On Thursday, students from Lima West Middle School got the chance to put that lesson into practice.
Thanks to a partnership between the City of Lima and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), students enjoyed a day of outdoor learning and fishing after studying the sport in the classroom. The hands-on experience included fishing, boating, and lessons in catch-and-release practices. Many students caught fish — and a few even caught frogs — all of which were released back into the water. Some also experienced their first ride in a boat.
The hands-on experience included fishing, boating, and lessons in catch-and-release practices.
“It was great,” said Richard Coffman, who was on a boat for the first time. “I touched the water to see how it feels. It felt nice.”
Nicholas Doss shared the excitement of landing his first fish. “I caught the fish. I didn’t think I was really going to catch one, but I did. It’s really good out here — feels good.”
Other students, like Emanuel Luckett and Jayden Caldwell, enjoyed their boat rides.
“It was good. Water was good. I liked it very much,” Luckett said. “I probably would go again — yep, I will.”
“We were paddling the boat,” Caldwell said. “Will I go again? Yes.”
The event wasn’t just about fun — it also helped students develop life skills, said Randy Kohli, a security officer with Lima Utilities.
“It’s great because it works on hand-eye coordination and skills they need throughout life,” Kohli said. “It builds teamwork, too. They’re helping friends bait hooks and release fish. By the end of the day, most of them were doing it on their own.”
Thanks to an ODNR grant, each student received a fishing pole to take home. On Friday, students from Lima Freedom Elementary School will get their turn at the pond.
