Fishing in the City - Sacramento Metro Area

Fishing Clinics

Youth Beginner "Learn to Fish" Clinics

Ages 5-15, Pre-Registration Required

These events are geared towards children ages 5-15 years old with little to no fishing experience. All participants must be accompanied by an adult and use Fishing in the City provided rods/reels and tackle (no personal fishing gear allowed).

When registering, choose an arrival time (8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., or 10 a.m. Or, 3:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., or 5:00 p.m. for some summer clinics) Please arrive at or near the time slot you have chosen and note that all have the same end time of noon. Clinic instruction ends after the final group of registered partcipants completes the clinic activities. Participants must complete a 45-minute "Learn to Fish" clinic in order to borrow gear. As participants arrive, they will be put into small groups to go through a series of stations, during which they will learn about casting, knot-tying, fishing safety, conservation and ecology, and more. Once they have completed clinic instruction, they may fish until noon. On a clinic day, the pond is closed to the public until 12:30 p.m. After 12:30 p.m. the pond will be open to the public for fishing.

Please dress appropriately. Family members are welcome to follow along in the learning stations, but only registered children may fish until the event ends. When registering, list the names and ages of youth participants, as well as the names and contact information of accompanying adults.

Note: All participants must use Fishing in the City fishing gear as provided, which helps to ensure equal opportunity.

Summer (Catfish) Clinic Dates

Date/Time	Event	Location	Register
June 4, 2025	Youth-Learn to Fish Clinic	Elk Grove Regional Park	3:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m.
July 5, 2025	Youth - Learn to Fish Clinic (Free Fishing Day!)	Granite Regional Park	Registration available in June
July 30, 2025	Youth - Learn to Fish Clinic	Elk Grove Regional Park	Registration available in July
September 20, 2025	Youth - Learn to Fish Clinic	Hagan Community Park	Registration available in Aug.

Catfish Stocking Dates

Location	Date	Status
Elk Grove Park Pond	06/04/25	Closed for Clinic till 06/05/25
Howe Park Pond	06/04/25	-
Granite Park Pond	06/04/25	-
Hagan Park Pond	06/04/25	-
Mather Lake	06/04/25	-
Southside	06/04/25	-

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Rod Loan Program

The Rod Loan Program is currently inactive while undergoing revisions.

Learn to Fish Videos

Learn fishing basics on your own with these instructional videos.

Event Photos

Community Partners

Community Based Organizations (CBOs)

Hooked on Fishing Not On Violence (HOFNOV)

HOFNOV's mission is to use fishing clinics as a vehicle to mentor children and create real moments of truth between our angler mentors.

Hooked on Fishing Not On Violence (HOFNOV) program was founded in 2011. Through engagement of local children and teens HOFNOV has provided the opportunity to participate in our fishing derbies and camping trips that are held several times during the spring and summer fishing seasons. This program is uniquely designed to expose inner city at-promise children to the art and sport of fishing. HOFNOV is a nice fit for Sacramento because of the River City’s proximity to rivers, lakes and several streams, and creeks. We have found that fishing breaks down a multitude of barriers and assists in behavioral re-direction. Not only is this activity enjoyable to local youth, it is a physical activity that increases health and fitness.

Through our on-going partnership with HOFNOV we are collaborating to increase fishing access and opportunities for those that need it most. Check out HOFNOV calendar of events to find out what fishing opportunities are coming up.