Latest News
T.I.L.T Fishing – We’re all now hooked for Life!
Written by the Year 5/6 students at Mother Teresa School, Harrison
T.I.L.T stands for Tailored Individual Learning Time and is an initiative introduced to Mother Teresa School at Harrison by the current Assistant Principal, Mr. Craig Hart.
Many teachers, as well as our Principal, Mr. Hughes and Mr. Hart decide on an activity to teach children that could lead to the discovery of a new life skill or passion through being involved in an activity for six weeks with a group of like-minded students. Some of these activities included sewing, fine arts, table tennis, photography, clay play, coding, bike riding, cooking and the best one of all, fishing!
A group of about 30 students chose fishing because our school is lucky enough to have someone teaching us who is also a champion fly fisher. He has represented Australia at World, Commonwealth and Oceania Fly Fishing Championships. Mr. Dawson is not only a world class fisherman but he is also a very patient teacher!
In Harrison, we have several very large ponds nearby that have been stocked with some native fish as well as carp and redfin. We decided as a group that our main target species would be carp and redfin but some of us were really hoping to catch a murray cod!
Carp are sometimes mistaken as really big goldfish! In the wild carp are usually an olive green to a bronze or silvery kind of colour. While the domesticated Japanese carp has a wider variety of colours. Usually combinations of white, black, red, yellow with orange markings.
The first time we went out, Mr. Dawson showed us how to use the lines, how to put bait on a hook, how to cast, rules and good places to go. It took some people a few tries to figure it out but we all got it in the end. Most people hooked a fish or two over the six Friday afternoons we did it. A handful of people were lucky enough to actually ‘land’ their fish. Regardless, it was super fun!
With T.I.L.T. fishing we learnt many things. We learnt how to cast a handline as well as with a rod; we learnt about using different types of bait when targeting different species of fish; we learnt about stream craft; knot-tying; but more important than any of the fishing-related things, we learnt about a highly valuable pastime that many of us will partake in in the future. Many of us are now asking our parents to take us out fishing on weekends. Some are asking for rods, hooks and sinkers, instead of iPads and computer games as birthday gifts. Some parents have been heard saying that it’s a welcome change.
We would like to thank Mr. Hughes for encouraging us to participate in such a fun and rewarding activity and Mr. Dawson for letting us in on some of his secret fishing tips. We cannot wait to do it again later in the year.