Gone Fishing: D.C. Students Go 'Outdoors' In Urban Environment

For many of these elementary school children it was their first time fishing, but they received plenty of help from volunteers.

One fourth-grader from Ross Elementary School had cast a line before, but never landed a fish.

"It feels good [to catch my first fish]! But I didn't even know at first, but then they started shouting," he says.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service headed up the event. Organizers say it's important to get kids away from TVs, video games and computers and into the great outdoors, even if the outdoors is in an urban environment. Bob Stanton of the Department of Interior says a lot of times families don't realize all there is to do in a city like D.C.

"You'll find throughout the country there are a number of areas administered by the federal government and the state and local governments that are in close proximity to young people, but to some extent some are not familiar with those opportunities. So we're trying to acquaint them with close-by opportunities," Stanton says.

The Constitution Garden Pond is open for fishing throughout the summer. There's a rule though: It's catch-and-release only.