Numerous fishing education programs in the United States strive to impart hard skill development, as well as life values to youth. This study employs utilizing semi-structured interviewing techniques and means-end analysis to evaluate the effects of youth participation in fishing components of NOLS courses. Interviews were conducted over five years to study benefit retention across time. The fishing component led to thirteen consequences, most frequently to youth feeling a sense of fun and excitement, developing hard skills, and having a new experience/opportunity. In turn, these consequences led youth to a number of values, including transference of information learned or benefits to other areas of their lives, an increased self-respect/esteem/confidence, self-fulfillment, a sense of accomplishment, and self-awareness. These results provide educators and program managers with information to direct programming development for youth attainment and retention of specific participation outcomes.
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