Fishing is one of the oldest and most popular outdoor activities. Like most activities, fishing requires basic knowledge and skill for success. The Aquatic Resources Education Curriculum is designed to assist beginning anglers in learning the basic concepts of how, when, and where to fish as well as what tackle to use. The manual is designed to be used in beginning sport fishing classes. It is intended to be an independent, self contained curriculum and incorporates lesson plans, background texts, and lists of other resources including state and federal agencies, tackle companies and conservation organizations. The manual is divided into four major units of study including: (1) a fishing primer; (2) becoming a better angler; (3) understanding fish and their environment; and (4) water resources for our future. These units have been subdivided into 28 individual lessons. There is an additional lesson on careers at the end. Appendices include a glossary, bibliography, sources of additional information or assistance, sources of fishing tackle, equipment, free and/or inexpensive materials, and graphics to supplement the lessons. Each lesson plan contains objectives, a list of needed materials, an outline of the lesson content and suggested classroom procedures. (CW)