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The 10-year-old from Little Falls watched last Saturday evening as his friends reeled them, waiting for a bite from a catfish on his line in the water.
Wayne Police Officer Steve Martell spotted the group of boys near Hobson Avenue while patrolling the area and pulled over.
"Everyone thinks when you’re fishing the cops are going to tell you go away," said Martell, who learned from his grandfather Nat Giancola at a lake in West Milford when he was young.
"They're surprised when you're into what they're doing."
The officer began talking to the boys and learned Nathan hadn't caught a fish yet. He showed the boys how to tie the line on the rod and take the fish off the hooks.
It wasn't long before Nathan had a bite.
Nathan fishes with his family when he vacations in Wildwood, but this one was special for him, he said.
"Officer Martell was really nice," he told Daily Voice. "It felt great, he taught me a lot."
By the end of the night, the boys reeled in 15 catfish, thanks to Martell.
"Every time you catch a fish it’s pretty exciting," the officer said. "Whether it’s big or small, it makes you happy."
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