Scouts get hooked on fishing at the jamboree

JambofishingEven amid the chaos of more than 4,000 people visiting its shores each day, there was something peaceful about Fish Hook Lake, the spot at the jamboree for amateur anglers to get their fix.

Scouts, Scouters, and visitors lined the lake, casting their lines into the calm water while hoping to snag a catfish, bass, or panfish.

The event was made possible thanks to sponsorship from Shakespeare, the fishing tackle company. At the end of the week, Shakespeare helped Scouts catch a total of nearly 5,000 fish.

The average catch was 1.2 pounds, but the grand prize for the jamboree's biggest catch went to Troop 728's Jonathon Dawes, who caught a 5-pound, 1-ounce catfish.

Fish Hook Lake was stocked with 10,000 pounds of fish, and Scouts had access to 90,000 worms for bait. There were 600 regular rods and 100 more for fly fishing.

Most of the fish were too small, meaning two-thirds of them had to be released back into the lake. But the ones that were big enough to keep were cleaned and cooked on the spot, letting the guys get a true taste for how much fun fishing can be.

(Photo by M.P. King. Copyright Boy Scouts of America.)


About Bryan Wendell 3282 Articles
Bryan Wendell, an Eagle Scout, is the founder of Bryan on Scouting and a contributing writer.