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Wednesday, Jul. 08, 2009

Cub Scout Pack 566 holds fishing derby

Cub Scout Pack 566, sponsored by Trinity Methodist Church in Warner Robins, recently held a fishing derby at the new Flat Creek public fishing area in south Houston County.

The pack used a back pond that was especially created for kids 16 and under to use in scheduled groups.

According to Tammy Norton, Pack 566 committee chairman, the rangers at the park feed the fish in the pond every day.

“But when you schedule a group down there, they stop feeding them a day or two out, which makes them hungry, “ Norton said. “It works out really good for kids trying to fish.”

While the day was about fun, the pack leaders also took advantage of the fishing derby to encourage the Cub Scouts to earn their fishing belt loop and pin.

The Scouts also learned about the environment, their place in it and their responsibility to it. One of the rangers spoke about the importance of “leaving no trace,” a guideline that helps protect the environment by reminding people that when they are in the outdoors, they need to leave everything just as they found it.

The Cub Scouts caught a total of 28 fish during the derby that were officially weighed and measured — throwing back the little ones as good fishermen do. The average weight of the fish caught — which the Scouts were allowed to keep — was about 3 pounds.

Nick Oakley caught three fish at the derby using hot dogs covered in what he originally thought was some sort of “gravy.”

It turned out the gravy was chicken liver blood, a fact that produced a “that’s disgusting” from Nick.

But disgustingness aside, Nick said he had a good time at the fishing derby, which he said wouldn’t have changed whether he had caught a fish or not.

“I caught fish, but I still would have had fun even if I hadn’t caught a fish. My friends were there, and we had snacks and I had my book,” Nick said.

Jake Conner was the first Cub Scout to catch a fish at the derby, while Cole Conner was the first sibling of a Scout to catch a fish.

Dustin Gourley won the prize for catching the heaviest fish — 8.8 pounds — while the longest fish award ended in a tie between Jackson Schubert and Ben Swaine, who both caught fish measuring 21 inches long.