Gone fishin': Youth exposed to fishing at new summer camp

Ryan Anderson, The Daily Citizen, Dalton, Ga.
·2 min read

Aug. 4—"I can't believe I caught a fish," 8-year-old Holden Dills exclaimed as he reeled in a bluegill at Haig Mill Lake Park. "My dad would be so proud."

"I got it, I knew it," Dills added with a grin. "I am a (fishing) god."

Dills and several other local children experienced the thrill of catching fish July 18-22 — and picked up valuable angling tips — during the Dalton Parks and Recreation Department's first learn how to fish summer camp.

"We're blessed to have (Haig Mill Lake Park), we're looking to expand our programs, and I know some other recreation departments have had success with" fishing camps, said Will Chappell, Parks and Recreation Department supervisor. A $500 grant from Cabela's Bass Pro Shops "enabled us to get all the rods, reels and tackle boxes."

On the camp's first day, youth learned "basics," like casting and reeling, and heard from a Tennessee Aquarium instructor via a virtual classroom, Chappell said. Later in the week, they learned from a Georgia Department of Natural Resources officer about "being good stewards" of resources and the "biological diversity here."

They fished in Haig Mill Lake Park and in Cohutta, where they also got to pet sturgeon, he said. Finally, they engaged in fishing competitions, such as most-accurate casting.

"I have a feeling I'll be luckier today and get a fish," 9-year-old Sam Lance said on the camp's second day. "I like fishing, and (the camp) is fun."

He learned fishing laws and "what fish eat" during the camp, he said. "Some like different kinds of bait, but most like worms."

"Fish don't always bite, but you might get lucky if you change spots," he added. "They're not always in the spot you think they are."

"I love fishing — my cousin has taught me all about it — and I'm very interested in it," said 10-year-old Beckham Lavender. At the camp, Lavender "learned how to tie knots with hooks and all that stuff."

Dills learned about "tying my line," and "I like to fish a bunch," he said. The camp "was amazing."