A Bear Goes Fishing
Many bears rely on their fishing skills for eating good healthy food. They come equipped with claws for catching fish and the instincts and knowledge they need to be successful. Learning to catch a fish is a good skill to have and one that will last you for your lifetime. It is a fun hobby, one you can do by yourself or with family or friends. It can also provide good health benefits if you cook and eat what you catch. This old Chinese proverb fits perfectly with your Fishing Adventure “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”
Rationale for Adventure
Fishing is a skill that can become a lifelong hobby or possibly a career. It can be done alone or with family or friends. This adventure is meant to be fun; however, it can be used for teaching several points of the Scout Law, such as trustworthy, helpful, courteous, obedient, thrifty, cheerful, clean, and even reverent.
Requirements
Complete at least three of the following:
- Discover and learn about three types of fishes in your area. Draw a color picture of each fish, record what each one likes to eat, and describe what sort of habitat each likes.
- Learn about your local fishing regulations with your leader or a parent or guardian. List three of the regulations you learn about and one reason each regulation exists.
- Learn about fishing equipment, and make a simple fishing pole. Practice casting at a target.
- Go on a fishing adventure, and spend a minimum of one hour trying to catch a fish. Put into practice the things you have learned about fish and fishing equipment.
Takeaways for Cub Scouts
- Learn about the types of fish near Scouts’ homes
- Learning what the fish eat, how they can be caught, and how we can conserve and preserve our fish by using the concept of catch-and-release fishing
- Understanding the different types of equipment and making simple fishing tackle
- Going fishing and having a hands-on-experience to apply all the bears have learned.
Historical Requirements
2015 Handbook Requirements
Bear Handbook, page 140
Bear Den Leader Guide, page 105
- Discover and learn about three types of fishes in your area. Draw a color picture of each fish, record what each one likes to eat, and describe what sort of habitat each likes.
- Learn about your local fishing regulations with your leader or a parent or guardian. List three of the regulations you learn about and one reason each regulation exists.
- Learn about fishing equipment, and make a simple fishing pole. Practice casting at a target 30 feet away. Teach what you have learned to someone in your family, another Scout, or one of your friends.
- Go on a fishing adventure, and spend a minimum of one hour trying to catch a fish. Put into practice the things you have learned about fish and fishing equipment.
