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Volunteering at Scouts is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing at Scouts. Read more

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Time to fish through your contacts list, as we invite along an expert to help everyone prepare for a group fishing trip.
Plan a session with this activity

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You’ll need

  • Pens or pencils
  • Notebooks
  • Fishing equipment including suitable tackle and bait
  • Camera (optional)

Before you begin

  • This activity is best scheduled a few weeks before the group goes on a fishing trip, especially if you have your fishing equipment available to practice with, as this will save lots of time on the day of the trip. For more information on guiding and managing that day out, run Fishing trip.
  • Those with fishing gear should be reminded to bring it along to this session. Remind everyone to label their personal kit with their name, in case it’s similar to an item brought along by someone else. If the group is borrowing or renting equipment for the fishing trip, then allow extra time for everyone to get familiar with the kit on the day, if there isn’t an opportunity to use it beforehand.
  • If leaders or helpers don’t have the knowledge and experience to prepare everyone for a fishing trip, you’ll need to invite an expert angler to the session to help. Your expert could even be a person in the group. A different expert will probably be required depending on the style of fishing you’ll be taking part in. Consider getting in touch with the expert well in advance, to give them lots of notice, and to ask them about the location, date and time, whether they have any access needs and whether they need to bring along any of their own equipment.
  • See if your expert can bring along photographs of them fishing and using their equipment for reference. Explain in advance that they’ll need to talk the group through: choosing the correct equipment, assembling a rod, reed or pole, what kind of bait (lure or fly) to use and how to identify different species of fish.
  • Remember to remind everyone working towards their Scouts Angler Activity Badge that they should bring a notebook along to the fishing trip. The notebooks could be brought along to this session too, as there’ll probably be some handy hints to write down.
  • Consider assembling rods, reeds or poles outside, as this is safer. Think of a spot with no overhanging branches or cables and level ground where it’s safe to do this.
  • You could run this activity as a base to be visited by small groups, as part of a bases activity session. Run this alongside other activities like Knot your average angler and Camera angles.
  • If you’re inviting an external visitor, ask group members, family and friends if they know of any enthusiastic anglers who could talk to the group about the chosen style of fishing.
  • If no one in the group knows anyone who’s available to speak to the group, then talk to local angling clubs, tackle shops, The Environment Agency and activity providers and see what they might be able to offer you. GO Outdoors offer kit talks for groups. If there’s a store near you, then you could give them a call and see how they could tailor this to introduce everyone to useful fishing equipment. As a Scouts partner, they also offer discounts on a range of clothing, equipment and services. If you do this, you’ll need to think about how this is communicated with parents or carers and how everyone will get there.
  • Ask the visitor what times and dates suit them. Have some suggestions ready, based on when and where you regularly meet.
  • Discuss the group’s upcoming fishing trip(s) with the visitor. You could even invite them along, if this is appropriate.
  • Think about where you’ll host the session. Is there plenty of space inside? If you’re planning to hold it outdoors, what will you do if it rains?
  • Give the visitor plenty of notice. Check if they need any information about access or transport – they may need level access, information about public transport links or a parking space.
  • Check in the day before (or even on the day) to make sure everything’s going to plan and that they’re still going to join you.
  • Make sure everyone taking part is prepared – have they thought up some questions to ask the visitor? Do they need to come wearing certain clothes?

 

Run the activity 

  1. The person leading the activity (a leader or expert) should gather everyone together in the activity area. An expert should be introduced, if they’re a new face, and a leader should explain what’s going to be happening in the session.
  2. The person leading the activity should talk a little about their experience, why they enjoy it and share any photographs that they might’ve brought along.

The group should feel free to ask any question they might have about their upcoming trip and any requirements of the Scouts Angler Activity Badge that they think an expert might be able to help them with.

  1. The person leading the activity should share details about their choice of kit and why it’s best suited to their style of fishing.
  2. Everyone should spread out to look at the fishing equipment. Examining long objects, like rods, may be easier outside where there’s more space.

It’s not a problem if this equipment is shared, as everyone can take turns. If space is limited, it may be best to take turns anyway, as rods, reels and poles take up a lot of room. Leaders and helpers should remind everyone to be aware of the space around them, and make sure they don’t strike anyone or anything.

  1. Have everyone demonstrate how to assemble and take apart each piece of equipment. The person leading the activity may need to lend a hand. Once everyone has got the hang of this, disassemble each item and secure it safely. The gear won’t be needed for the remainder of the session.

Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions throughout this step.

  1. The person leading the activity should now talk through the kind of bait, fly or lure used in the fishing style the group will be trying. If they’ve got some examples or a photograph of some, that would be ideal.
  2. Talk through the kinds of fish that might be caught using the chosen style of fishing and what kind of environment they might be found in.

Reflection

Understanding when to outsource expertise is a useful skill for leaders as well as young people. Have a chat as a group about the benefits of having an expert-led session (it doesn’t matter if this expert was from within your group or not).

Everyone’s learning styles are different. Are there people in the group who prefer to watch online content and others who need face-to-face guidance? There’s no single right way to do things, but talking about learning can help a group to find a balance that works for everyone. This discussion can be considered the next time everybody is developing a new skill or hobby together.

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

Sharp objects

Teach young people how to use sharp objects safely. Supervise them appropriately throughout. Store all sharp objects securely, out of the reach of young people.

Water games and activities

Be careful when doing activities with, in, or near water. Check surfaces and reduce the risk of slipping where possible. Make sure you have appropriate supervision for this activity.

Poles and long objects

Be careful when moving poles or long items. Take care if the ends are sharp. Have appropriate supervision for this activity.

Depending on the kind of fishing trip you’re going on, this session will be more or less detailed. The kind of information and guidance you’ll need will vary based on the fishing method being used (fly, bait, game or another) and where you’ll be doing it (in the sea, in a lake, in a river, in a stream or elsewhere). Challenge the group to come up with questions relevant to the kind of trip you’ll be undertaking by doing some research into the method and location beforehand, if you’ve already agreed upon these.

Make sure instructions and demonstrations are relevant to those in your group who are left-handed or have limited mobility. They may need to see examples of equipment being assembled slightly differently.

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.

Scouts Angler Activity Badge

The Angling Trust can help you search for a place to go fishing near you. You can also find useful information for when you go fishing, such as weather and water levels. Tackle shops and noticeboards at local clubs should also be able to steer you in the right direction.

Take a look at Fishing trip for more things to consider before your outing and some tips for when you’re there.

Fast learners in the group should turn to help their peers.

This discussion will equip group members with the knowledge they need to prepare for their upcoming trips and make the right decisions on the day.