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“Take a kid fishing. You’ll be glad you did.”

Johnny Morris. Bass Pro Shop

Pike County 4-H Summer Day Camp got off with a splash Tuesday morning at Pike County Lake.

Visitors from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division provided education and fun to a very receptive and eager group of 4-H participants.

Officer Ken Weathers said the day campers were eager to get the worms in the water and just as eager to pull in …. a fish.

“They enjoyed fishing and were excited to catch a fish,” Weathers said. “Size didn’t matter. They just enjoyed fishing.”

The officers were impressed that neither the boys nor the girls were squeamish about putting a worm on a hook.

“They came to fish and hooking a worm is part of fishing,” the officers said.

Hillary Peoples, 4-H Extension agent, said the 4-H’ers had the choice of fishing with worms or crickets, however, worms were the bait of choice.

“For some of the youngsters, the 4-H Summer Day Camp was their first fishing experience, for others, their fishing experience was with their families,” Peoples said.

“They have enjoyed fishing with other 4-H’ers and have learned more about fishing from our visitors from Conservation and Natural Resources.”

Peoples said catching a big fish was not an expectation for the Summer Day Camp, rather just to have fun enjoying a recreational sport that is enjoyed by more than 50 million people in the United States each year.

“The 4-H’ers have had just as much fun catching little fish and tossing them back,” Peoples said.

Pike County 4-H Summer Day Camp was a day of fishing, fun and learning.

Peoples expressed appreciation to the conservation officers who brought fun and learning to the camp.

The second day of Pike County 4-H Summer Camp Day on Wednesday featured visitors from the Alabama 4-H Science School with birds of prey and reptiles/amphibians as part of the program.