Scouts and Cubs Compete for a Fishing Tournament Prize

Brother and sister team bring home the trophies but everyone has a ball.

Five Boy Scouts of America troops and eight packs cast their rods at a Scouts afternoon for fishing at Lake Golden Era last Saturday. Local civic and community organizations organized the event to help the youths earn merit badges in fishing.

Lake Golden Era is a 3.3-acre lake located on the campus of Golden Era Productions. The lake is stocked with largemouth bass.

"This is a partnership between Golden Era Productions and the American Legion, bringing youth projects to the community and the Valley," said the Area 5 Scouting Commissioner for the American Legion. The American Legion is one of the largest charter organizations supporting Boy Scouts of America initiatives in the country. Locally, the Legion supports Scout Troop #53.

The American Legion Post 53, the Kiwanis Club, Elks, American Medical Response, Cal Fire Station 25 and Golden Era cosponsored the event.

Local professional bass fishermen guided the youths to perfect their fishing skills.

A 20-year veteran pro said, "I am all for the kids, whatever keeps them out of trouble. The kids are our future. It is important to teach a kid a new skill. I am going to remember seeing the smiles on these kids' faces for the rest of my life."

Scout leaders took youths through their 10-page Fishing Merit Badge workbook in which they learn the intricacies of fishing, from the types of knots employed to safety practices, regulations that affect game fishing, and the relationship between the outdoor code of the Scouts and sportsmanlike behavior.

Firemen from Cal Fire Station 25 also participated, including station mascot Smokey the Bear, who joined in with the Cubs for the day's activities.

Event organizers awarded trophies to the Scout and Cub who caught the largest fish. The winner from the Scouts was Tyrie Milazzo, 11, whose largemouth bass weighed in at 3.9 pounds. Milazzo's younger sister, Ka'Marionah, 7, took the Cub Scout trophy with a bass that tipped the scales at a whopping 4.7 pounds. "I was encouraged to do better and I had fun with my friends and family," said Tyrie.

The occasion marked the first of many such fishing events to be held at Lake Golden Era for local Scouts and Cubs.

The Boy Scouts of America was founded over 100 years ago and some 110 million Americans have participated in BSA programs at some time in their lives. The programs train youth in responsible citizenship, character development and self-reliance through participation in a wide range of outdoor activities and educational programs.