ScoutHitch
Back to Hitch Guide

Fish On

Cub Scouts · Adventure, Elective

Printable worksheet (PDF)

Fish On is your chance to go fishing with your adult partner. You'll pick a spot, learn the safety rules, imagine the fish living there, and then cast a line. Patience and fun go hand in hand.

Why it's worth it

Fishing is part detective work and part patience. In Fish On you'll pick a pond, lake, or river, learn how to stay safe near the water, guess what fish live there, and then go fishing with your grown-up. Whether you catch a sunfish or just watch the dragonflies, you'll be learning a skill people enjoy for their whole lives.

Start this week

  1. Ask your adult to help you find a pond, lake, or river near you where families fish.
  2. Look at the spot on a map together and find where you could stand safely on the shore or a pier.
  3. Look up two or three kinds of fish that live in that kind of water.

Stay safe

  • Wear a life jacket on docks, piers, and boats, and stay within arm's reach of your adult near the water.
  • Hooks are sharp. Let your adult bait hooks and remove them from fish, and always look behind you before casting.

Requirements · 4

Every official requirement and part, numbered to match Scouting America, in plain language. Sign off against the official wording (opens in a new tab).

  1. Requirement 1

    With your den or adult partner, find the body of water where you will fish

    Tip: Choose a pond, lake, or river with your adult. Look at it on a map and talk about what makes it a good spot.

    For example: "We're going to fish at the pond in the city park. It has a pier, it's not too deep near the edge, and people catch bluegill and catfish there." Find it on a map and point to the pier.

  2. Requirement 2

    Learn the rules for safe fishing with your adult partner

    Tip: Go over the rules together, like staying with your adult near water and being careful with hooks.

    For example: Safety rules can be: wear a life jacket on the pier, stay where your adult can reach you, look behind you before casting, and let your adult handle hooks and take fish off the line.

  3. Requirement 3

    Draw the kind of fish you think lives in that water

    Tip: Look up fish that live in that kind of water and draw the one you hope to catch.

    For example: If your pond has catfish, draw one with long whiskers around its mouth. If it's a cold stream, you might draw a trout with spots. Color it the way you think it looks underwater.

  4. Requirement 4

    Go fishing with your adult partner

    Tip: Fish with your adult at a calm spot, and wear a life jacket if you're near deep water.

    For example: Fish for an hour with your adult using a simple rod and bobber. Watch for the bobber to dip, reel in slowly, and look closely at what you catch before letting it go.

Places to visit

Ask an adult to set it up, and go with your family, den, patrol, or crew.

  • A fish hatchery

    You can see baby fish being raised in tanks before they're released into lakes and rivers.

    How: Have your adult check your state fish and wildlife agency's website for hatcheries open to visitors, and go with your family or den.

  • A kids' fishing day

    Many parks and agencies hold free family fishing events with loaner rods and helpers.

    How: Your adult can look up events on your state fish and wildlife agency's website, or ask your den leader to plan a den outing.

Talk about it together

  • Why did you pick the place where you fished?
  • What fish did you hope to catch, and what did you really see?
  • What was the hardest part about waiting for a bite?
  • What other animals did you notice near the water?
  • Who would you like to take fishing someday?

Helpful reads

For leaders & parents

  • Plan a den fishing day at a stocked pond and invite an experienced angler to help.
  • Check your state's fishing license rules for the adults before the trip.

People & places that can help

Pairs well with

Counts toward

More Tiger adventures

Tips, examples, and questions are ideas from experienced leaders, not extra requirements. Your unit leader or counselor decides when a requirement is complete.