How to Hook a Winning Service Project Idea

Fishing for a unique service project idea for aspiring Eagle Scouts or even an entire troop or pack? Professional Bass Fisherman Tom Redington has you covered.

You know him best as a trophy-winning pro angler but Tom’s also Scouting Wire’s resident expert on all things fishing and he’s weighing in on how Scouts can take part in a service project that’s equally fun and environmentally sustainable.

After learning about Scouts from the Greater St. Louis Area Council who helped build a fishing habitat, Tom is sharing how Scouts in other communities can improve their local fishing habitats in a similar way. Read below to discover what the expert has to say.

A Cool Scout Project to Tackle

As reservoirs age, underwater habitat decay or become silt covered, resulting in lower fish populations. Yet, as demonstrated by Scouts in Missouri, habitat can be improved for little cost and a small amount of effort, improving fishing for years.

Boy Scouts from the Greater St. Louis Area Council helped build structures for a local fishing habitat with the Missouri Department of Conservation. (Photo credit: Renee Bronaugh, Daily Journal)

Sinking discarded Christmas trees is an excellent source of free material that fish love, but trees will eventually rot. Manmade materials like concrete and plastic last nearly forever, offering a more permanent option.

Repurposing discarded PVC pipes, old hoses, or five-gallon buckets and fashioning them into a shape that resembles a tree is a great way to minimize cost and give life to items headed to the landfill.  With real or manmade trees, simply weight them down with rocks or cinder blocks and you have an instant fish magnet.

This makes for a good troop or Eagle project – especially in the winter when it’s too cold to fish. Place the fish attractors near your favorite fishing spot and you’ll enjoy better fishing for years to come. Regulations on placing fish attractors vary by body of water, so be sure to contact the local governing body before starting your project.

-Tom

Know any Scouts who have completed projects like this for their local fishing habitat? Share your stories in the comments below!