Catching a Fish:

 One of the Boy Scouts from Troop 21 in Putnam reels in a largemouth bass during the troop’s camping and fishing trip last weekend at the Quatrano Farm in Stafford. On hand to help out was fishing instructor Terence D. Ryan, of Stafford. The Scouts caught several bass and catfish during the weekend. This was the first monthly activity in the troop’s new program year. Photo: John D. Ryan

 

STAFFORD — Dedicated fishermen know how great it feels to catch a good one. Now the Scouts from Troop 21 know too, after a weekend camping and fishing trip where they learned how to do it.

“This was the first time fishing for most of the guys,” said Assistant Scoutmaster Casey M. Dundon, of Putnam, an experienced fisherman who’s Troop 21’s head fishing instructor. “It’s fun to get the kids out and show them how to fish when they’re young, so they can do it for life. We had largemouth bass and bullhead biting all weekend. It was a really good time.”

With permission from the landowner Troop 21 pitched their tents and set up their gear along the pond at Quatrano Farm, on private property in Stafford, so Dundon and other volunteer fishing instructors could teach the boys how to fish. Instructors loaned fishing gear for the event, to go along with several rods and reels the troop had in storage.

“Our boys got more than a dozen good-size largemouth bass, all catch-and-release, so we put them back,” Dundon said. “We’re showing them how to enjoy fishing and protect the bass populations at the same time.”

There were enough catfish, however, to take a few for lunch.

“We ate the four bullheads the boys caught,” Dundon said. “We showed the guys how to clean and cook them and they did it just fine. They dressed out to more than a pound each. Add the baked potatoes and Saturday’s lunch was great,” Dundon said.

The trip was a successful start to the new Scouting year for Troop 21, which is chartered to St. Mary Church of the Visitation in Putnam. As with most Scout troops, Troop 21’s program coincides with the school year, so the last weekend of summer vacation marked the start of the troop’s new year.

Holding its meetings at St. Mary’s on Providence Street, Troop 21 is open to any boy aged 11 to 17. They do not have to be members of the church.

“This is the time of year that we’re looking for new boys to join the troop,” said Scoutmaster Peter A. Lombardo, of Putnam.

“We have a fun schedule ahead of us,” Lombardo said, ticking off some of the highlights of the troop’s schedule through next June. “Among other things, our Scouts will be hiking up Mt. Monadnock in New Hampshire, heading out to a computer and robots weekend at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, snowshoeing and winter camping, a shotgun-shooting program, a food drive for local needy people, a Paw Sox game in Pawtucket and another fishing trip, so we’ll be busy.”

Troop 21’s Scoutmaster noted that a Boy Scout troop’s operations are run by the boys, with the adults overseeing transportation and making sure everyone is healthy and safe.

“Our Scouts made up this year’s schedule and are responsible for planning and carrying out what they’ll be doing,” Lombardo said. “They decide what they want to do; they raise their own money to do it. Scouting builds self-reliance, responsibility and character that way. We’re very proud of our guys.”

For information about joining Troop 21, call Lombardo at (860) 963-0171 and leave a message.