Good for you, especially for the first timers. Good troops expose many kids to things they would otherwise never experience.
I used to lead about a 90-mile whitewater float trip for our local troop. Last go only one kid bought a fishing rig along, He fished hard, but had no luck with hardware over the first 4 days. Last evening (on a day that we did not move) he lost the winding handle to his closed face Zebco. After dinner we headed to one of my proven spots a couple hundred yards above camp, and we went to work with one of my 10 ft fly rods just swinging across and down. First fish was about a 12" rainbow. Second, on about the 5th cast, was an 18" whitefish that put up a great fight and was his largest fish ever. Third, after about a dozen casts, was a good solid strike that set the hook, but the fish just sat there.
I could tell from the line angle all was still hooked up, and we had a brief discussion on what to do if something really took off. Just don't lock down on the reel. Last instruction was to lean on it a bit, and see what happens. A 29 inch steelhead went ballistic, stayed hooked up for a 15 minute battle, and was beached as hatchery stock that we could retain and take home. One session, and he's a lifelong fly fisherman now.
Probably my best fishing experience ever, and I didn't even have a rod in my hand.
Last edited by 1minute; 09/23/18.
