By Alex Chien
Fishing.
A skill that our ancestors utilized to obtain food in the olden days, a skill that many of us do not see a need to learn. However, being ventures, it is our duty to always excel in all aspects, including those that are not included in the normal scouting syllabus. On the 13 April 2019, we gathered at school, equipped with brand new fishing rods, reels and fishing line. We were first taught the importance of taking care of the ring-like objects that appeared on the fishing rod, called guides. They were extremely delicate, and could break off with the smallest of force applied. Their purpose was to bring the fishing line from the reel to the tip of the fishing rod.
Thereafter, we learnt how to connect the fishing line from the reel to the fishing rod. It involved having to wind the thin nylon string several times before ending it off with a stopper knot. Once attaching the fishing line to the rod, we were taught how to attach the reel to the fishing rod and the different parts of the reel. Particularly interesting was the drag knob, a feature that allowed one to control how easily the line can be adjusted. Although we were unable to put our fishing skills to the test that day, we certainly learnt that there was way more to a fisherman than just catching fish. Numerous processes had to be completed before the rod was ready to be utilized .