TROUT CAMP

EVERY YEAR FOR THE PAST ELEVEN THE CHAPTERS IN THE GEORGIA COUNCIL OF TROUT UNLIMITED HAVE SENT 24 KIDS TO AN ALL INCLUSIVE TROUT CAMP. 

 

THESE LUCKY KIDS MUST BE 13 AND NOT MORE THAN 15 DURING THE CAMP WEEK.

 

ALMOST ALL OF THE CAMPERS ARE CHOSEN FROM WITHIN THE MEMBERSHIP FAMILIES OF

THE TU CHAPTERS SO IT PAYS TO BE A MEMBER AS YOUR CHILD OR GRANDCHILD HAS A

GOOD CHANCE OF MAKING THE ROSTER.

 

THESE LUCKY KIDS GET TO LEARN FLY FISHING AND FLY TYING. THEY RECEIVE A FLY ROD

AND REEL AS WELL AS A VEST AND ASSOCIATED FLY FISHING GEAR.

 

NOT ONLY IS THE CAMP ABOUT FISHING, IT IS ALSO A CHANCE TO TEACH THE KIDS ABOUT

TROUT HABITAT.

THE WEEK INCLUDES A DAY ON A WILD BROOK TROUT STREAM INSTALLING A HABITAT

IMPROVEMENT STRUCTURE AND SOMETIMES A CHANCE TO ASIST IN AN ELECTROSHOCKING

FISH SURVEY.

 

THE CAMPERS LEAVE CAMP WITH EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO HIT THE WATER AND CATCH A

TROUT INCLUDING SOME COSTA DEL MAR SUNGLASSES.

 

COME TO A CHAPTER MEETING LET US MEET YOUR POTENTIAL CAMPER ANG GET A FAMILY

MEMBERSHIP. YOUR CHILD COULD BECOME ONE OF 2020 TROUT CAMPERS.

 

 

BELOW IS A SUMMARY OF THE 2014 TROUT CAMP  BY CHARLIE BREIGHTAUPT, TROUT CAMP DIRECTOR:

On the last day of camp we all agreed…”this was the best camp ever.” What makes a great camp…the weather, the fish, the equipment, the mentors? All these add to the camp but the real spirit of the camp lies with the campers themselves. This year 21 boys and 3 girls came together for a week of learning, fun, cooperation, supporting each other and friendship. You just can’t ask for more than that. We didn’t do anything different in selecting our campers but we sure got 24 winners this year.

Mentors came from all over Georgia representing ten of the twelve chapters and campers were there from all but one chapter. Late afternoon storms caused some alterations to plans but nothing serious. Everybody caught a trout; nobody got a hook in any body part; lots of leaders got knotted; no rods were broken; an odd number of socks were lost. We all left feeling good about our experience.

As always, our partners…the Forest Service and Georgia DNR…played a significant part in the camp. From teaching about clean water to stocking our streams to leading a work day of stream improvement, those men and women gave us their best. We couldn’t do it without them.

As I blew my hawk call for the last time and turned over the directorship of the camp to Rodney Tumlin (Cohutta Chapter), I presented him with his very own crow call…much louder than the hawk. I figured I had blown that hawk call about twenty-five hundred times over the eleven years our camp has operated. Next year I plan to mentor and help as needed. I just won’t get ‘em up and put ‘em to bed. Rodney (Mr. T) will do that and the camp will be in good hands.

Start planning now to be there to help next year. We gotta pass it on!

Charlie Breithaupt

Georgia Trout Camp Director-Retired

Assistant (to Kathy) Camp Coordinator 

PICTURED BELOW ARE CAMPERS AND CAMP STAFF FROM 2014