Casting, Camping, and Cookouts with SU Students

Before an overnight trip to Shenandoah University’s river campus, Cool Springs, students attended a workshop hosted by Winchester’s locally-owned Jake’s Bait and Tackle. The workshop took place at Wilkin’s Lake, a two-acre public lake next to campus grounds. At the workshop, Shenandoah students learned how to line fishing poles, tie lures, and how to cast. By the end of the lesson, students felt knowledgeable and confident to go fishing for the weekend!

Friday afternoon, the group packed up and headed to Cool Springs. Following the thirty-minute commute from campus, students set up camp and eagerly took to the Shenandoah River to go fishing. Unfortunately, no fish were caught. A few trees and twigs did manage to be hooked, though! Around dusk, students returned to camp for grilled hotdogs and hamburgers for dinner and ended the evening with s’mores in true camping fashion.

Originally, the plan was to head back to the river around sunrise the following day and fish while canoeing down the Shenandoah River. However, nature had other plans. Due to high wind speeds, it was decided to forgo fishing the next morning to prioritize the students’ safety.

While no fish were caught, the weekend was still a success! Shenandoah University students gained confidence and grew more interested in fishing. Laughs were also shared, new friendships were made, and memories were formed.