Lebanon nonprofit ‘Reel Boys’ provides free fishing education to local youth

For around five years, lifelong friends and fishing buddies Nelson Orosco, George Rodriguez, and Arturo Hernandez have wanted to form an organization teaching kids to fish.

This year, with the help of Nelson’s wife Tiana Orosco, they have put that dream into action, forming the Reel Boys group to provide free guidance to kids looking to learn the art of angling.

The community organization, open to local youth with and without fishing experience, strives to teach kids the fundamentals of fishing. Its events are free, staffed with volunteer mentors, and stocked with extra fishing rods and equipment for participants who need them.

“When we came up with the concept, we understood that we love fishing, but there are several inner city kids that didn’t have father figures or had single mothers, or that didn’t know how to fish,” explained Rodriguez, recalling how important fishing was to him growing up. “Our first event, we had mothers come with their child so they can learn so they can, further on, fish when they’re not part of the club.”

When establishing the group, Tiana explained that they felt it was important to be able to promote events and get the word out in the community, including through a Facebook page. With Nelson’s background in photography, Tiana’s experience with social media, and Rodriguez and Hernandez’s community connections — Rodriguez being involved in basketball and organization at Coleman Memorial Park, and Hernandez coaching youth football — the group was able to quickly spread the word.

During their first event June 29, the Reel Boys had over 40 kids sign up and around 25 attend, with Tiana noting that they actually reached the max registration they could handle with their number of volunteers. Tiana said at least half of kids at the event caught a fish, and some caught their first fish ever.

“The best comment I’ve seen was the parents (who) said, ‘My son waited nine years for someone to show him how to fish,'” said Rodriguez.

Though events are free, attendees must register beforehand to ensure there are enough volunteers to supervise and mentor kids.

During a Reel Boys event, kids check in before getting fishing equipment, if they need it. They receive an introduction that includes learning to make a simple knot and the steps of fishing, as well as the importance of cleaning up after oneself while in nature. Kids split into groups with mentors to fish, receiving guidance as needed. So far, events have been catch and release due to the locations chosen.

For the founding members of the Reel Boys, fishing is a source of peace, community, and character-building, especially patience. Fishing, all three said, has been a means of connecting with their kids (and in Hernandez’s case, grandkids) and getting away from the stresses of everyday life.

Nelson said fishing gives kids a chance to “unplug” from the technology that is a constant in many kids’ lives and enjoy the peace of nature.

The group relies heavily on volunteers — which it is still accepting, both in adults with and without fishing experience — and donations from community leaders and organizations. A financial donation from the Rotary Club of Myerstown, Rodriguez said, allowed them to buy the 32 rods they now lend out to kids without their own rods.

Now, they are looking for sponsors to contribute toward an equipment trailer, a $3,000 expense. Right now, they said, they are bringing equipment to events distributed between multiple vehicles’ storage, which can be tricky to organize.

Following its event last weekend, the Reel Boys plan to meet on Aug. 9 at Limestone Springs Fishing Preserve, where they hope to find a community partner to do a fish fry to fundraise for the group (with unsold fish being donated to those in need). They expect to meet twice in August, though a second date or location hasn’t been announced yet.

Going forward, Tiana said they hope to expand to meeting twice a month, with plans to operate year-round, weather permitting. The group also catalogs kids’ stats on what fish they’ve caught and their sizes, which they said they may later use to give kids end-of-year awards and even maintain fishing vests for kids, with badges given for different fish species caught.

Nelson explained that they would also love to be able to establish a “home” fishing spot, as right now they cycle between different public parks stocked with fish. He asked that any person or organization with a stocked private pond (citing Bible camps as an example) that would be willing to lend their space to the Reel Boys reach out at Reelboysyouthfishing@gmail.com.