Howdy, friends! This is Beth Boone from the Calhoun County 4-H Sportfishing Club. It’s been a while since I provided an update, and I wanted to share our most recent adventures with you.

On September 25, ten of my fellow Sportfishing friends and I went kayaking at Bogy Bayou in Port O’Connor. If you didn’t notice the rainbow of kayaks and red life vests paddling around, you would have most certainly felt the excitement in the air. Some of our group had been kayaking previously, but for several of us, it was our first time. We had so much fun! Our Calhoun County Extension Agents showed us how to navigate the kayak, and also how to drop an anchor (which will be important in the future when we take fishing poles). The kayaks, trailer, and other supplies utilized by our Sportfishing Club were funded by a grant from the Matagorda Bay Mitigation Trust. We appreciate the Trust for their investment in our program. The investment will provide local youth with endless outdoor experiences for many years to come.

Additionally, in July, members of our club connected with 4-Hers from surrounding counties in Rockport for the first annual Coastal Bend 4-H Fishing Day, sponsored by the FlatsWorthy organization. In June, our Calhoun County Extension Agents hosted a hands-on Water Safety class in the City of Port Lavaca swimming pool. In May we learned how to string a fishing pole and the various knots. As you can tell, we are staying busy and learning so many valuable life lessons.

In closing, I would like to thank our beautiful coastal community for the continued support. After my first report of the Calhoun County 4-H Sportfishing program printed in The Dolphin Talk, our group received phone calls from community members interested in learning more and getting involved. I think it is pretty special that we live in a community with that level of support.

Until next time – stay safe and fish as often as you can!

Beth Boone, 12 years old
VP of the Calhoun County 4-H Sportfishing Program