WEST BEND — A group of forty kids from area schools braved the frigid cold temperatures in West Bend to enjoy the sport of ice fishing. It was a fishing event put on by a non-profit, faith-based organization called Fishing for the Heart. This is the second year founder Caleb Niedfelt and his group of mentors organized the event for kids.
“We want the kids to be outside and interact with each other,” said Caleb.
The children layered up, some sat inside a heated shanty while others went spent time inside a building located at Camp Silverbrook to keep warm.
“Even though it’s cold out today, I’ve seen a lot of smiles and the fish are not that active we have had a good time,” said Caleb.
11th grader Caesar Pounds was one of the kids hoping to catch a fish. He said he developed his love for fishing from his grandmother; in the summer the two would go out fishing every weekend.
“It just sparked something in me,” said Caesar.
Caesar said, to him, it’s more than just learning a new skill - fishing has taught him a valuable life lesson.
“Patience is the key, and I learned in life nothing comes fast. You have to have patience and endurance to keep going at something, if you really love it, you’ll always want to continue and not give it up for something else. Because, long run, it may payout and pay forward and help you in the future,” said Caesar.
While Caesar sat outside jigging with fishing, eventually that patience paid off, as he caught his first fish of the day.
To the mentors and Caleb, that’s what the organization is all about: teaching kids life lessons, connecting with nature and one another.
To learn more about Fishing for the Heart click here.
