TOBYHANNA TOWNSHIP -- Standing on ice in 50-degree temps on the middle of Lake Stillwater in Pocono Summit,
Boy Scouts who have never gone ice fishing walked gently to their fishing spot.
"Scary for the first time you hear the crack, but they told you in the beginning that it was nothing. It was just because the sun was hitting it," said Brian O'Neal of Troop 99.
The ice is 10 inches deep, and it supported more than 170 Boy Scouts taking part in the ice fishing extravaganza at Camp Minsi.Warmer temperatures might have worried a few parents, with so many out on the ice.
Warmer temperatures might have worried a few parents, with so many out on the ice. Organizers reassured everyone this was the perfect day to put bait on the hook and drop it down the hole.
"Ice fishing is not usually this nice. We had the perfect weather. We have nice thick ice and then we had a beautiful sunny day," said Paul Ulicny, Camp Master.
The Minsi Trails council had different spots around the lake where scouts could fish and see who could drill a hole the fastest.
"Just spin and you make a hole, then you put your stuff in and make a fish," said Tyler Jones of Troop 380.
Learning how to ice fish was just the tip of the iceberg for organizers at Camp Minsi. They also wanted the boys to learn life skills to develop after they finished fishing.
"We offer a variety of different programs here. It's not just camping skills, not just learning how to build campfires and tie knots, but teaching them career development," said Greg Larson, program director.
In the spring, Minsi Trail will host its Skillsfest for scouts to hone in on their science and technology skills. They might learn the science of why it can be safe to go ice fishing in 50-degree weather.
For more information, you can visit: http://www.minsitrails.org/