放下手机，去钓鱼吧！
Two summers ago, Vick Tan caught a five-pound largemouth bass. It was a big fish. Pulling it out of the water “was an incredible experience”, Vick, now 16 years old, said. He says fishing helps him “feel a sense of belonging” without “distractions like social-media use or constantly being online.” Vick’s brother, William, 15, enjoys fishing too. For William, it’s “super relaxing” and a good way to release stress. These benefits motivated the brothers to start Fish Hut, a group that aims to boost mental health among young people through fishing.
Vick and William say Fish Hut has served thousands of young people since 2023. Giving away boxes of fishing gear is one way the brothers get kids outdoors. Each box, called a “fish hut,” has “everything that a kid needs to go fishing,” Vick says. That includes fishing rods with reels, hooks, bait, and sinkers. Sponsors donate supplies. “We place the boxes wherever we think people would be able to use them best,” such as community centers and parks, Vick says. “Fishing is just such a great way to go outside and just take a breath from everything that’s going on in the world,” Abby Pfeifer says. Thanks to Fish Hut, “you can fish for free now,” she says.
Fish Hut also organizes free fishing festivals. One took place last July. “We had a really good turnout,” Kyle Troy says. She adds that kids love it. Out on the water, “they make friends; they start talking; they’re not on their phone.”