Dan Camp, assistant vice president of purchasing and auxiliary services for Southern Utah University, was the speaker for the latest Outdoor Education Series event for SUU Outdoors on Thursday, Sept. 28. In addition to his role at the university, he is an accomplished tournament angler and avid fisherman who enjoys sharing his passion with others.
This installment of the series focused on fishing tips for those looking to get started in southern Utah. One of the challenges faced by amateur fishers is the seemingly prohibitive price of equipment. “You don’t need a lot of money to buy nice fishing gear,” said Camp. He elaborated that some more costly pieces of gear don’t always provide significant benefit over their affordable counterparts.
According to Camp, one of the most important factors in an angler’s success is recognizing and adapting to the behavior of their target fish.“A lot of times fish are not trying to eat,” Camp explained. “Fish are very territorial … [and] they’re very reactionary. Sometimes they are trying to attack something that’s in their territory.”
Camp explained that if he isn’t getting any bites with the type of bait that he’s using, he will switch it up to something less conventional, as it may trigger a different reaction from the fish. For instance, if in a situation where bait normally works but isn’t yielding any results, he’ll try a lure that isn’t traditionally used for the desired type of fish.
However, equipment and strategy on their own aren’t enough to make a successful angler. Camp concluded his presentation by sharing that motivation is a key factor in the result of a fishing trip. Whether motivated by failure or success, Camp said that as long as he keeps trying again and again, he’s certain to catch a fish.
OES is a free and frequent event that provides students with an opportunity for learning information about outdoors-related topics that might interest them. While getting into any new hobby can be a difficult task in terms of financial investment and educating oneself, these workshops programs and services provided by SUU Outdoors can help mitigate both of these challenges.
To stay up to date on the latest SUU Outdoors events, including the OES speaker series, follow their Instagram or visit their website.
Story: Jacob Horne
Photos courtesy SUU Outdoors and Dan Camp
Editor: Lily Brunson
outdoors@suunews.net
