Goochland Sheriff's Office Hosts Free Kids Fishing Day at Camp Saunders

Goochland County Sheriff's Office deputies traded their patrol duties for fishing rods this morning, lining the dock at Lake Dillon alongside local families for the annual Kids Fishing Day at Camp T. Brady Saunders in Maidens.

The free event ran from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the grounds of the Heart of Virginia Scout Reservation at 1723 Maidens Rd., giving children a six-hour window to cast lines from the camp's dedicated fishing dock into Lake Dillon, a water body known for its populations of bluegill and bass. All fishing was catch-and-release. Deputies worked directly with children throughout the day, teaching ethical and responsible fishing techniques. Free lunch was provided to every attendee, with one firm requirement: children had to be accompanied by an adult.

Camp T. Brady Saunders, the Heart of Virginia Council's premier Scouting facility, has anchored 604 acres of the Heart of Virginia Scout Reservation in Goochland County since 1964. Its waterfront setting and dedicated fishing dock made it a natural fit for the Sheriff's Office event.

Kids Fishing Day is one of several recurring programs organized by the GCSO's Community Division, which also runs the Citizens' Academy, National Night Out, Active Shooter Training for local churches and businesses, D.A.R.E., Neighborhood Watch, and Operation Kid Care. The agency employs more than 50 sworn, full-time deputies and handles upward of 95% of all criminal complaints filed in Goochland County.

The Goochland Sheriff's Foundation, established specifically to support community outreach activities and programs tied to the Sheriff's Office, helps underwrite events like Kids Fishing Day, making it possible to offer the day at no cost to families.

Families who want information about future events can contact the GCSO Community Division directly at gcsocommunity@goochlandva.us or by calling 804-556-5349. Additional details are also published on the Sheriff's Office's official news blog.