INNISFAIL – Scores of the young will soon join the grown-ups for fish tales of their own.
Yes, they might be a wee bit exaggerated as well but every parent will be proud of their kid’s prized catch.
On Sept. 9, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Innisfail Fish & Game Association (IFGA) is hosting its fourth annual Kids Can Catch Day at the private stocked pond owned by Larry and Janis Schmidek, just west of Spruce View.
There will be signs along the highway directing participants to the event.
Although organizers are asking participants to register beforehand on Sept. 9, it is free to all. Organizers are also supplying rods, bait, fishing tackle, food, drinks and fun gifts for the kids.
Best of all it’s a great chance for the young and old to learn about conservation, fishing etiquette, have fun and take home a prized catch that’s anywhere between one and eight pounds.
The pond holds a variety of trout, including rainbows, browns, brookies and tigers.
With each year the event has grown with more and more kids from the ages of one to 18 wanting to catch the big one for their very own special tale. Last year’s Kids Can Catch Day attracted 86 young anglers.
“I hope for more. We already have 60 who have officially signed up,” said IFGA president Wolfgang Janssen. “The main thing is that it’s a great family event. We try to get the whole family out together.
“It’s a way to introduce and promote a great outdoor activity that is really inexpensive for children; to get them more outside to do something fun because it really is fun once they get into it.”
Janssen added there is also an important education component to Kids Can Catch Day, which will include a conservation officer on hand to offer firsthand experience and knowledge of the outdoors.
“We have our members on hand who will teach them, monitor their fishing and give some tips to help them get the best experience out of this,” said Janssen. “We will have educational material on hand that shows components of fishing.
“We show then how to handle and catch the fish and also how to preserve it,” he said.
Janssen added the event has also been helpful and beneficial for attending parents.
“The parents responded back to us, ‘Oh, my God, all my kid wants to do now is fish,” he said.
“That’s what we try to do. We want to get the kids outdoors, not sit at home watching television but going outdoors and into nature,” added Janssen. “This is a really great way to do it.”
For more information on the event email Janssen at: [email protected]
