(Spirit Lake)– The Iowa Great Lakes Fishing Club will hold some fishing clinics this week for area kids. Club member Paul Daniels says one of those will be this Wednesday…
“That’s up in Memorial Park at Spirit Lake, right by the Highway 9 bridge. In the past we’ve done it at Isthmus Park that last couple of years but there’s a big construction project going on there, so we had to move locations, but this should work out really well, a lot of parking. Registration starts at 4:30; 5:00 to 8:00 is the timeframe of the event, and kind of go through a number of different things. We have a safety station, we have a fish cleaning station, and kind of go through a myriad of things, and then we have actually the fishing contest. The kids go out and fish, they can catch any species of fish that they can catch and then we have different categories and potential prizes you can win for either first or second place. There’s some gift cards from local area bait shops and what not that we give out, and then we have free food, some hot dogs.”
Dean Jacobson of the Iowa Great Lakes Fishing Club says equipment and bait will be provided free of charge…
“The kids that are going to attend, if you have your own fishing equipment, please bring that along. We’ll have bait, you won’t need to bring bait along. But if you have a rod and reel that would be great, and if you don’t, we’ll have some rods and reels to use. So please don’t stay home because you don’t have a rod and reel to fish with.”
Daniels adds the Iowa Department of Natural Resources will also be on hand…
“They bring in some fish that they’ve caught and have gotten through their electric shock stuff and just some ones I think they have at the hatchery, and so they bring out their big vehicle and show some pretty good sized fish, usually bass and different things, so that’s always kind of fun to see those fish, too.”
Each youth that participates will receive a rod and reel combo.
Another Kids Fishing Clinic will be held a week later, April 29th, from 5:00 until 8:00 pm at Stolley’s in Spencer. Pre-registration isn’t required and the events are free of charge to all area youth.
