Fishing Day offers reel fun for little anglers
Megan Strickland
Dillion Irvine shows off a rainbow trout he caught during Fishing Day at Ninepipe.
Megan Strickland
Children fish from a pier at Ninepipe Pond.
Megan Strickland
Montana McElderry hooks a sunfish.
Megan Strickland
Macao Jackson tosses a line.
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
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Six-year-old Brandon McClure had never caught a fish before Saturday. The small boy beamed from ear to ear as his rod bent slightly with the weight of a small rainbow trout pulled from Ninepipe Pond south of Ronan. Friends and family members cheered him on and helped lug the beast in.
Once on the banks, McClure unhooked the scaled creature and stared at it with rapt attention. He shook it slightly and made a silly face as another youngster told McClure to kiss the fish.
McClure wrinkled his nose.
“That’s gross. You want to? You do it,” McClure said as he pushed the trout in a beeline toward the other boy’s mouth.
The boy squirmed away and both giggled at the silliness of it all as adults watched on.
It was one of many moments to remember from the 3rd annual Kids Fishing Day held last weekend. The event provides angling gear and prizes to youngsters in an attempt to get them outside and hooked on fishing.
Jason McDonald and Josh Gallant began organizing the event three years ago, after a previous longtime organizer moved on and Fishing Day died for a time. When the pair restarted the day, they were met with success, with hundreds of children coming out.
“We’ve tried to grow it bigger and better every year,” Gallant said.
Concessions and raffles help raise funds for the gear that’s available for use during the day, as well as prizes for the children.
Blue ribbons were awarded for each caught fish.
By mid-afternoon Amy Johnson’s daughter was in the lead for her family’s fishing total with three blue ribbons. The girl’s two brothers each had one ribbon each.
Johnson said she believes it is important to take children fishing.
“It’s quality time,” Johnson said. “It’s not sitting in front of the television or computer.”
It is also interesting to see how the children’s angling capabilities change over time, Johnson said.
“My 4-year-old could care less if he catches anything,” Johnson said. “He can’t do much by himself and doesn’t really know what’s going on. But the 7-year-old and 8 year-old can cast by themselves and somewhat untangle their lines. They grow.”
Some weren’t as lucky in their angling endeavors.
Eleven-year-old Macao Jackson had been at it all day, but wasn’t able to land a fish. However, she was the winner of a fishing pole, so she’ll hopefully be able to cast a line again soon.
For the fishless, it was hard to call the day a bust when so much fun was to be had.
“I’m having a blast, Mom,” one child shouted across the pond, empty-handed and tangled in fishing line, but delighted nonetheless.
At the end of the day, 191 children landed 55 fish.
Results are as follows:
6 & Under Smallest Fish Winners:
1st Place - Ameen Posio, 8g Bass
2nd Place - Allyson Lambhere, 15g Sunfish
3rd Place - Rosalei Robbins-Clatterbuck, 22g Sunfish
6 & Under Biggest Fish Winners:
1st Place - Kelby Dumont, 7.66lb Rainbow Trout
2nd Place - Brandon Burland, 3.15lb Rainbow Trout
3rd Place - Keiland Griffin, 2.37lb Rainbow Trout
7-9 Smallest Fish Winners:
1st Place - Montana McElderry, 15g Sunfish
2nd Place - Alexis Johnson, 20g Sunfish
3rd Place - Dominique See, 26g Sunfish
7-9 Biggest Fish Winners:
1st Place - Dillon Dusty Bull, 319g Rainbow Trout
2nd Place - Teddy Spotted Eagle, 315g Rainbow Trout
3rd Place - Michael Ramirez, 301g Rainbow Trout
10-13 Smallest Fish Winners:
1st Place - Nathan McBride, 26g Sunfish
2nd Place - Terra McDonald, 34g Perch
3rd Place - Natasha DeFrance, 36g Perch
10-13 Biggest Fish Winners:
1st Place - Natasha DeFrance, 4.32lb Rainbow Trout
2nd Place - Bridger Hames, 1.8lb Rainbow Trout
3rd Place - Katarina DeFrance, 1.56lb Rainbow Trout
