Jason,
Here's the article from the Tacoma News Tribune:
LACEY - It wasn't as easy as shooting fish in a barrel, but for the estimated 600 children who showed up to cast their lines into a pond chock-full of rainbow trout Saturday, it probably was a lot more fun.
Organizers say the Lacey Family Fish-In, an annual event for 11 years at Long's Pond, might grow to include 800 children next year because of its growing popularity.
It's billed as an opportunity for youngsters to learn how to fish with the help of their families and about 40 volunteers. Wave after wave of children, in groups of 100 at a time, lined the shore with rods and reels and fished for about an hour. There was no limit to how many fish participants could catch, but they were allowed to keep only two. Some planned to freeze the fish as soon as they got home.
Long's Pond, which is part of Woodland Creek Community Park, is a year-round youth fishing pond for those 14 and younger.
Coordinator Keith Underwood, who also works for the Go Play Outside Alliance of Washington, said the event helps first-time anglers be successful so they can fish later at Long's Pond or other areas throughout South Sound.
"It gets them off the couch and out the door," he said.
The day began at 8 a.m. and ended about 2 p.m. Before each group of children took to the shore, they got a lecture on angler ethics and water safety and a lesson in casting. Admission was free. The rod and reel, which the children were allowed to keep, cost $5.
In addition to the rod-and-reel area, there was a designated area for fly fishing.
That's where Jason Small of Olympia and his two sons, Matthew, 10, and Andrew, 7, were busy casting and catching fish.
Matthew, who said he has been fly fishing for about six months, was having so much success that he kept raising his fish-count goal for the day. By 11 a.m., he had caught five fish and was headed to six. After reeling in the sixth, he announced he was going to try to catch eight.
Matthew said he enjoys fly fishing and likes to eat fish, but he's not a fan of killing fish. In fact, after catching one of the fish, Matthew gave it a kiss before tossing it back.
The Frederick brothers of Lacey - Brian, 13, James, 10, Andrew, 7 - each caught two fish and were headed home with their nanny, Katrina Renschler, to put them in a freezer. All had their own fishing poles and were experienced fishermen, having gone deep-sea and saltwater fishing before, they said.
Read more:
http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/...fish-in-lures-600-children.html#ixzz0lZAXCwx6
