Here’s a great opportunity for young people to give fishing a try. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department has released a list of upcoming fishing events, most of them intended just for kids.
The department has a “Children’s Fishing Program” which provides kids with the opportunity for a fun and successful fishing experience at locally organized fishing events. Organizers of these events often are charitable, community, or non-profit groups such as fire departments, fish and game clubs, Rotary, Lions, town recreation committees, 4-H clubs, and scouts.
Most kids’ fishing events are open to the public, although they may be restricted to town residents or to a particular group of individuals. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department provides about 15,000 eight-to-ten inch trout for the program, with each event receiving 100 to 400 fish.
Kids’ fishing events generally start in the spring and continue through June. A list of the events, which is periodically updated, appears on Fish & Wildlife’s website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com). Click on “Fishing” and then on “Kids Fishing Events.”
Vermont Fish & Wildlife also has a “Let’s Go Fishing” Program where trained volunteers teach and encourage young people and their families how to fish. The volunteer instructors teach fishing skills, how to use different types of tackle, the importance of good aquatic habitat, fishing ethics and fishing regulations. Clinics are planned throughout the state during the spring and summer months. Check your local newspapers and bait shops for clinics in your area. You can learn more about “Let’s Go Fishing” on Fish & Wildlife’s website under Fishing or Youth Pages.