Families flocked to the pond in Vernon’s Polson Park over the weekend, where 1,000 rainbow trout were waiting to be hooked.
The Kalamalka Fly Fishing Society’s annual kids’ fish-out event got off to a strong start May 4, with many kids getting their first opportunity to catch a fish, bring it home and cook it up.
“It’s been steady all day. There’s probably been close to 1,000 people,” Mike Leach, the society’s president, said early in the day Saturday.
“We may be selling out of hot dogs,” he said with a laugh.
Not only is the event a chance to try fishing for the first time, it’s also an educational opportunity, said Leach. The event had a fish cleaning station where society members showed kids where all of the different organs are in a trout, pointing out the heart, the liver, the kidney and so on.
The two-day event is a lot of work for volunteers, who start at 6:30 a.m. and don’t clock out until 6 p.m.
Folks could bring their own rods, but the Fly Fishing Society also had several rods to lend out. Bait was also supplied by the society.
The event continued Sunday, May 5. Organizers said a total of 682 kids took part in the fishing event, and an additional 784 family members attended.
READ MORE: 1,000 trout splash into Vernon pond for kids’ fishing event