Kids’ Fish-In: It’s a go

A last-minute wave of donations pushed the funding to the needed amount for the 2011 edition of Kids’ Fish-In. So, it is a go this year at Gilchrist Pond on Union Flat Creek.

“We got the gap filled,” said Janet Schmidt, WSU county extension director.

The extension office has been struggling to raise $2,500 for the annual kids fishing program since the state department of Fish & Wildlife announced last November it was cutting that amount from the Whitman County program.

Three weeks ago, the fate of the program for this year was still uncertain with $1,500 needed to fill the gap.

The big day will be June 11 this year. Young anglers who will be returnees won’t see much of a change on the fishing day because most of the biggest changes have been behind the scenes, Schmidt said.

The main change has been her department putting a lot more hours into the preparation for the program than in years past.

“We want the kids to have a good fishing experience,” she said.

She worked out the arrangements for Gilchrist Pond to receive the fish from the same hatchery used by the program in year past; Trout Lodge in Moses Lake.

In a letter with a check written to the extension department, one family wrote, “We remember taking our kids, who are now adults, to Gilchrist. What fun.”

More than 300 children came and caught trout at Gilchrist pond last June. The parks department charges a $5 fee to participants. Youngsters from age five to 14 can participate.

Children get a pole and reel and a T-shirt. Bait is provided.

The pond last year was stocked with 1,800 trout from the hatchery outside Moses Lake. Youngsters are booked to fish in one of several 20-minute time segments.

The state Kids’ Fish-In Program has been offered at 12 locations each year around the state, Schmidt said. All the programs saw cuts at the state level for this year.