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Fishing club helps kids tackle trout at Heart Lake
By Joan Pringle, American staff writer
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Joan Pringle
Hunter Wickman, 11, shows off his 35-ounce rainbow trout
with forest and fish biologist Wayne Watne at the 15th
annual Kids All-American Fishing Derby Saturday at Heart
Lake. Wickman won for the largest fish caught in his age
group and also for largest catch of the day. |
Alexis Calandra, 9, caught a rock but not any fish at
the 15th annual Kids All-American Fishing Derby Saturday at Heart
Lake in Anacortes. But she still had fun.
Alexis, who fished from the shore with her father, Anthony Calandra,
was one of more than 100 children having a great time at the free
event sponsored by the Anacortes Parks and Recreation Department and
the Fidalgo Chapter of Puget Sound Anglers.
“This is such a great opportunity. The people are so nice to do this
for us,” Anthony Calandra said.
Families came up who didn’t know a thing about fishing and the
Anglers helped them out, said Nicole Johnson, city recreation
coordinator.
The club also provided equipment for those without their own,
including life jackets, bait, tackle and fishing rods. About eight
Anglers also took children on the water.
“The club members all bring boats and shuffle the kids in and out as
fast as they can so the kids catch their fish,” said DJ Stevenson,
Angler president.
Derby coordinator Karl Frantz said the members enjoy doing it and
enjoy seeing the children having fun. It’s something the whole
family can do.
“If they’re fishing, they’re not in trouble,” said
Glen Jones, an Angler taking boys and girls out on the lake. “My
grandfather and my father taught me how to fish and it’s something
you have to pass on.”
Because the lake has often been “fished out” by the time the derby
comes around each year, the Washington Department of Fish and
Wildlife now stocks the lake beforehand, Frantz said.
This year approximately 1,800 rainbow trout were brought down from a
hatchery in Whatcom County. The fish were a bit warmer there than at
the lake, but the children had no problem reeling them in.
“I never met a fish at any time that would pass on a free meal,”
Stevenson said.
Hunter Wickman, 11, caught his first fish at the event. It also
happened to be the biggest fish of the day, weighing in at 35
ounces.
Other winners of the day:
• Gavin Montelongo who caught the biggest fish at 29 ounces in the 4
and under age group. Amber Biller’s trout at 9 ounces was the
smallest fish in the same group.
• Daniel Whorten caught the biggest trout at 26 ounces and Liam
Flint caught the smallest at 11 ounces in the 5 to 7 age group.
• In the 8 to 11 age group, it was Hunter with the biggest and
Stephanie Rustad with the smallest at 9 ounces.
• In the 12 to 16 age group, William Famn caught the biggest fish at
28 ounces and Anthony Sanders hooked the smallest at 10 ounces.
Amber and Stephanie also shared the award for smallest fish of the
day. |