Kids fishing event draws record crowd

Thousands of people — including almost 1,700 registered child anglers — turned out for Saturday’s Klineline Kids Fishing event, organized by an army of volunteers and local businesses.

The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife planted more than 8,500 trout into the pond for the day, but had to withdraw other financial support due to budget cuts, which prompted the volunteer effort.

“Considering we had to put everything together from scratch, it’s been doing well,” said Al Jaffe, a Salmon Creek Lions Club member and an organizer for the event. “I knew that where there was a source, people were going to help us out. You do a lot of things on faith.”

Children started casting at 8 a.m., and from then on a continuous stream of people spread out around the three accessible sides of the pond, fishing in groups of approximately 200 for 45 minutes at a time.

The Klineline Kids Fishing group awarded two bikes per fishing round for the largest catches: one for the 5- to 9-year-old bracket and another for the 10- to 14-year-old bracket. The Lions Club also gave out tackle boxes and specialty fishing poles to second- and third-place winners. Even the child with the smallest fish in each time slot won a prize.

“If this isn’t community, I don’t know what is,” said Tim Jessen, whose 10-year-old son, Nathan, was the day’s first winner in the older age bracket after landing a trout almost 18 inches long. “For the little kids who have never experienced it, it’s good stuff.”

If the 47 sponsor logos on the back of the Klineline Kids Fishing T-shirts were any indication, organizers didn’t have a hard time finding supporters. The group raised more than $18,000 in individual donations — that’s not counting the sponsorships. More than 50 children from the Juvenile Justice Center came down to kill and measure fish. Fishing clubs also showed up to gut and fillet trout.

Clark County Fire District 6 sent eight members, including two trained emergency medical technicians. Last year, firefighter Bill Dunlap helped save Lions Club member L.R. Smith’s life after he collapsed in the concessions area before the derby started.

“The chief thought he was having a seizure — I thought he was having a heart attack,” said Dunlap. “We got started right away, and it was pretty flawless. We had 65 to 70 kids and half as many parents that would have had to watch this guy die.”

This year, the only two needing help were the ospreys caught up in fishing lines. They didn’t get their fish, but did get to fly away to see another day.

Steady growth

Jaffe remembers more than 25 years ago, when the event featured no more than 50 children coming out to fish a single netted area on the north of the pond. It grew every year from then on. Fellow Lions club member Gary Pevey said it started using all three of the pond’s banks 10 years ago. Last year, Klineline Kids Fishing had more than 1,200 kids register to participate. This year, it increased the capacity to 1,600 and numerous write-ins pushed enrollment to a record of nearly 1,700.

“It’s the biggest in the state,” Pevey said. “Next year, we’re going to 2,000 kids.”

Fish and Wildlife’s youth fishing programs have expanded overall, encompassing 19 events throughout the state from the end of March to mid-June.

With so many people bringing their kids to it, the Klineline Kids Fishing event is a magnet for other businesses and community organizations looking for exposure. The local fire district taught kids about water safety while awarding prizes in a Wheel of Fortune-style game; NW Natural created buttons and painted children’s faces; McDonalds inflated helium balloons; and the Lions Club, as always, fed the crowd.

The Fish and Wildlife department also brought out its tip trailer, a mobile educational unit teaching people about the impacts of poaching.

The last three months, the department has noticed a surge in what it calls ‘spree killings,’ in which numerous animals are killed at one time. It’s hoping that statewide events can help spread the message and stop poachers.

“It’s more of a public education,” said enforcement agent Isabel Van Vladricken after deputizing 4-year-old Luke Graver from Salmon Creek.

“Most kids don’t see a game warden. This gives people more of an idea what we do and what happens if you poach.”

Awards big and small

In total, 16 children won bikes donated by individuals in the community, another 16 received tackle boxes from the Lions Club and 16 more won specialty rods, also sponsored by the Lions.

Lucas Goff, 7, took home the grand prize for the day’s biggest catch: a $250 rod assembled by fish and wildlife volunteer Richard Bowers, with parts from American Tackle and Sportco & Outdoor Emporium. Goff’s trout measured 24 inches and weighed 7 pounds.

Ovie Goff won some sporting equipment for the day’s smallest catch, a mere 4 inches. More importantly, plenty of kids went home happy and laden with fish.

“The event went very smooth,” said organizer Will Morrison after the last trout were measured. “It was a true community effort.”

For more information on youth fishing events throughout Washington or find out more information on the Klineline Kids Fishing event, check the fish and wildlife’s calendar at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/kids/events.html.