CARTHAGE, Mo. — I’m watching the extended weather forecasts with both optimism and apprehension, hoping that the eighth annual Kids Fishing Day on Saturday will get an all-clear report.
So far, so good. It’s supposed to be sunny with just a few clouds, an almost-perfect 86 degrees and no rain.
On Kids Fishing Day last year, Kellogg Lake Park was inundated. Somehow, parents found dry places to park around the lake and brought more than 500 kids who would not be denied the chance to cast a line.
The year before that, we were blessed with a beautiful fishing day, but that evening a raging Spring River flooded the park, washing away a colorful “school” of wooden fish and “Big Bart,” a whale of a big bass effigy constructed by a Carthage Senior High School art class.
And the year before that, a little episode of straight-line winds nearly blew us into the lake and destroyed several Missouri Department of Conservation tents. This is the time of year for surprises from Mother Nature.
As a member of the Kellogg Lake Nature Center and Preserve, which each year assists the Department of Conservation and many volunteers in supervising Kids Fishing Day, I can promise we are ready for come what may.
The lake was closed as of midnight Sunday to allow for restocking and acclimation of the fish to their surroundings. It will remain closed until the opening bell at 8 a.m. Saturday. Local fishermen may fish this week from the sloughs and Spring River.
Conservation education stations, set up by the state department, will provide information on fish, amphibians, reptiles and forests. The MAKO fly-casting group will be instructing the kids on fly-fishing and will hold a contest for the longest cast.
Trish Burgi, another Kellogg Lake board member, is providing a new attraction this year. Burgi, who has done face-painting professionally for several years, is offering the opportunity free to any of the kids attending the event. So if they fail to land a fish, they can still go home with one — or a turtle, a crab (for the fussy ones) or even a ferocious sea monster — on their face.
Jim Crocker, another board member, will give wagon rides for the kids and adults. He will be exploring the park’s flora and fauna while relating the interesting history of the park and of historic Route 66, which runs between the lake and Spring River.
Jim also has been collecting prizes, including 20 rod and reel combos, 10 shirts and 10 hats, all donated by Bass Pro Shops. Wal-Mart and its vendors, in addition to fishing gear, are contributing hot dogs, drinks and snacks that will be served at 11 a.m. Blue Bunny will again provide cool desserts.
To catch a fish, you need bait. Gloria’s Bait Shop has covered that problem by donating boxes of worms to be distributed at bait stations around the lake. Should you want to get an edge on the fish, I found a fishing tip online at kansasangler.com.
Using a 4-inch square cut from a nylon stocking, center a meat-stock cube, tie all four corners together in a knot, and tie the little package with a length of strong line to the eye of your lure. The supposition is that as long as the meat cube is dissolving behind your lure, it leaves a trail much as a wounded fish would. No guarantees!
Of course, Kids Fishing Day would not be possible without the help of our volunteers, Kevin Badgley and the staff from the Department of Conservation, and the generous annual support of the Helen Boylan Foundation. The event has grown to become the third largest in the state.
Kids 15 and under are eligible to attend Kids Fishing Day. It is suggested that they provide bobbers, sinkers and hooks in addition to their rods or poles.
Safety is of paramount concern to all involved, so keep your kids hydrated. Watch out for flying hooks, and don’t forget the bug spray, sunglasses or hats, and sunscreen lotion. Hey, it’s supposed to be sunny.
