MAFB Kids Fishing Day hooks youngsters on angling

  • Published
  • By Airman Cortney Hansen
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Although lately rain clouds and strong winds have taken over the skies of this Air Force Global Strike Command base, several Airmen and their families were able to take part in the National Kid's Fishing Day June 4 at Pow Wow Park as the clouds parted and the sun came out.

The national event is set up by the state so that families can enjoy fishing without purchasing a license, said Jason Gibbons, 341st Civil Engineer Squadron conservation program manager.

"We had open fishing here at Pow Wow Park," he said. "[The Civil Engineer Squadron] set this up mainly for the base community so that kids can come here and don't have to travel."

The 341st CES was able to put on the event along with help from the 341st Force Support Squadron and Outdoor Recreation.

Food and beverages were provided to the families along with the chance for kids to sign up for free giveaways, but the highlight of the day was the various fish at the end of most fishing poles.

"It took a little bit to catch [the fish] but then they started biting pretty well," said Staff Sgt. Adam Reathaford, 10th Missile Squadron facility manager. "We caught them on spinners and power bait."

Pow Wow pond was stocked with rainbow trout in the weeks preceding the event so that everyone had a better chance of leaving with a prize all their own. Only 300 trout were stocked this year, down from 650 in years past, but the size of the trout was nearly double, ranging from two to six pounds apiece.

Throughout the event kids would weigh their fish as they were caught. At the end of the day, whoever caught the heaviest fish in each age group was awarded a prize. Fisheries Biologists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were there to answer questions, and help weigh and measure each of the fish.

"We weighed-in 30 trout between 9 a.m. and noon with the largest weighing 5.8 pounds and 23 inches" Mr. Gibbons said. "As an incentive, we gave away Electric City Water Park passes to kids who caught one of 100 tagged trout. Nineteen were landed that day and comprised over half of the fish that were caught."

The number of Malmstrom families taking advantage of the National Kid's Fishing Day event on base has increased over the years from 22 kids in 2009, 72 kids in 2010 to this year's turnout of 148 kids.

"We're really glad the base community took advantage of this and we'd like to do it every year if possible," Mr. Gibbons said.