Jacob Arellano, 2016's winner of the fishing derby at Lake Scanewa, holds a rainbow trout weighing 6.6 lbs and 24.5 inches long. “I thought this would be helpful in encouraging other kids in your articles that there are some big ones out there to be caught,” said Jacob’s father Jeffrey Arellano.
Young anglers fish Lake Scanewa in this 2011 Chronicle file photo.
Ambitious anglers will have to plot out their piscatorial priorities over the next month just to be sure they don’t miss out on any of the prime fishing opportunities coming up for the next generation of plunkers.
Those opportunities will include free youth fishing derbies sponsored by the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and other regional partners. The events will be held at area lakes freshly stocked with hatchery fish where experts will be on hand to provide instruction as well as loaner rods, reels and tackle to anglers who may not have their own.
On Saturday, June 9, the Lewis County Kids’ Fishing Derby will be held at Lake Scanewa near Randle. That event is sponsored by the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and the Lewis County Public Utilities District. The derby has been held in the Cowlitz River reservoir for about a quarter century.
A press release from the Gifford Pinchot National Forest noted that, “Kids can fish for trout and win prizes, learn how to clean fish, find out about fish biology, and participate in a number of games and fish printing.”
Laura Bouchard, project biologist for Lewis County PUD, noted that around 800 hatchery rainbow trout will stocked in the pond at Lake Scanewa the night before the derby begins in order to increase the odds of angler success. She says the turnout for the derby varies from year to year.
“It kind of depends on the weather sometimes. I would say the most I’ve ever seen was around 300 people. With the kids it was probably around 100, 150,” Bouchard said. “We get quite a few people from the Yakima area, King County and Tacoma.”
Bouchard added that regularly scheduled hatchery rainbow trout stocking efforts will pick up in the week of June 18.
“We split them between that little pond site and then the reservoir and total between the both of them there will 20,000,” said Bouchard.
On-site fish cleaning will also be offered during the youth derby. For additional information call Lewis County PUD at 360-740-2449.
That same day the Mount Saint Helens Kids’ Fishing Derby will be held at Merwin Park just east of Woodland. The event will feature 1,500 large rainbow trout stocked into a netted section of Lake Merwin. Loaner gear will be available for youths to use as well as bait. Volunteers will also be on hand to help keep lines in the water and on-site fish cleaning will be provided. Other activities will include a parade, storytelling inside a 40-foot long inflatable salmon, face painting, aqua-aquarium, boater safety, Gyotaku-Japanese fish printing on t-shirts, and button-making. The event will run from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. and a free lunch will be provided. Additional information can be obtained by calling calling 360-449-7800.
On June 16, a trio of youth fishing derbies will be hosted in the Mount Adams Ranger District south of Randle and east of Woodland. Those events will take place at Goose Lake off of Forest Road 60, Forlorn Lakes off FR 6035, and Big Mosquito Lake off FR 8851. Volunteers will be on hand at all three locations to hand out fishing gear and help instruct children ages 14 and under. Last week Goose Lake was planted with 3,273 cutthroat trout and 1,700 rainbows. For additional information about Kids’ Fishing Day at Goose Lake call the district office at 509-395-3400.
In July 14 the WDFW will revisit Lake Merwin with the express intent of engaging youths with special needs and disabilities in the art of fishing. That event will take place from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on July 14 at the Merwin Fish Hatchery. More than 100 youngsters and their families are expected to turn out for the 20th annual Merwin Special Kids Day, sponsored by Pacific Power.
Anglers will be able to fish for nearly 3,000 trout in the wheelchair-accessible hatchery waters, with some of the fish reportedly weighing up to five pounds. Volunteers will be on hand to teach the finer points of fishing, and to assist with the slimier parts of the pursuit.
Rods, reels, tackle and t-shirts will be provided to young anglers to use for the day and keep if they wish. A free barbecue lunch will be offered, along with a casting contest and other activities. Pre-registration for that event should be taken care of by June 30, by calling 1-800-899-4421.
Children age 14 and under are allowed to fish for free all year round, but anyone age 15 and up is required to possess a Washington state fishing license.
