Just a reminder: Saturday, June 7th is Take a Kid Fishing Day. The event will once again be held by the Edgewater Park fishing pier from 9:00 a.m. ‘til noon. Adults that take a kid fishing on this day do not need to have a license – this is a free fishing day compliments of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. There will be first-, second- and third-place prizes for the girls and boys that catch the largest fish. You will also be able to buy raffle tickets at the event for some dandy prizes. It is strictly a catch and release contest and bait will be furnished. Good luck!

Events like the Fountain Lake Sportsman’s Club Take a Kid Fishing day are held all over the state of Minnesota in a joint effort by local sportsman’s clubs and the Minnesota DNR. It is important to introduce our youth to this great sport and it can also show adults that have not fished or have not done so since they were kids how much fun it can be.

There is nothing more rewarding than watching the look on a child’s face when they catch that first fish. It can really make them feel like they have done something special and it can also open up a whole new world.

These days it seems that there are so many activities to take up a kid’s day that doing something as simple and enjoyable as fishing is a forgotten pastime. You don’t need a big boat or an expensive rod and reel to enjoy fishing. Whatever happened to the old bamboo cane pole?

Some of my best memories of grade school were reading Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer. I can still see the illustration in one book where Huck Finn is relaxing on the bank of the river with his cane pole cropped up by him waiting for that big fish to come along. Maybe that made me a dreamer but I guess that’s what I did as a youth — I liked to dream and use my imagination. It was cheap entertainment in those days when we didn‘t have all the options that kids have today.

This past Sunday Grant, my youngest grandson, called and wanted to know if his grandma and I wanted to join him and his mom and dad and brothers at Katherine Island to do a little fishing. We met them there and on a very beautiful day we spent some time relaxing, catching a few fish and just enjoying one of our local resources. We caught a variety of fish, walleye, bass, crappie, sunfish and even a few bullheads. We didn’t keep any of the fish but there were some “keepers” in the bunch. It didn’t matter because it was just a great day to spend outdoors. Grant had a little trouble with his fishing pole and after tripping a few times on the mesh they put down for grass he got a little disgusted with the whole ordeal.

Trevor the die-hard fisherman never put his fishing pole down unless it was to help someone with a tangle. His brother Taylor seemed to get bored after a while and decided to give it a rest, just hasn’t quite grasped the theory of “the line in the water catches fish”. The best thing about it is that they all like to fish but at different levels of intensity.

Tip: The walleye fishing has been good in the channel by Frank Hall Park this week. Fishing has been good in Albert Lea Lake and most of the other area lakes have been good as well.

We really need for our youth to get involved in the outdoors whether it be fishing, hunting, camping, hiking or biking. The youth are where our future outdoorsmen and women will come from. Without their interest in the environment it will be harder and harder to preserve our natural resources as we know them today.

I will be heading north for a few days next week and am looking forward to visiting my favorite lake (Spider). I am looking forward to fishing it in June and with the late spring it will be interesting to see where the fish will be. I will probably fish this lake at least four times this year and will be trying a couple of “hot spots” that I was told about by when I met two fellow Spider Lake lovers, Mark and Sherrie Anderson.

This is a unique lake that has it all, a large variety of fish, two resorts and some cabins on the smallest part and then nothing but woods and shoreline on the biggest part. Only two cabins are on the second lake and they are accessible only by boat. There is always a chance of seeing wildlife and the beauty of the lake makes it time well spent. The flip side of this is that there is always a chance that that lunker muskie or northern is lurking just around the next point. This is what makes me want to come back again and again and this is essentially what it’s all about.

Musky talk

The June meeting of Southern Crossroads Chapter 54 of Muskies Inc. will be held on June 11. It will be ‘on the water’. We will meet at the French Lake boat landing at 6 p.m. and fish until 9 p.m. Then have a short social meeting at Hoy’s with reports since the opener. We are asking for a $10 donation per person. The prize for longest fish, verified, between 6-9 p.m. will be 50 percent of what is collected. You are invited to come and fish early. If you can’t fish, join us at Hoy’s for updates and what is working.

Members are urged to sell tickets for boat, motor, and trailer raffle to build up our rearing fund for fall stocking. Our meetings are the second Wednesday of every month. Persons interested in musky fishing are always welcome. Musky hunters, bring a friend and join Muskies Inc. Help improve musky fishing in southern Minnesota. With no end to rising gas prices, good water close, will mean more fishing.

Area Fishing report:

FAIRMONT — Crappies continue to hit near the docks of Hall Lake and Budd Lake. The point on Hall also is giving up walleyes in eight to 10 feet. Look for northern pike to be hitting fathead minnows on Amber Lake in less than eight feet. Iowa Lake is a safe bet for catfish and bass fishing remains very good off Budd Lake and Sissiton Lake.

FARIBAULT— The shallow sand areas of Shields Lake and Lake Mazaska continue to produce crappies and bluegills. On French Lake, walleyes are being caught on crankbaits pulled over the cabbage early in the day, while leeches and minnows tend to work best in 16 to 18 feet during midday hours. Bass and northern pike fishing remains excellent on all lakes.

MANKATO — Crankbaits and leeches are producing walleyes in 14 to 18 feet of water on Lake Washington and Madison Lake. The shallow weeds of Lura Lake and the southeast end of Lake Hanska also have given up walleyes. Look to Baker’s Bay and Mud Bay on Washington for panfish. Lake Francis also is producing panfish in shallow water and Little Jefferson Lake is a safe bet for bass and pike.

WATERVILLE — Trolling Rapalas on Lake Sakatah in eight feet of water has produced walleyes and northern pike. The channel between Sakatah and Lake Tetonka continues to give up panfish. The lagoon on Tetonka also has produced crappies this week.

Until next time, take a little time to enjoy the outdoors – good luck and good “fish’n”.

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