Kids will have a chance to hone their fishing skills at a free youth fishing event at the McNary Channel Ponds near Hermiston on Saturday, May 20 from 10 a.m. to noon.
The event is co-sponsored by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.
To give younger anglers a head start, the event will be open only to youth 12 years old and younger from 10 a.m. to noon. The ponds will open to families to fish starting at noon.
ODFW will provide tackle and loaner rods and reels, and there will be plenty of staff and volunteers on hand to help new anglers get started.
“Kids will have a chance to practice everything from baiting a hook to landing a fish,” said Bill Duke, ODFW district fish biologist.
Under Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations anglers younger than 12 can fish for free while those 12-17 will need to have a $10 youth license, available at license outlets. Licenses will not be sold on site the day of the event.
The McNary Channel Ponds offers plenty of bank access for anglers, and are some of the dozens of water bodies in Oregon that ODFW regularly stocks with catchable trout. Anglers can learn more about how and where to fish throughout Oregon at ODFW’s website, www.odfw.com, under the “Fishing” tab.
To get to McNary Channel Ponds from Hwy 370 in Umatilla, turn north onto Brownell Blvd. just west of I-82). Proceed to W. Third St. Turn right on Third St. and proceed through the I-82 underpass. The ponds are north of Third St. between I-82 and McNary Dam. There are several well-signed vehicle access points.
For more information about this event, call Bill Duke, ODFW district fish biologist, at (541) 276-2344.
