Shane Lake  event in July – image courtesy Freshwaters Fisheries Society of BC

Prince George, B.C.-  For the second time this summer,  families are encouraged to head to Shane Lake in Prince George to have the kids learn the ins and outs of fishing.

Tonight,  from 6-8 p.m.  the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC  will be on scene to give some lessons in  conservation, biology and tips on fishing and there is no cost.

Tanya Laird is the  Provincial Outreach Coordinator  for the  Society, ” The purpose  is to teach  families the basics of fresh water fishing, so we want to get people out enjoying  nature and doing a sport that’s great for all ages and abilities.”

The  event is free,  and  those 15 and under don’t need a fishing license, however, if mom  and dad would like to cast a line  at the event, they will have to have a  fishing licence.

All the  fishing  equipment is supplied says Laird “We just ask that people be dressed for  whatever the weather is, because the programs do happen rain or shine.”

The young folk will get one hour of instruction  followed by one hour of fishing, where they can put their new  skills to  the test. When the program  first visited P.G. in July,  young students caught three rainbow trout.

Laird says  tackle talk and fish identification is part of the  educational  portion, “Things like a rainbow trout , what a sturgeon looks like, what  a bass looks like and we’ll talk about invasive species.  We go over how to rig up a rod. and the kids  actually get to do that, then  practice their casting skills and head out and  do some fishing.”

This is the first year the program has expanded outside the lower mainland says Laird, “We do have  crews from  the Kamloops  area,  the Kootenays and Abbottsford have been travelling to  communities all over  the province.”

The program has  had some  challenges  this summer as  drought conditions and  warm water temperatures  have forced  closure of fishing in some  areas ” We had  a program planned  for  the Princeton region, but with that river being closed we had to  change,  so instead of fishing on a river we were fishing on a lake.  And with the  tidal portion of the Fraser River having some closures on it, we had to move some of those ( planned) locations as well.  Fishing tends to be a little more difficult in warm weather, especially if you are targeting trout species we’ve been catching lots and lots of invasive species because they’re loving the warm waters , but kids are just really happy to catch a fish, I don’t really think it matters to them   exactly what kind of fish they’re catching.”