A day for kids at Montauk State Park

By Shari Harris, Publisher

Montauk State Park held their Kids’ Free Fishing Day on Saturday, May 4. The spring branch from the CCC Spillway to the Social Hole was reserved for youth age 15 and under, and several booths were set up to display different aspects of the great outdoors to those attending.

At the registration booth, participants registered with Kyle Case, Assistant Hatchery Manager. Free Redbud and Milkweed seedlings were handed out at the main booth as well. Several aquariums parked nearby showed trout and other inhabitants of the streams in the area. A tent contained a fishing simulator that allowed kids to feel the resistance of a trout on the line, and experience the effort involved in reeling in a lunker.

A booth contained taxidermied specimens of some birds of the area, allowing youngsters to see some of their characteristics up close. A table contained examples of what a trout eats; insect larvae, crawdads and other small creatures, some alive and some preserved samples, could be seen.

When the young fishers became hungry, the Montauk Rural Fire Department (MRFD) was on hand to save the day, giving about 400 hot dogs away, with chips and soda.

Kids who tired of fishing filled the playground across from the stream, and an Archery Range captured the attention of several.

Case reported that 1100 fish had been stocked that morning for the kids. By noon, at least four lunkers had been reeled in by the kids. Emmett Stafford proudly showed his 3.95 lb. prize to this reporter. About 330 kids had registered by noon, and Case anticipated about 350 would attend before the day was out.

The Missouri Trout Fishermen’s Association gives away a wooden fishing pole rack designed like a bear in a drawing each year, and this year’s winner was Karleigh Sargent, of Hillsboro. Sargent was excited to win the bear, and a smile could be seen on her face for quite some time after her name was drawn.

Sargent wasn’t the only one smiling – laughter and excitement was widespread as kids enjoyed the great outdoors at Montauk State Park.

Photos by Shari Harris