West Virginia Wildlife from Eyewitness News

Take A Kid Fishing

Everyone fishes for free this weekend.

June 4, 2008
Reporter: Patrick McMurtry
Videographer: Brad Rice

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It one of my favorite times of the year...Everywhere you look , you see families hitting the rivers, lakes and creeks with their fishing poles and bait...It's free fishing weekend.

Cris O'Bara DNR Biologist says:
"The purpose of free fishing weekend, which is June 7 and 8, is to introduce people to the fun and games of fishing. we allow people to fish without a license. Hopefully, families will come out to a state park and just participate over the weekend."

Anybody can fish this weekend without a license, but the goal is really to get people out with kids, take a deep breath, relax and have fun.

Cris O'Bara DNR Biologist says:
"The idea of bringing a kid fishing really is to make it fun. Often times, we get caught up in the competitiveness of the world, but when you bring a kid fishing, bring some live bait, worms, crayfish, crickets,something like that. Most kids just enjoy fishing, it doesn't have to be a big fish or any species, just go out there and have fun catching fish."

That's the key....Having fun. And if this is the kid's first or second time fishing, you probably won't want them going for some of the more wily species swimming in our waters.

Cris O'Bara DNR Biologist says:
"I would not recommend you take a kid musky fishing for the first time. Take them to a small pond, let them catch bluegill, catfish, bass, just fish and let them catch a lot."

Either way, you're taking time to introduce a kid to a sport that will last them a lifetime.
For West Virginia Wildlife, I'm Patrick Mcmurtry, Eyewitness News.