Youth fish and game club to hold family fishing day Jan. 18

For several years, I’ve had conversations with plenty of parents who tell me they’d like to get their kids outdoors more often, whether to fish or hike or simply step away from an electronic-driven life for awhile.

And for several years, I’ve told those parents the same thing: Go check out the Maine Youth Fish and Game Association and see what the organization’s got on tap.

Five-year-old Carter Sevigny with the brook trout he caught during the Family Ice-Fishing Day at Pickerel Pond in 2012  The fish was 17 3/4 inches long and weighed 2 1/2 pounds. BDN photo by Gabor Degre

Five-year-old Carter Sevigny with the brook trout he caught during the Family Ice-Fishing Day at Pickerel Pond in 2012 The fish was 17 3/4 inches long and weighed 2 1/2 pounds. BDN photo by Gabor Degre

The club, which was founded by a bunch of Old Town area outdoors enthusiasts (with help from plenty of local businesses), is a gem in the Maine woods, a place where kids can go to fish, learn, and have fun.

And on Jan. 18, the club will again open its doors to the public for its annual winter Family Fishing Day.

The day’s activities kick off at 8 a.m. and families will fish until 2 p.m. Door prizes include a lifetime Maine fishing license and ice fishing gear.

The cost to participate: Nothing. Nada. Free.

Don’t know how to fish? No problem: Volunteers will be on hand to help. Don’t have an ice auger? The holes will be drilled for you. Don’t have any bait? The MYFGA will take care of that, too.

In addition, the club will provide a free lunch for participants, and the largest trout caught during the day will be mounted by Ann Reinzo of Milford, owner of Gone Fishing Taxidermy.

Oh … one more thing: Pickerel Pond has recently been stocked with trout; normally, a few monstrous fish — retired broodstock — are among those that are caught.

The MYFGA is located on the Stud Mill Road in T32 MD. To get there, just take County Road out of Milford and follow it until you reach Stud Mill Road. Turn right and keep driving, and the club will be on the left … it’s well-marked.

And if it’s raining, don’t fret. The club has set a rain date for Jan. 25, just in case.

So round up the kids. Shut off the electronics. Take away their phones. And get ready to have a great time.

John Holyoke

About John Holyoke

John Holyoke has been enjoying himself in Maine's great outdoors since he was a kid. Today, he's the Outdoors editor for the BDN, a job that allows him to meet up with Maine outdoors enthusiasts in their natural habitat. The stories he gathers provide fodder for his columns, and this blog.