If it's better to teach a person to fish than to give them one, it's best to start early.
That's why Canadian Tire, together with Angler's Atlas and the Spruce City Wildlife Association, is organizing a children's fishing event at their store on July 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Kids will be able to fish for real rainbow trout in an 18-foot diameter pool.
"A lot of these kids haven't had the chance to fish before, so this is an opportunity for them to see what it's like to catch a real fish," said Sean Simmons, the publisher of Angler's Atlas. "It's not exactly an natural environment, but it's a first good opportunity to actually see a live fish and what the basics are in how to go about catching them."
The pool is large enough for the fish to have a sporting chance against the kids, Simmons said.
"You have an opportunity to catch a fish, but if not, that's part of the experience too," he said.
The event will provide all of the equipment necessary and will have a cleaning station where the children are shown how to clean the trout properly if they want to take their catch home. The kids won't be handling any sharp knives.
The Wildlife Association will also be bringing a virtual hunting simulation where kids can learn the basic steps involved in hunting. There will also be food and other events.
This is the first time Canadian Tire has put such an event on in Prince George. The event is part of a pilot project that could spread nationally if successful. A version of the event was held in Nanaimo in April
"Kids just loved it," Simmons said. "They lined up an hour beforehand, just giddy with excitement."
Many children have never had the opportunity to go fishing, said Simmons.
"There are usually a number of barriers in place before you go fishing," he said, adding that to fish, there's a need for a boat, fishing gear, a fishing licence and transportation to the fishing spot. "So if you're a kid and don't have any resources - or if your parents don't fish - then those are significant barriers to actually even learning about the sport. What we're trying to do is give kids that chance to experience it - to see if this is something they'd like to do more of."
