Wildlife and Fisheries Sponsors Get Out and Fish Event

There will be a free fishing event in Pineville tomorrow.  ABC News’ Joel Massey tells us what it’s all about.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is sponsoring a Get Out and Fish event at Forts Randolph and Buhlow State Historic Site.   A thousand pounds of channel catfish has been stocked into the lake to prepare for the event.

Heather David with the Wildlife and Fisheries said, “Around nine o’clock will also bring other activities out here so we’ll be teaching how to cast a fishing pole.  We have a big casting inflatable with bass mouths that will stick out and you try to get it into the bass mouth.  We’ll have a mobile touch tank so we’ll be bringing several specimens freshwater and saltwater that people can learn about come and touch and then other fishing activities that we’ll have out here as well.”

David talks about the benefits for kids in coming out to the fishing event.

“There’s so many kids right now that just want to play video games or they’re into their studies as well.  This is a good out for them.  They’re outside it’s a safe facility.  They’re able to catch supper and bring that home as well.  These catfish are all adult size.  They’re at least a pound and some of them we’ve stocked have been up to four pounds, five pounds so they have a fight when the actually come here and catch something.”

Interpretive Ranger Richard Holloway tells us about some of the things that will be available.

“Everything tomorrow is free so they’re going to have free food, free admission, free fishing, free ice cream, everything is free so we want people to come out and explore the park and have some fun.”

Holloway says this is a great event for beginners.

“If you’ve never fished before it’s a fun thing especially if you are a kid even if you catch something very small.  They’re very interested in doing that.  So, we even have people out here showing them how to cast and learn how to fish properly.  So, I think it’s just a win, win for everybody when you bring your kids out here.”

The Get Out and Fish event will be tomorrow at the Fort Randolph Historic site in Pineville from 6:30am until noon.