Popular kids fishing day on this weekend

Fish & Game staff have released 850 fish in Christchurch’s Groynes Fishing Lakes in preparation for this Sunday’s Take a Kid Fishing Day.

Last year's event attracted over 6000 people and organisers are hoping for similar numbers this year. They recommend that families go early to get their spot.

The free morning event starts at 9am and it’s on rain or shine.

The Groynes fishing lakes are reserved for junior anglers, and aside from this weekend’s special event are stocked with salmon every couple of weeks throughout the summer.

The Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust has once again generously donated 830 salmon and 20 trophy rainbow trout for children to catch.

The 20 trophy rainbow trout are huge, the biggest of which would weigh close to 14 pounds.

To ensure the fish are caught by junior anglers, the lakes are now closed to fishing until Sunday morning and Fish & Game Rangers will patrol the venue.

No registration or fishing licence is needed as Fish & Game licence the whole site for the day.

Take a Kid Fishing is for children 12 years and under, with one lake reserved especially for the under-eights where each child has a short one-on-one session with an expert angler (there is sometimes a queue for this).

Organisers have some rods, tackle and bait for loan in the morning, so don’t worry if you don’t have any gear.

Every year since 1989 volunteers, fishing club members and many kind businesses, organisations and individuals have worked to put on Christchurch’s Take a Kid Fishing day.

At all four lakes, skilled anglers from fishing clubs will be there to give advice and help.

The Groynes venue is great place for a family outing over the summer months and the prospect of pan-sized salmon for kids to catch makes it a popular place over summer.