Take A Kid Fishing Day A Huge Success

Over 6000 Cantabrians packed out the four Childrens Fishing Lakes at the Groynes on Sunday, for the annual Take a Kid Fishing day.

With perfect weather crowds of children and parents turned out to try their hand at catching a salmon or trout.

It was fitting the first fish caught was one of 14 trophy rainbow trout put into the lake on Thursday by North Canterbury Fish & Game.

Four year-old Violet Noone surprised her father Patrick by reeling in the monster 6.5 pounder a mere four minutes after the hooter had sounded.

Violet showed that it wasn’t a fluke however reeling in another 6.5 pound trout within the hour, and her father Patrick says she is now hooked on fishing.

Eight hundred salmon were also released and children were catching them throughout the day.

Event Organiser Dale Coulter said it was the first time the event had filled the carpark up but there was plenty of room and plenty of fish.

The popular family event is organised by the Kids Fishing Charitable Trust, supported by Fish & Game and the Isaac Conservation Trust.

The free event which started at 9am is open to anglers aged 17 and under, and anglers arrived throughout the day to try and catch fish.

Over the summer months North Canterbury Fish & Game will restock the lakes on a regular basis so parents or caregivers looking for something to do with their children will have the opportunity to try their hand at angling.

Fish & Game host the kids fish out events throughout the country with the Southland Region next, holding their event on 24 October in Te Anau.

Eastern Region holds their final event on 6 November at the hatchery in Rotorua and the Central South Island's event is on 12 November in Twizel.