Teach a kid to fish...

Nearly 100 volunteers from Spokane-area sportsmen's groups assemble on the first weekend of May to treat around 900 youngsters to the thrill of fishing during the annual Kids Fishing event at Clear Lake. The kids get a chance to catch three hatchery fish with a fishing rod they get to take home afterward. Some kept their catch to take home for dinner, while others donate fish to the needy. A few sportsmen clean, ice and deliver those trout to charity kitchens.

Section:Gallery

Sun., April 20, 2014

With the help of 60 volunteers, about 1,000 kids got a taste of catching trout at Clear Lake on May 7 as they cast into net pens holding 7,000 hatchery rainbows.
After receiving her free fishing rod, Kylee Hahn, 4, of Cheney wastes no time hauling her mom out to the beach at Clear Lake to try her hand at catching trout during the annual Kids Fish-In on May 1. About 80 volunteers helped around 900 kids get outfitted to catch fish during the annual event sponsored by local fishing clubs, Zebco, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Fairchild Air Force Base.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
Carson Blakesley of Post Falls caught one of the few really big rainbows swimming with the more average-sized trout in the net pens set up at Clear Lake for the annual Kids Fish-In on May 1. Colby Price, in the background, caught a big one, too. Both boys are 5 years old.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
May 1 was a little bit like Christmas at the annual Kids Fish-In on Clear Lake, where Spokane-area kids were allowed to choose from 1,200 fishing rods and reels before going out to catch a trout in net pens rigged for the event at Clear Lake. The kids were allowed to keep the rod and reel. RICH L ANDERS richl@spokesman.com

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
Hardy Buchanan of the Inland Empire Bass Club helps a youngster bait a hook with a nightcrawler before the youth casts for a trout at the annual Kids Fish-In at Clear Lake. Buchanan was one of more than 80 volunteers from various sportsmens clubs, college groups and Fairchild Air Force Base personnel helping with the event. RICH LANDERS richl@spokesman.com

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
Carson Blakesley of Post Falls caught one of the few really big rainbows swimming with the more average-sized trout in the net pens set up at Clear Lake for the annual Kids Fish-In on May 1. Colby Price, in the background, caught a big one, too. Both boys are 5 years old. RICH LANDERS richl@spokesman.com

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
Despite finger-numbing temperatures, a group of volunteers at the Kids Fish-In at Clear Lake cleaned more than 2,000 rainbow trout on May 1 so kids could take them home for dinner. If the families did not want the trout, the volunteers took care of them, too, cleaning and icing more than 200 pounds of trout for distribution to area food banks. RICH LANDERS richl@spokesman.com

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
Richard Smith of the Inland Empire Fly Fishing Club crimps a sinker on a line to ready a rod and reel combo for a youngster during the annual Kids Fish-In at Clear Lake.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review
Chris Donley, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife area fish biologist, helps a youngster catch and bag a trout during the annual Kids Fish-In at Clear Lake.
The suspense was palpable when a youngster and his helpers focused on catching that first trout.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review