Kids can’t miss at Clear Lake fishing event

Here’s the best bargain around for a full-meal fishing deal:

A fishing rod, t-shirt and a sure shot at catching a trout – $10 bucks.

April 20 is the deadline to sign-up youths ages 5-14 for the annual Kid Fishing event at Clear Lake set this year for May 5. Up to 950 youths are pre-assigned to 45-minute slots.

Each kid gets a chance to pick out a Zebco rod and reel that’s been pre-rigged with hook and bobber by volunteers who get together weeks in advance.

Then the kids go out on shore or on a dock and catch trout released for the occasion by Fish and Wildlife staffers.

Every kid gets to keep the fishing rod. Kids can keep up to three trout they catch, too. Or they can donate the fish to another group of volunteers who will clean them and give them to charity kitchens.

The event is sponsored by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and a long list of sponsors and sportsmen who volunteer to rig rods and help kids catch a fish.

Details and registration forms are available online at wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/ youth.html.