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What Does Take-A-Kid Fishing Do?

The Take-A-Kid Fishing Chapter really does want to make a difference and influence kids to be life-long fisher people. Every year around 80 plus volunteer guides take as many as 200 kids out for a day of "successful" fishing. Any fish that is caught and kept is brought back to Bemidji State Park, and the guide helps clean the fish and send it home for the young fisher person to eat. There is full fish fry dinner provided at the end of the day for the fishing participants, their families, and the guides.

This is absolutely no cost to the fisher person or their families, and is put on by the Famous Fish Fry Group of Bemidji and numerous other volunteers.

The guide's and volunteer's job does not end there. Throughout the year there are volunteers that are refurbishing fishing rods that have been donated to the organization. (If you have one that you would like to donate they can be dropped of at 71 Bar in Turtle River or Hill Crest Supper Club in Blackduck, or call 218-586-2965.) These rods are made available to the kids the day of the annual event, and the kids get to keep the rods so they can continue their quest for fishing.

Some of the rods are also donated to the State Park. Every Friday any kid that shows up at the fishing peer in the Park is provided a rod for the day and is supervised by John Fylpaa, a state naturalist, that for no other reason then he likes to see kids fish, takes these kids fishing. These kids can be anyone from those staying at the park, or just visiting for a few hours. Last year the Fishing Peer at the park was damaged because of the ice and other elements and the Take-A-Kid Fishing organization donated money to have the peer repaired to ensure that there would always be a place for kids to fish from in the park.

Bruce Aalgaard, also refurbished several rods and donated them to a WMCA of Grand Forks. Bruce is a long term volunteer for the
organization and we are lucky to have him. He enjoys the refurbishing process and giving the rods to the eager kids. It was brought to his
attention that they were in need of some rods at that organization, so he went to work and repaired the rods and reels and took them out there.

There are also various individuals that donate rods to the Toys for Tots of Bemidji, and For the Kids, in Blackduck, last year 42 in total new rods were dropped off for these groups.

For more information visit our website at www.take-a-kidfishing.com on this site you will find up-to-date information. You can print the form to register your child to participate in the annual fishing event, and see the names of our volunteers and guides.

B.A. Ruzicka, Committee Volunteer