BC’s youth are encouraged to grab their tackle boxes and fishing rods, and experience BC’s lakes this summer.
According to the Freshwater Fisheries Society, fishing license sales to BC Residents increased 17% in 2020 as compared to 2019. The biggest increase in any age group during that time was among 16-24-year-olds at 67% more than in 2019.
The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC’s Summer Fishing Challenge will reward young anglers who document their fishing experiences this summer. The Challenge is open to any fisher who is 15 or younger. “We put that in there because youth freshwater fishing doesn’t require a license,” says Freshwater Fisheries Society Outreach Coordinator Jessica Yarwood, “This way, there are no barriers, just get out there and go give fishing a try.”
The Challenge will start this weekend and run until the August long weekend. “If you go to five lakes, and you aren’t successful at all of them, that’s okay, we have a tackle kit for you that should help you continue fishing and increase your chances of catching,” Yarwood explains, “If you are able to catch fish at five different locations this year, we’ll send you a brand new fishing rod.”
Yarwood says submissions can be done online, or through a fishing journal, both of which can be found on gofishbc.com. “If you’re submitting for the fishing rod, we want you to prove that you caught a fish,” Yarwood says, “it doesn’t have a picture of you holding the fish, although we love to see that, just that photo proof needs to be submitted.
Yarwood says fishing is a perfect COVID-19 safe activity because a fishing rod is a good measure of how far apart to stay when social distancing.