Trout event makes return

Families have been coming to the Indian Hills pond for one weekend in May for 30 years to catch fish. Does going fishing seem like a lavish, fanciful, spectacular event — an extravaganza? The small group of Brookings Wildlife Federation members who proposed the event used the term “extravaganza” with tongues firmly planted in cheeks. But the name stuck after more than 200 kids showed up to catch stocked trout on that May weekend in 1995.

The idea was to introduce youth to fishing and the out-of-doors. A walking/biking trail was beginning to wind its way around Brookings in those days, and some of the wildlifers fondly recalled a day when kids peddled bikes to the local fishing hole with a bucket of worms and a fishing rod balanced on the handlebars.

The fishing hole in question would be the 6-ft-deep, hour-glass shaped pond on Trail Ridge Road in Brookings. The Department of Game Fish and Parks supported the idea and agreed to haul 2000 rainbow trout from a Black Hills fish hatchery for the event. When the GFP folks read the proposal to teach kids about following fishing regulations, how to care for equipment, how to catch a fish, respect for the catch, and even how to cook a fish, their one-word response was, “Impressive.”

Of course, there are always some trout left in the pond, so after Extravaganza weekend, the pond is open under regular fishing rules (daily limit of 5 trout, license needed if over 17 years old). Fly fishermen have a chance to practice their cast to trout that dimple the surface in the evening. And, the Optimist Club has hosted fishing outings by special Olympians and coaches, senior citizens, and youth from the Boys and Girls Club.

The Trout Extravaganza really “grew legs” and through the years hundreds of people and organizations have volunteered to help. In the early years, the fisheries students from SDSU would pull a seine through the pond to inventory the pond life. They found two bicycles, a shovel, three fishing rods, a cooler, sunglasses, several railroad timbers (former bank supports) and lots of cattails and aquatic plants. Oh yes, they found aquatic life — fathead minnows, black bullheads, a few sunfish, some good-sized gold fish, crayfish, painted turtles, and one angry snapping turtle.

Volunteers are asked to help with one of four chores – welcome anglers, hand out fishing equipment and bait, patrol the shoreline to help, and work at the fish cleaning station.

Yes, volunteers have always cleaned the fish, placed them on ice, and even handed out cooking instructions. Volunteers wear the gold Optimist Club Vest that identifies them as a helper.

One guy who famously helped kids fish for many years was Don Lockwood. Beside the Indian Hills pond, people will sit on the shaded green bench that memorializes Don.

The plaque says “Take a kid fishing and have a friend for life.”

Pond-side helpers watch for kids who are alone, or perhaps a Mom with kids, or foreign family walking tentatively along the shoreline – no clue, you can tell. The conversation might go as follows: “Hi Mom, I’ll help you.” “Oh, Thank you so much.” ‘Know how to bait the hook?” “No, we don’t have bait” So, off to the minnow bucket we go. It might be their first time looking down at a swirling group of fathead minnows in the bait bucket.

The banks may be crowded so anglers are asked to bobber-fish — no casting. Of course, pond-side helpers often have to untangle lines.

Some kids show up with parents or big brothers that know all about fishing. One year, Granddad Orv Smidt didn’t need any help as he reported that his three grandchildren caught several trout, six bullheads, and a half-pound goldfish in about two hours.

Jay Johnson often helped pond-side and told the kids “wind from the South blows the bait in the fish’s mouth.” Ron Deutsch and Jeff Albrecht were pond-side helpers who sometimes fished with lures when the bobber fishing was slow. When they hooked a fish, they gave the rod to an unsuspecting kid standing nearby. Soon we hear “Hey! I’ve got one!” For a kid who doesn’t know how to fish, the whole process from baiting to unhooking can be quite mysterious. Kids feeling “FISH ON!” was a good start.

Bait buckets full of fathead minnows donated by Porters Bait Farm are placed around the pond. Little children find the bait bucket more interesting than the pond; minnows are easy to catch with a scoop! There may also be some big fishing worms available for bait., However, one Dad brought small worms from the garden; barely big enough for the hook, but his child caught two trout in 20 minutes, while others were drowning the snake-sized night crawlers and having much less success.

The fish cleaning station usually produces memories. Perhaps cleaning and butchering the fish is off-putting to some, but the idea is to teach kids about fish anatomy so that they have an appreciation for the animal. One BWF member kept using the term “gonads,” as he showed the kids the tiny sliver of orange eggs in the ovary or white testis of the immature male.

Someone wondered if they really want kids to go home and tell parents that they learned about gonads at an Optimist event!
Phil Hogie, long-time Optimist volunteer, was helping at the cleaning station when he showed some kids how to check what the trout were eating. One trout had six fatheads in its stomach, another had a gob of fluorescent cheese, and another had earth worms. Checking the bait thieves isn’t pretty, but its informative!

Dan Hubbard cleaned fish all Saturday morning at one event.

“What kind of fish is this? he would ask. Surprisingly, most kids do not know that they are catching rainbow trout, so Dan showed them the iridescent rainbow of colors on the side of the fish. “Awesome” is the usual reply (everything seems to be described with the word “awesome” these days).

“Did you know fish have teeth on the lip and tongue?” a fish cleaner might ask. “Want to touch? This sends some kids into hiding behind the parent, but others might step boldly forward to feel the little spikey teeth. “The fish needs a lot of teeth to hold on to slippery food like minnows.” If the young angler is still interested, the fish is cut open — “What is this stuff inside?” One kid responded “organs.” Hurray for Brookings school biology teachers!

There is always one child who demonstrates extreme interest and one little guy stepped close to the fish cleaning table. When shown the gills, the external lungs, bright red beneath the gill covers, the reply was “Awesome! Can I have it.” Before long he had a handful of fish parts and a Mom with a frown.

One volunteer fish cleaner recalled two little girls watching through pink plastic sunglasses with plastic butterflies perched on the frame.

Little girl: “What’s that?” “Fish blood, I’m going to clean it up with this towel.” Little girl “I’ll do it” and she grabs the towel and starts vigorously wiping up fish blood like she really wanted a clean kitchen. The other little girl looks sad and says “I want to clean up fish blood too.”

Weather is always a factor. In 2015 the table was set — fish stocked, porta-potties, trash cans, picnic tables, and bait buckets in place and then on Saturday morning, volunteers were huddled in the small supply trailer as a storm raged. No one came!

They decided to open the pond to fishing for all ages and with regular fishing rules. The newsletter report said “There will be lots of good trout fishing in Brookings for the next month.

Trout Extravaganza opens its gates from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 16, and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 17. It is a free event for kids 14 and younger. Rods, bait, fish cleaning, and fishing help is offered. The event focuses on teaching fishing basics to children.

This year, the Outdoor Adventure Center is organizing the event, with the usual volunteerism from throughout the Brookings community. Mr. Joe Salvati is the new Director of the Outdoor Adventure Center (693-4522).

Salvati is an SDSU wildlife and fisheries grad and has worked for GFP at the Outdoor Campus in Sioux Falls. He said “I’ve done hundreds of these kids fishing events, but no extravaganzas so far.”