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2003 Events |
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By Rita Frasure - Bureau of Reclamation Preparation for this event actually starts months in advance. Justin Kucera contacted Walleyes Unlimited in Helena to see what weekend they have available to take a group of kids fishing. Robin Sutton contacted Intermountain Children's Home to see if they wanted to come this year. I contacted Scott Kottas, owner of Legal Tender Bar and Restaurant in Clancy, to see if would provide lunch again this year. In planning our educational stations we decided to resurrect our fish identification station. Sue Camp helped out with that by preparing fish pictures for us to use. As the event draws closer, activity picks up. T-shirts, caps, tackle boxes, poles, and plaques arrive. We shop for the things we will need for the day - film, snacks, Gatorade, and fishing tackle. Last minute checks with all parties to make sure we will have kids, boats, and lunch - all on the same day. John Teeter sets out fence posts near the Hellgate boat ramp for the boats to tie to. The day before the event, Justin and I pack the vehicles with all the stuff and head to Canyon Ferry. There, with the help of Robin Sutton and Nora Bruce, we assemble fishing poles and get the tackle boxes ready. We fill water bottles, set out all the stuff that John and Shawn Lewis will bring out to Hellgate for us, and check to make sure we have everything we need. Then it's off to the store again for whatever we've forgotten. The heat wave was in full swing and the forecast high was 100. Not a good day to go fishing. Never the less, today was the day for the annual Canyon Ferry C.A.S.T. (Catch a Special Thrill) event and the show would go on, as it has before, regardless of the weather. We all arrive early at the Hellgate shelter to unload everything. Some of the Walleyes Unlimited (WU) members are already there. They would be providing the boats and fishing expertise. In addition to those from yesterday, Paul Backlund, Rafi Lopez, and other family and friends arrive to help. We get to work setting out t-shirts, caps, name tags, water bottles, fishing poles, tackle boxes, and the educational stations. The quiet of the reservoir is interrupted when 28 children from Intermountain Children's Home in Helena arrive. They all receive a CAST shirt, cap, and a name tag. After a short introduction they split into four groups and go to a station. Justin teaches casting. The kids try to see if they can cast the weight on the end of their line into a bucket. Paul takes the safety/hypothermia station. He explains some basic boat safety. The real fun is competing to see how many pennies they can retrieve out a pan of ice water in 30 seconds. The catch is they can only use one hand and only retrieve one penny at a time. WU member Tim Frederick taught fish identification. He talked about the fish that inhabit the reservoir and then each child got to color and keep their own perch picture. Knot tying was taught by WU member Dan Spence. After a stop at each station it was time to go fishing. Each one was fitted for a life jacket, given a pole and tackle box, and assigned to a boat. While the kids fished, we prepared for lunch which was generously donated by the Legal Tender Bar and Restaurant in Clancy, and cooked by owner Scott Kottas. After a couple hours of fishing, the kids returned for lunch and picture taking. Despite the hot weather, some fish were caught. After lunch each child was presented with a plaque with his/her picture in it to commemorate the day. Judging by the smiles and laughter, it had been a great day! These events are a lot of work but those smiles make it all worth while.   |
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