CASTING CALL
A learning experience for most, fishing derby at Olney Pond has great turnout
LINCOLN – Living in an urban community that's only a square mile in size doesn't exactly lend itself to learning how to fish. But for a fortunate group of about 100 people, a partnership that's formed between Central Falls' Parks and Recreation Department, Progreso Latino, and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management has offered families the opportunity to cast a rod and hopefully bring home a catch.
DEM's family fishing event at Lincoln Woods State Park on Saturday was part of the department's ongoing efforts to promote outdoor recreation and environmental education in communities across the state. Instructors from DEM's Aquatic Resource Education, or ARE, program on Saturday morning taught a group of roughly 100 children and their families how to catch and clean a trout pulled from Olney Pond.
Kimberly Sullivan, an ARE coordinator and principal fisheries biologist with DEM, said that Central Falls and neighboring urban locations are very underserved communities
when it comes to learning how to fish. She said that Saturday's program played a key role in bringing families from an urban environment into nature to learn how to participate in a fun familyfriendly exercise.
Additionally, Sullivan said Lincoln Woods is easily accessible for people living in and around Central Falls, with an extra focus on showcasing the state park and its many environmental resources.
Olney Pond was stocked with golden trout on Saturday morning. Fish that were pulled out of the water could either be caught and released or brought home for food. DEM officials on hand also had information on how to obtain fishing licenses, calling Saturday's event “a jumpstart to get people outdoors.”
Samuel Figueroa-Medina of Central Falls said that while he's been an angler since his uncle taught him at age 4, Saturday represented the first time he was casting from the beaches of Olney Pond.
“This event helps with kids,” he said before explaining the value it provides for Central Falls residents in particular. “We're getting better as a community. Back in the day, you couldn't do much because people were scared. But with Progreso Latino, the summer camps at Jenks Park, they're looking at ways to get kids active.”
Cumberland resident Ana Hurd and her two sons – sixyear-old Brendan and 10year-old Kyle – were also trying to pull up a few trout on Saturday morning. Hurd said she heard about the event only one day prior, when her sons brought home a flier from Blackstone Valley Prep.
“I've never gone fishing before, it's pretty good!” Brendan said excitedly. “We've got no catches yet but we had a tug earlier.”
Ana, meanwhile, said that the fishing experience for her sons was “awesome.”
“It doesn't cost anything, it's a good trial to see if they like fishing before you invest in the rod and fishing licenses,” she said. “This is a good free trial.”
According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, there are approximately 175,000 recreational anglers in Rhode Island, ages 16 and up, and recreational fishing accounts for more than $130 million annually to the economy.
Saturday's event follows July's charter fishing excursion in Narragansett. About 50 area children took part in a saltwisher fishing trip that brought the children and their family members on board the Francis Fleet Charter out of Point Judith in Narragansett, spending an afternoon aboard the vessel in Narragansett Bay.