Subscribe by RSS
Chilly Ice Fishing Clinic draws the adventurous into Spencer Park
By Anne Eickstadt
The Ice Fishing Clinic on Saturday, Feb. 12, drew the largest crowd this event has had in years.
The Coon Creek Casters held their annual Kids Ice Fishing Workshop at the Boone County Conservation District pond in Spencer Park, 603 N. Appleton Road the morning of Saturday, Feb. 12.
“We are lucky that we have more than nine inches of ice and a beautiful cold winter day,” said Mark Freedlund of the Boone County Conservation District. “We are able to get kids and their families out to enjoy nature and fishing in partnership with the Coon Creek Casters. We have 40 children signed up for this event. We capped registration at 40 to ensure we had enough supplies and volunteers for everyone.
“We are happy people are out here enjoying nature and the conservation area.”
Kathy May spoke for the Coon Creek Casters: “It’s the biggest group we have had for our ice fishing event in years. This event gets families to do things together–memorable things. It is an escape for the kids to get outside and do things. They get a meal–hot dogs, chili, and hot chocolate–and we provide rods reels, and things. The participants don’t need to provide anything other than warm clothes. We provide everything else.
“We are holding this workshop for kids ages five to fifteen. Or younger. Or older. We want to give them an outdoor experience in the wintertime that they may not otherwise get. We do year round events for the community.”
Club President Bill Myers said, “We do kids events and give out scholarships to Boone County high schools. We give fishing poles and tackle boxes to organizations. We provide rods and reels to the BCCD.
“We will do Hooked on Fishing in June and the Carp-a-thon in the fall. We built a pavilion in Spencer Park, the cook shack, and the trash shed. We stock fish in the ponds and walleye in the Kishwaukee River. That’s where most of our money is spent, stocking fish.”
The Coon Creek Casters was founded on July 14, 1987. It meets on the first Wednesday of each month at the VFW Club, 1010 W. Lincoln Ave. A social hour runs from 6 to 7 p.m. with an optional meal at 7 p.m. and the meeting immediately following dinner. Guests are welcome.
