SOUTH FORK- Come join the South Fork Visitors Center Saturday, June 20, for their annual fishing clinic at Tucker Ponds. Several area businesses and volunteers come out for the event and help children learn the fundamentals of fishing in the Colorado wilderness. The Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) will be present to walk each child through several angler technique stations and even supply fishing rods for those that do not have them.

Officials usually begin by separating the participating children into groups that will venture from one station to the next. CPW representatives teach the young anglers about casting techniques, how to prepare their poles for fishing and how to bait their hooks. The children line up and either use their own rods or use rods provided by the CPW for the lesson before heading out with their family and friends to put newly learned techniques in practice.

In addition to casting and rod basics, the children will be learning about rules and regulations from CPW officers. Volunteer officers sit down with each group and talk to them about the rules for fishing. Officers explain that each child can keep up to four fish to take home on any given day, but that they could catch and release the fish as much as they wanted.

Other laws that are explained are that in certain areas only specific methods of fishing are allowed. For example, whether or not the fishing location is open to artificial lures and flies only, or live bait and artificial lures are allowed. Officers emphasize the importance of having a parent check the regulations for certain areas before embarking on a fishing trip. The children will also learn that once they reach the age of 16, they would have to purchase a Colorado state fishing license in order to fish legally.

Visitor Center Director, Mark Teders will host a knot tying station and teach the participants how to tie knots for everything from survival to knots that secure a lure to a fishing line. The lakes are specially stocked for the little anglers to make sure that a fun and exciting day can be had by all.
There will be a light lunch provided by the Chapel of South Fork and fishing supplies provided by Rainbow Grocery and Sporting Goods, as well as a free pole for all participants under the age of 16 at the end of the clinic provided by the CPW.

Tucker Ponds is located 15 miles west of South Fork, halfway up Wolf Creek pass. There will be signs to direct interested parties to the destination. For more information, or to donate to the event, contact Mark Teders at 873-5512.