Proud angler shows off his catch at the Libby Pond Kids' Fishing Tournament. Photo credit: David Muenker
This past weekend, David and I got the chance to try our hand at fishing license-free, thanks to the Oregon Division of Fish and Wildlife. Our workamper friends Cal and Phyllis were game for a fun outing so the four of us piled into their truck and headed to Libby Pond off the Rogue River. Kids had the pond all to themselves until noon for a fishing tournament. Five of them caught trout measuring 20 inches or more!
See why Cal is the perfect fishing instructor? Photo credit: Rose Muenker
When the air horn announced the end of the tournament, we adults got our turn. We pulled on our rubber boots and took an overgrown, mucky trail to the morning’s hot spot for hooking big ones.
Cal outfitted us with rods, reels and bait and gently gave me instruction on how to cast the line and reel it in. I won’t go into the tangled lines, lost lure, and my reel dropping on the ground while I was holding the pole. Suffice it to say that Cal is a saint!
The kids did far better than we did. The only fish I “caught” were the ones Cal hooked and I reeled in. But we had a great time and caught enough trout to prepare a delicious appetizer to share with friends later around a campfire.
As much as I enjoyed the afternoon, I’ve decided to invest in a shell fishing license instead of a fishing license. I haven’t tried harvesting mussels yet, but the procedure looks easy, the equipment is minimal (a bucket, gloves and a garden tool to pry the mussels off the rocks), and the license is inexpensive. I may even manage to get the daily quota!
