] Juvenile Coho being displayed at the Kids Fishing Day event.[/caption]

Imagine the first time you connected with nature; whether it was hiking, bird watching, or fishing, we all probably felt that warm, happy, relaxed feeling that comes with being outdoors. At the beginning of June, I had the opportunity to travel up to Winthrop, Washington, to help kids get that same feeling. The Winthrop National Fish Hatchery hosted its annual Kids Fishing Day, which brings in different departments to share information about fish and wildlife conservation and provide fun activities that teach kids how to fish. At the beginning of the event, each kid received a passport that they had to fill up with five stamps before they could go to the pond to trade it in for a fishing pole and some bait for a chance to catch a rainbow trout. This helped encourage the kids to learn new information before getting to the fun part of the event. To motivate the kids, some of the rainbow trout contained Floy tags, which came with prizes such as a fishing pole and a tackle box for the kids to take home. A rainbow trout caught by one of the kids being weighed.

In the end, we counted 545 guests that attended this event. Some of these guests were here for the first time and somewhere returning. When I talked with the parents, they all mentioned how much fun their kids had, and when walking around the different booths, I could see how not only the kids were paying attention to the information being provided but also the parents. Altogether It was such a beautiful event that allowed me to see how much of an impact we make on the community. My favorite part of the whole event was getting asked by the parents what was the best way to cook the fish their kids had caught. As an avid angler, I was happy to answer their questions and provide my opinions on how to cook the fish. I recommend baking, frying, or making good old fish soup for those wondering. I also had a blast cleaning the fish for the kids and teaching them about the rainbow trout anatomy. Overall, this was a great opportunity. Not only was I able to connect with the community I was also able to connect with the staff that made this event possible. I hope to come back next year and help out again.