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St. James, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), the Maramec Spring Trout Fishermen’s Association, and The James Foundation will present Kids Free Fishing Day at Maramec Spring Park on Saturday, May 17. The park will open at 5:30 a.m. and the event will be held rain or shine, with fishing starting at 6:30 a.m. and continuing until 8:15 p.m. Kids fish free and there will be no parking fee on this day for cars with kids 15 and under inside.
The entire upper half of the spring branch will be reserved for kids 15 years of age and younger. Rainbow trout will be stocked throughout the day to help ensure fishing success. Members of the Maramec Spring Trout Fishermen’s Association and MDC staff will be on hand all day to assist the kids with fishing. There are a limited number of loaner fishing poles, however it is preferred that kids bring their own fishing poles.
The Maramec Spring Trout Fishermen's Association will be sponsoring fishing contests from 6:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. A casting contest will be held at 11 a.m. with prizes to be awarded. Free hotdogs and soda courtesy of Phelps County Bank will be provided. Prizes galore will be given away all day long and include fishing rods and reels, fishing equipment and more! Many attendance prizes will be given away.
There will be exhibits, contests, and activities from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. in the area around the registration tent. These include fish-print tee-shirts, critter stamping, scavenger hunt, free tree seedling giveaway, taxidermy, photographs, fish cleaning and cooking and kids’ games. Fishing demonstrations and advice will be held along the stream.
Kids who want to fish must pick up a free fishing tag at the Mill Field Shelter located next to the fishing area. Included with the free tag is a “Goodie Bag” containing a variety of fishing related items. Tag pickup will be available the Friday before and all day Saturday.
Anyone wanting further information may call 573-265-7801 or email ben.havens@mdc.mo.gov.
Maramec Spring Park, owned and operated by The James Foundation, is located on Highway 8 about six miles east of St. James, Mo.
