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St. JAMES, Mo. – Missouri’s fifth largest spring, free trout fishing, a casting contest with prizes, and free hotdogs are all part of the fun at Kids’ Fishing Day, Saturday, May 18. The event is put on by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) in cooperation with The James Foundation. It offers free fishing and other fun activities for kids ages 15 years of age and younger at Maramec Spring Park, located near St. James. The park will open at 5:30 a.m. with fishing at 6:30 a.m. to 8:15 p.m.
The entire upper half of the spring branch will be reserved for kids 15 years of age and younger. MDC will stock rainbow trout throughout the day to help ensure fishing success. Volunteers, along with MDC staff, will be on hand all day to assist the kids with fishing. A limited number of loaner fishing poles are available, but kids are encouraged to bring their own fishing poles and equipment.
A casting contest will be held at 11 a.m. with prizes to be awarded. Free hotdogs and soda will be provided courtesy of Phelps County Bank, The St. James Trout Fraternity, and the St. James Chamber of Commerce. Drawings for other prizes will be held until 2 p.m. and will include fishing rod and reels, fishing equipment, and more.
Exhibits, games and activities will be offered from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the area around the registration tent, including fish print t-shirts for $5, critter stamping, free tree seedling giveaway, first fish certificates, fish cleaning and cooking, and kid’s games. Fishing demonstrations and advice will be available along the stream.
There will be free parking for cars with children 15 and under. Kids who want to fish must pick up a free fishing tag at the Mill Field Shelter, located right next to the fishing area. Tag pickup will be available the Friday before and all day Saturday.
Kids’ Free Fishing Day is an ideal opportunity to help kids discover fishing and enjoy a day out at beautiful Maramec Spring Park. The event will be held rain or shine.
Maramec Spring Park, owned and operated by The James Foundation, is located on Highway 8 about six miles east of St. James, approximately and hour and a half from the St. Louis area. The park’s hatchery is administered by MDC and produces about 100,000 trout each year.
For more information about the event, call the Maramec Spring Hatchery at 573-265-7801, or email MDC Fisheries Specialist Rachelle Kirkwood at Rachelle.Kirkwood@mdc.mo.gov. For more information about fishing, go online to http://mdc.mo.gov/fishing.
