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Kansas City, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) connected people with the mighty and fish-filled Missouri River in a free two-part catfish clinic June 5-6. Participants were taught how to set trot lines and bank lines in the river to catch catfish. The program is an example of the classes and clinics MDC offers in summer to help people enjoy nature, including fishing.
MDC hosted 15 participants at the Big Muddy Alternative Methods Catfish Clinic. The anglers received some training and then set fishing lines before sunset in the river on Saturday, June 5. They learned how to set hooks and lines safely and in ways to boost fish catching success. Eight MDC staff took them out on the river in five boats.
Participants returned to the river early Sunday, June 6, to check lines and remove them. They caught six catfish, including one blue catfish weighing 28 pounds, said John Rittel, MDC community education assistant.
“We ended the morning with a catfish cleaning demonstration and the participants took home all the fillets from the fish we caught,” Rittel said. “Participants and staff both had a great time at the clinic.”
For more information about MDC programs in the Kansas City region, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZHs. To learn more about programs in the northwest region, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZHq.
