Boys and Girls club
 

Slivers idea has intiated a idea.

Would any of you like to help/participate in having a fun ice fishing day for some young people who may not have the chance to experience ice fishing.
Any thoughts?
Any ideas?

and before i get accussed of being on a alien inter gallactica under cover mission...this might be considered a SURVEY, happy BeeGuy?

I'd love to do something like that. Needs to be where there are plenty of easy to catch fish for sure.

pcr?

My very first derby was at Chain Lakes south and I won $5 for a 15" Rainbow,, remember it just like it was tuesday of last month.

So, a kids derby (where they all win something) and the older folks just do the meet&greet and pay the cuss box?

with a margin of error 19 out of 20 times...

Ya PCR or Chain for sure. Nothing gets kids more excited than catching fish and nothing gets them more bored than not.

I'm sure I could get some prizes donated.

Thank you...i can make sure all the kids get something

I can try and get some prizes also.

Maybe we can get a company to donate enough rod combos for each kid to have their own to take home.

I have an auger and a few huts that we could use if needed also and am hoping to have a big 6 person hub style one soon.

You know as a kid, I never seemed to be bothered by being out on the ice, fishing skating and such,, all that kid energy packs a lot of heat,,, tents seem to be for us old farts. I'll look into some donations too.

I would be willing to help in any way possible. I don't know how many kids would be attending but I could get some trophies or ribbons so that every kid can take home something to remember the good times he/she had that day. I could also donate time,food,gear, transportation ect. just let me know.

PCR would be good, Id be happy to come help out. that swear jar take Amex? :sHa_sarcasticlol: I was also thinking if we can scrape up a meet and fish on Newell, that novelty rods would be the way to go, have a bit of competition with them then donate them to whomever could use them, like maybe ferinstance the Boys and Girls club? Id say drag them down there, but Newell is in no way a sure thing in the winter. PCR...Oh ya.

Chester and I will be there for sure.....Will come up with some prizes to just let us know time and place

Thank you all for stepping up, let me work on the concept as im sure the army of voluteers will only gain strength

Any idea on the number of kids that this would be for?

I take 200 kids fishing each year with a school. Ages are about 6-8. I'll tell you things that make my life easier when I do it.

-Buy some big cheap tarps and 2x4's. Make a wind break with these. drill holes half way through the ice and put the 2x4's in them upright. Then tie to tarps to them. If possible make a horseshoe shape with the kids inside.

-the better days for perch are around christmas up here. Which is too cold to stand on the ice not in a hut. And honestly they have more fun outside a hut. So I take them in march. I wait for a week of decent weather. In March the perch don't bite so well. So I give each kid a rod for perch and each kid has their own tip up for pike and burbot (i'll explain the tip up later). In march I find all the perch, burbs, and pike are shallow 6-15 feet. So they fish for all three species at once.

-Tip ups I used last year were a small 2x2 peice of wood standing on its end with the line tied to the top and I run a line from this down the hole with a smelt. The 2x2 is about 5 feet from the kid and there is about 20 feet of line between the 2x2 and where it goes down the hole. I tell the kids if the wood flops go grab it and pull the fish up. Works good except sometimes the wood flops when a fish take it and the kid doens't notice. So I am using bleech jugs this year so when the fish grabs the smelt the jug will slide along the ice. The jug can't fit down the hole. Oh and use 40-50 lbs mono for tip ups. Thick line can't cut into their hands and won't break if they pull too hard. If you don't want to have a tip up per kid, maybe use 10 or so. Then put the kids names on paper and in a bag. Draw a name, that kid gets the first tip up fish. Draw a name when that kid gets a chance at a tip up fish.

-have a tent or two set up with heaters and I also throw in a under water camera. Kids take turns using the rod in the hut to see it on camera. In march we see TONS of pike, burbs and perch on camera. Kids love it. and its a chance to warm up.

-give each kid a chair. Chairs help them stay calm and not runnign all over.

-I haven't done it this year, but I think I might try hot chocolate..

- I feel very comfortbale taking 25 young kids ice fishing by myself and one other comptent adult. But I give them lots of instruction in the school before we go fishing. Gotta lay the rules and expectations out or it can go bad (kids stepping holes, tangles, rods down the hole, hoooks in hands etc). I also show them how dress and how to use the rods and tip ups in the school.

-I had lots of people tell me just let the kids hand line. Menaing a line tied to a stick or peice of wood to jig with. I made sure each kid had a real ice rod and spinnign real. I can't imagine 20 kids most whom never went fishing trying to hand line. I can't imagine the tangles that woudl happen or lien wrapped around hands etc.. If you can't get a rod per kid donated or borrowed, go to your local fish and game. They were so willing to donate seized rods. You may have to chop up from full size rods to make them ice rods and do some minor reel repairs to get them working, but it makes your day easier to have them ahve their own rods.

- I always show the kids this video to introduce ice fishing to them.. good times.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEH3WrBJVZU

Oh and I make a live well in the ice. Drill 5 or 6 holes about 2 feet into the ice all connected. Then drill one final hole at the end all the way through. This makes a live well so I can put any caught fish in it for a few mins so the kids can watch it swim around.

I'd would post pictues my set up and the kids but school board has policies which prevent me.

Sounds like this ain't your first rodeo. Great info LacLaBicheNs i'm sure any hints would be helpful.

100% with ya chubb :) I would book time off work to take some kids out to have a day on the ice :) I could probably get a few of my colleagues aswell to increase adult/kid ratio if needed :)

Sounds like fun, please count me in. I'd wanted to meet a lot of AO members for a while now, but had not had the chance. A take home combo suggested by Npauls is great. Chub, let me know if there's any help you need, I'll help if I can.

You can count on help from me also......so long as the date isnt Feb 19th. I have lots of stuff to help out with. Talk to any local hockey rink and ask them for all their broken hockey sticks and cut into 18" peices, notch each end and tie line to it. Thats the easiest way to get ice fishing gear for the kids. Heck ask everyone on the AO board if they have one or know someone who does have a broken stick ! The sticks are smooth and no splinters and reinforced with fiberglass and wont break. To find the kids you may want to approach inner city schools or Big Brothers or Uncles @ Large. You may find that these orginizations have their own insurance policy which will prove to be invaluable for the cause. Call me and I will help all I can from up here.

Actually I've seen a lot of people using the Paint Mix sticks that you can get from the local paint shop like Home Depot. They are lighter and just about the right length for use inside a tent. The line can then be wrapped end-to-end, cinched together with an elastic band for storage. Most importantly, it's really cheap to prepare in bulk.

count me in.

"Good on ya guys'. it's awsome to see that some people are willing totake the time to teach the younger generation who dont get a chance to go fishing for whatever reason, to fish. To bad im up here or I would be there for that.

Thank You to all that have posted and pm'd me. Your offers to volunteer and suggestions are very valuble.
With all the promises to volunteer I have now set the liabilty issues in motion. Contact has been made to the suggested recipiants. Volunteer participation was my first issue to secure. I feared approaching any group of children first without the proper volunteers in place. I thank you all

Please give me a few days to attempt to tie up loose ends

Although not written in stone, here is the agenda so far.


ice fishing at PCR
bar b q
possible skating
a hole drilling competition for the adult....power and hand
every child will recieve a participation prize

other ideas are being discussed and i will release those when approved. Any ideas suggested in this thread will seriously be considered.

Thank You Everyone

Let me know what kind of possible numbers there could be of children and I will see what I can do about combos. I can't say for sure but I will do my best to try and set something up.

i will contribute where ever you need help with this. bbq. grub. gear. bait. you just give me the word. kids and fishing equals big time fun!

Dace

x2 - I will book myself off work for the day/weekend to help make this happen, and can supply a box or two of costco burgers for all to enjoy :)

Ice fishing and a BBQ at PCR? I'll keep an eye out for the hamburglar!

Dace, Sliver....thats amazing thank you, words cant express my appreciation for our offers.....To all of you Thank you again.
The liability insurance for the kids is in place.
Lots of details to get worked out, days just arent long enough. Sponsors, SRD,BandG, Safety, tackle, etc

some things to consider

Would anyone frown upon a small ling fry to give the kids a taste of fresh fish?

considerations for date
first weekend in Feb...maybe too cold?
second week end is out...calagry sportsman show
third weekend is out...family day and conflicts with the Make a Wish derby at Wabamum
Last week end....maybe mushy?
thoughts?

Puddles thank you very much for offering to donate the hot chocolate and cups for 150 people.....your kindness is appreciated muchly