Keizer residents can learn how to fish on Saturday, May 10, at Keizer Rapids Park from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
The “Learn to Fish” event – hosted by the Mid-Willamette Valley Outreach Group – is free and open to all ages. Those under 18 years old must be with an adult. No gear is required.
“This is a skill-building event for beginner or intermediate fishers with an interest in learning about casting, knot tying, rigging, fish anatomy, and habitat from local experts,” noted Stacey Perry, the City’s Environmental Education Coordinator.
The event will take place by the boat ramp at the park. There will be no fishing at the event, but participants can visit the six stations set up in the grass to learn a skill, such as casting or knot-tying. Local organizations will share tips and provide educational resources.
Volunteers from the Salem Northwest Steelheaders, a nonprofit dedicated to fishing and conservation, will also teach skills and provide angling knowledge.
Other station partners include: the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Keizer Police Department, the Marion Soil and Water Conservation District, and the Marion County Marine Patrol & Oregon State Marine Board.
The stations will teach trout fishing primarily – a species that is abundant in the waters surrounding Keizer according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The Willamette River harbors trout, salmon, and bass – among other fish.
“Participants will be taking home new skills, and will also have the opportunity to be placed in a drawing for prizes by visiting each activity station during the event,” Perry noted.
The event is among other “Our River” events, which seek to “increase connections between people in the Mid-Willamette Valley to Our River, the Willamette, through programming that invokes behavior change, resulting in healthy waterways and communities,” the City of Keizer website reads.
Other “Our River” events include the statewide free fishing weekend on June 7-8. From Saturday to Sunday, no fishing license will be required for adults or children.
News tip? Contact reporter Riley Ellis: [email protected]
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