Dozens seize opportunity to try ice fishing at Wabamun Lake

Dozens of kids received a free introduction to ice fishing at Wabamun Lake on Saturday.

The warm weather was well suited for Kids Can Catch, a free introduction to ice fishing, at Wabamun Lake on Saturday.

“A little cold, but it’s really nice,” one fisher, Rosalva, told CTV News Edmonton.

Her group had not caught any fish yet, but were hoping to.

“I wanted to try something new,” first-time fisher Frieda said.

Almost 1,500 people signed up for the event, according to Ken Kranrod, vice president of the event’s organizer, the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA).

“What they learn is the joy of being outdoors and trying out fishing…. We get a lot of people from different backgrounds, people from Canada as well as new Canadians. Many of them are trying ice fishing for the first time, many of them actually being on the ice for the very first time, so it’s really a treat and a thrill for them to experience,” Kranrod said.

The fishers are instructed on how to handle the fish, and asked to keep the fish in the water.

The association drilled 500 holes in the lake’s ice for Saturday’s event and provided all of the necessary equipment, as well as mentors.

“Right from the start, we wanted the event to be a really enjoyable experience for everyone.… Often there’s a hot lunch, and other folks show up, like municipalities or local businesses to showcase what they’re all about in the local community,” Kranrod said.

It’s also an opportunity for families to spend time together.

“I love it. This is a really great event,” said Megan McFall, who had come with her daughter and husband.

“I love when people do catch the fish, they share it, so the kids can see it, too.”

As of the early afternoon, several pike had been caught.

“(We) never guarantee success. It is fishing, after all,” Kranrod cautioned.

As another first-time fisher, Jowel Caldamo, put it, “It will just take a lot of patience.”

Kids Can Fish started in Slave Lake in 2012.

The ACA puts on dozens of events throughout the year, counting about 4,000 participants.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Galen McDougall