GRAFTON — Learn to fish or become a better angler at the Two Rivers Family Fishing fair.
The free fair is held in observance of Illinois Free Fishing Days and National Fishing and Boating Week. The fair offers fishing fun and educational activities for the entire family.
The Fishing fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 11, at Grafton’s Pere Marquette State Park, which is the host of the event administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and co-sponsored by Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. there will be many informational stations for beginning anglers and lots of fun and educational activities for kids of all ages.
A 20th anniversary ceremony honoring the fair, its founders and organizers will be held at noon at the aquarium. there is no charge to attend the Fishing fair or to catch a fish. No license or fishing gear is needed. Food and refreshments will be available at the fair.
Fairgoers will learn knot tying, fish identification, fish cleaning, casting and many other skills. Every child who completes at least seven stations will receive a prize and have the chance to catch a trout at the Trout Pond.
Some favorite stations returning this year are the Bluegill Pond, where the children will have the opportunity to catch a fish and have their photo taken at the first Fish Photo Station; Virtual Reality Fishing; the Lil Angler Tub for youngsters to catch a jumping bass; and the well loved One-Cast station where everyone wins a prize, along with the well loved Bowfishing Stations where children can shoot in a pool and at a 3D target.
There are three new stations this year, including the Excellent Fishermen Station by Girl Scout Troop 907, teaching the Excellent Fishermen rules. Prizes can be won at The Nature Institute’s Fish Jeopardy station by answering fishing-related questions, and the Sierra Club’s Recycled Fish Mobile Station will teach how to make a koi fish mobile from ancient newspapers. Bluegrass musician and storyteller Wayne Schell will entertain while lunch is served in the main tent. And Camo the Clown will be returning with his educational seminars. Fredbird also will appear again this year at 1 p.m. at the fair.
This year’s sponsors are ConocoPhillips of Wood River and Cabela’s of St. Charles, Mo.
“Over the past few years, the fair has been able to grow due to the help of our sponsors,” said Suzanne Halbrook, public relations director for Alton Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Cabela’s support is in line with the company mission to reach out into the community, helping events that promote the continued growth of a healthy, outdoor lifestyle and to help form the next generation.”
Once again, the fair also will feature the giant 4,000-gallon mobile aquarium, stocked with many of the local fish found in the Illinois River. Fish Tub seminars will be presented by professional anglers all day, including local experts demonstrating a variety of fishing techniques.
New this year are a Dog Retriever demonstration and a Noodling demonstration at the aquarium.
Illinois Free Fishing Days is held in observance of National Fishing and Boating Week. Anyone wanting to try fishing can do so without a state fishing license from June 10 through 13.
National Fishing and Boating Week gives millions of Americans the opportunity to celebrate the joys of fishing and outdoor recreation.
“We want to help the youth learn more about fishing, so they can experience the excitement and relaxation fishing offers,” Halbrook said.
Contact Pere Marquette State Park at(618) 786-3323 ext. 1 or Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge at (618) 883-2524 for more information.
