The first annual Get Kids Outdoors Youth Ice Fishing Day will take place on Saturday, February 3. The event is for kids ages 11 to 15 with minimal ice fishing experience. The kids will board a bus at Crookston High School and head to Island Lake in Lengby, MN. The event is free, and kids will go home with a new ice fishing rod combo, tackle box, and other prizes.
Fred Parnow is the organizer of the event, and he describes what the goal of the event is. “The whole idea of our program, Get Kids Outdoors, is to expose youth, young kids, 11 to 15 in that age, to outdoor activities that they become inspired to continue those activities through their lifetime. And have a good experience doing so,” Parnow said.
The event is in honor of Fred’s late son, Adam Parnow, who was passionate about youth and outdoor activities. Fred hopes to continue this event every year to honor his legacy.
The students will receive a class on the bus ride courtesy of American Crystal Sugar. UMC Natural Resources Club will lead the ‘Classroom on Wheels’ presentation. “They are going to do fish species identification, knot tying, ice safety, invasive species identification, and things of that nature,” said Parnow. “So, not only will it be ice fishing, it will be an educational trip.”
The kids will be fishing on Island Lake in Lengby. Once there, the kids will fish with qualified adults and be rotated to different ice fishing houses and set-ups. They will also experience snowshoeing. “The reason that we chose this lake is because it’s known for Crappie,” Parnow said. “And we want kids who have never experienced ice fishing to have a successful experience. And that’s what this will do. They’re gonna go out there, and they WILL catch fish. So that’s gonna be fun.”
To register for the event, you can go to www.getkidsoutdoorsmn.org. You can also mail a registration form to 22398 US Highway 75 Southwest, Crookston, MN, 56716. The event will take the first 40 applicants. If there are more than 40, the applicants will be drawn out of a hat. Successful applicants will be notified by January 22. Registration is due by January 15.
