1,500 kids...Yep, that's right!

A couple weeks back I found myself doing exactly what I love…Fishing! To me, there is nothing better than a day on the water, but this day was slightly different than most of days on the water for one reason. I wasn’t the one doing the casting. Yep, that’s right. I was lending a hand to a huge group of kids that came out for one special day on the water.

The event is called the “Fishing Clinic For Kids” and it is a major part of Buffalo Days, a festival held in where else… Buffalo, Minnesota. Like most towns in Minnesota, there is a weekend dedicated to celebrating their town, but the exciting part about this town is that they focus on teaching kids how to fish, and providing them a time and a place to do so.

The fishing clinic was established in the mid 90’s, growing in popularity each year to the current level of 1,500 + children. Not to mention the thousands of adult spectators that turn out to see what is happening.

While I was just a small part of this great event, I was able to see the results first hand. My job, to get the kids out in a fancy boat and teach them the basics of catching a fish. The ages of the kids ranged from 4 – 13 years old, and each one of them were a delight in every way. While I found the struggles of many tangled lines, I also saw the smiles of happy kids that found themselves out enjoying the great outdoors. To me, there is nothing better than the smile of kids learning what I love so much.

Besides my 20 minute fishing excursions with the never ending line of children, there were hundreds of rod and reels given away, speaking engagements from some of my professional fishing buddies, Mike Tengwall and Eric Guddal, prizes were given away at nearly all of the hundred plus booths, and the fishing focus on the kids brought smiles at every turn.

While this was my first year participating in this event, I can see why it has grown to such a huge success. I can guarantee that this won’t be the last time that I partake in this well run kids fest, and I strongly encourage you to attend or bring your kids next year. For more on this event, click here to go to their website, or contact me directly.

That’s all for now! Until next time, Keep on Livin’ the Dream!