Kids from the South Okanagan chapters of the Boys and Girls Club got to break the ice Sunday afternoon.
Over 20 youth took part in the first Kids Gone Wild ice fishing derby, which was hosted and organized by the Similkameen Wild Society.
The afternoon was packed with activities for the children as not only did they receive professional instruction about how to ice fish, but they were also ice certified by members of the Oliver/Osoyoos Search and Rescue team and were given snowmobile rides throughout the day by the Penticton Snowmobile Club.
Taane Gurden of Similkameen Wild Society explained they had incredible community support as local businesses stepped up to provide fishing equipment, food, prizes in the form of bluetooth speakers and mountain bikes and many other donations. Gurden noted without the society’s support, they never would have been able to bring the kids to Lambly Lake, located 32 kilometres northwest of Kelowna.
“We just want these kids to experience nature and empower themselves and have a great time and learn something new,” he said. “Nature is the best therapy around, and there’s no cell phone reception here so they were really in the wildlife enjoying nature.”
With overwhelming support and demand for more ice fishing events, Gurden said they are planning to hold similar events multiple times next winter. As for the rest of this year, they currently have one more ice fishing derby scheduled for April 3, when they will host the Kelowna Boys and Girls Club.
Ryan Melgar was one of the youth to come away with prizes, as not only did he receive a bluetooth speaker for being the first boy to catch a rainbow trout, but that trout also ended up being the largest fish caught by a boy, earning him one of the two mountain bikes.
“I’m pretty excited, it’s my first time ice fishing and I didn’t really expect to get any, let alone the first trout or the biggest fish,” Melgar said. “It was beginner’s luck I guess.”
Melgar noted he had never thought of trying ice fishing before, but he had a phenomenal experience at the event and would love to do it again.
Anyone interested in lining up a future ice fishing event or water rafting trip during the summer can contact the Similkameen Wild Society at similkameenwild@gmail.com or 604-345-2771.