Youth fishing event Saturday at Mt. Hood Pond

CLACKAMAS, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will host a youth angling event Saturday, Oct. 9 at Mt. Hood Pond from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

To ensure that kids have plenty of opportunity to catch fish, ODFW is releasing approximately 1,500 rainbow trout ranging in size from 8 to 12 inches.

“This will be a great opportunity for kids to come out and have some fun catching some nice trout,” said Todd Alsbury, fish biologist for ODFW’s Willamette Watershed District.

The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. ODFW will provide rods, reels, tackle and bait for youngsters who do not have their own equipment. ODFW staff and volunteer instructors will be available to provide instruction in the basics of fishing, including how to clean a fish.

Mt. Hood Pond is one of only three youth-only fishing venues in the state. From April 1 through August 31 angling is restricted to youths age 17 and under as well as individuals who possess an Oregon disabilities fishing permit. It was selected as a “youth only” fishing venue because of its easy access and relative safety, according Alsbury. Although the pond will be open to the general public for Saturday’s event, ODFW is asking that older anglers limit their catches until the kids have had a chance to reel in a fish or two.

The pond is located on the Mt. Hood Community College Campus in Gresham, at 2600 SE Stark Street.

Under Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations, anglers ages 13 and under can fish for free while those 14-17 will need to have a juvenile angling license, which are available for $9 at ODFW field offices and license outlets. Licenses will not be sold at Mt. Hood Pond.

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