British Columbia’s Family Fishing Weekend Reels in Big Fun

Free freshwater fishing licence for Father’s Day weekend aims to lure families to the joy of fishing

This Father’s Day weekend, British Columbia’s lakes and streams will play host to free events aimed at getting families hooked on fishing.

“These events offer a great opportunity to learn how to fish and provide lots of useful educational
information in a fun and supervised environment,” said Owen Bird, executive director of the Family Fishing Society of British Columbia. “There will be experts at each location to provide advice and equipment available for free use.”

A complimentary three-day fishing licence will be granted by the Ministry of Environment to all participants taking part in the events, which run from June 19 to 21. People can also print the free three-day licence for use on their own over the course of the weekend.

“BC Family Fishing Weekend has become a wonderful tradition for many families, and we feel it is instrumental in helping connect people to the joys of sport fishing,” said Don Peterson, President of
the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC.

A complete list of the nearly 50 participating communities province-wide with locations and event descriptions along with step-by-step fishing instructions and printable complimentary 3-day licences can
be found at www.bcfamilyfishing.com.

In the Lower Mainland alone, Family Fishing Weekend events will be held at Lafarge Lake in Coquitlam
on June 20, and North Vancouver’s Rice Lake on June 21, which will feature a wild salmon barbeque alongside fishing and water safety demos, contests and more. Also, at the Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery in Abbotsford there will be a fishing derby as well as fishing simulations and lots of community draw
prizes.

In addition to the Family Fishing Weekend, the Lower Mainland offers ongoing opportunities for new anglers with its Learn To Fish programs for participants aged 5 to adult. Programs are available at the Fraser
Valley Trout Hatchery in Abbotsford, the Kootenay Trout Hatchery near Cranbrook, Greater Vancouver urban lakes, as well as several provincial parks in the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island. Led by the Freshwater Fisheries Society of B.C., participants will learn about fish identification, fishing gear, safety and regulations, casting and retrieving, knot tying and environmental awareness. More information
about the Learn to Fish programs can be found at www.gofishbc.com.

“It's all part of introducing families and youths to recreational sport fishing and encouraging them to get out and enjoy what's in their very own backyard,” said Mike Gass, Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC.

Encouraging people to “go fish” across BC is what Discover Fishing BC is all about. It is a one stop resource for individuals and families to learn about British Columbia’s year-round fishing opportunities. The website (www.discoverfishingbc.ca) features thorough descriptions of some of the province’s abundant freshwater fishing sites, as well as driving directions and details on nearby amenities such as day-use areas, toilets, beaches, boat launches and camping. Other features include an informative guide to BC’s many sport fish, equipment overviews,
fishing methods and handy printable brochures full of tips for those just starting out to bring along in their tackle box.