CAPT'N
03-23-2013, 10:07 AM
The 10th annual Lou Berke trout derby is in the books!
Every year the Los Angeles Rod and Reel Club, provides approximately 50 special needs children from 12 -17 a day of fishing at Hansen Dam. We arrange everything from transportation; acquire the trout, BBQ, rods, tackle, and bait. All so the kids can enjoy a day at the lake, catching Rainbow trout.
An event like this takes months of planning and preparation, along with the efforts of close to 100 volunteers to make it a success.
And a success it was! I called upon many FNN’rs to participate in this annual event, and the response as always was overwhelming. I want to thank Wingnut, for getting the word out to SWAT, and while Arthur , and Bones were not able to attend this year, they were well represented.
Some the familiar faces were Russ88, FinSmackdown, Sidified, Flyngby, dlmoo312, bloox8, Gletmefelthesteelgary, and a host of others.
The day started on Wednesday when we placed a net along the shore, in an effort to increase the catch rate of the kids. Truthfully, it was like watching the 3 stooges. After multiple tries, we were able to successfully place the net. Thursday the DFG truck arrived mid-day, and put the fish in the netted area.
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm302/schiffmans/2013%20Lou%20Berke%20Trout%20Derby/IMG_5797.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm302/schiffmans/2013%20Lou%20Berke%20Trout%20Derby/IMG_5822.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm302/schiffmans/2013%20Lou%20Berke%20Trout%20Derby/IMG_5848.jpg
The Friday, just after 7:00 am the tackle, rods, holders. Food, bait, and everything else that goes into an event like this were quickly dispatched through the efforts of our tireless volunteer’s. Then breakfast for the volunteers, lox, bagels, doughnuts, coffee, juice, and fruit.
Finally the kids arrived, and they were excited to start fishing! We partnered up one volunteer to one child, and proceeded to get them fishing. The squeals of delight, when many of these kids caught their first fish were, to be heard up and down the shore. And while many didn’t catch, there was not a sad face to be seen, except for maybe some of the skunked volunteers
Far too quickly it was time for lunch, and the burgers, chips, dog, and chicken sandwiched were engulfed in mass quantities. Not long after, cake as for many of these students, it was their Senior Activity Day, as they were graduating.
A little more fishing and it was time to let the kids go home. With hugs, thanks, and even some teary eyes from some FNN vets, the kids left, and we began to clean up. A few hours later, the area was clean, rods, holders, and tackle put away, and the net was pulled from the lake.
The real story is in the pictures, I will add them later today.
Thanks to all that helped make this a special day for the kids! They had almost as much fun as I did working on this event. The happiness, camaraderie, and joy in the kids’ faces is priceless, I can’t wait until next year!
Capt’n
Every year the Los Angeles Rod and Reel Club, provides approximately 50 special needs children from 12 -17 a day of fishing at Hansen Dam. We arrange everything from transportation; acquire the trout, BBQ, rods, tackle, and bait. All so the kids can enjoy a day at the lake, catching Rainbow trout.
An event like this takes months of planning and preparation, along with the efforts of close to 100 volunteers to make it a success.
And a success it was! I called upon many FNN’rs to participate in this annual event, and the response as always was overwhelming. I want to thank Wingnut, for getting the word out to SWAT, and while Arthur , and Bones were not able to attend this year, they were well represented.
Some the familiar faces were Russ88, FinSmackdown, Sidified, Flyngby, dlmoo312, bloox8, Gletmefelthesteelgary, and a host of others.
The day started on Wednesday when we placed a net along the shore, in an effort to increase the catch rate of the kids. Truthfully, it was like watching the 3 stooges. After multiple tries, we were able to successfully place the net. Thursday the DFG truck arrived mid-day, and put the fish in the netted area.
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm302/schiffmans/2013%20Lou%20Berke%20Trout%20Derby/IMG_5797.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm302/schiffmans/2013%20Lou%20Berke%20Trout%20Derby/IMG_5822.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm302/schiffmans/2013%20Lou%20Berke%20Trout%20Derby/IMG_5848.jpg
The Friday, just after 7:00 am the tackle, rods, holders. Food, bait, and everything else that goes into an event like this were quickly dispatched through the efforts of our tireless volunteer’s. Then breakfast for the volunteers, lox, bagels, doughnuts, coffee, juice, and fruit.
Finally the kids arrived, and they were excited to start fishing! We partnered up one volunteer to one child, and proceeded to get them fishing. The squeals of delight, when many of these kids caught their first fish were, to be heard up and down the shore. And while many didn’t catch, there was not a sad face to be seen, except for maybe some of the skunked volunteers
Far too quickly it was time for lunch, and the burgers, chips, dog, and chicken sandwiched were engulfed in mass quantities. Not long after, cake as for many of these students, it was their Senior Activity Day, as they were graduating.
A little more fishing and it was time to let the kids go home. With hugs, thanks, and even some teary eyes from some FNN vets, the kids left, and we began to clean up. A few hours later, the area was clean, rods, holders, and tackle put away, and the net was pulled from the lake.
The real story is in the pictures, I will add them later today.
Thanks to all that helped make this a special day for the kids! They had almost as much fun as I did working on this event. The happiness, camaraderie, and joy in the kids’ faces is priceless, I can’t wait until next year!
Capt’n