“Let’s Go Fishing” Event Celebrates Weeks Act Centennial and National Get Outdoors Day

Pinkham Notch, NH – This year’s “Let’s Go Fishing” event scheduled for Saturday, June 18th will be a great way to learn how to fish or develop your fishing skills. As part of the New Hampshire Fish & Game Aquatic Resources Education Program, representatives and volunteers will be joined by the U.S. Forest Service and Appalachian Mountain Club to provide a day’s wealth of experience and knowledge to help the beginning angler get started.

Participants, who register on the morning of the event, will receive a “passport” outlining 5 stations that must be completed before they can begin fishing. Educational and instructional skill stations will include: Knot Tying; Fish ID; Casting; Ecology; Macro Invertebrates; and Fishing. Each station activity will take 15-20 minutes to complete and once an activity has been completed, the passport will be stamped and the aspiring angler will be one step closer to casting a line in the stocked fishing pond.

The free event, co-sponsored and thankful support in part from the White Mountain Interpretative Association, will take place from 10am – 3pm rain or shine (*registration cut-off is 12pm) and all ages are welcome. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and all persons should bring proper footwear and clothing as well as personal sun protection (hat, sunglasses, spf) and bug repellent. The fishing pond at Wildcat Mountain is accessible via the “C lot” entrance located approximately a quarter mile past the main entrance on the north-bound side of Rt. 16 heading toward Gorham, New Hampshire.

The “Let’s Go Fishing” Day event at Wildcat Mountain is part of a coordinated New Hampshire effort celebrating the Weeks Act Centennial and honoring the tradition of conservation and partnerships exemplified by the act, which created Eastern National Forests. This celebration of the Weeks Act and the creation of Eastern National Forests provide an opportunity to promote increased awareness of sustainable forestry, land stewardship and citizen-based conservation. This event is also included among the National Get Outdoors Day events in June which encourages Americans, especially our youth, to seek out healthy, active outdoor lives and embrace our parks, forests, refuges and other public lands and waters. And Smokey the Bear is scheduled to make an appearance at the event.

Over the past ten years, the Fish and Game Department’s “Let’s Go Fishing” program has taught thousands of children and adults to be safe, ethical and successful anglers. The program is federally funded by the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Program, a user-pay, user-benefit program. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department works to conserve, manage and protect the state’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, as well as providing the public with opportunities to use and appreciate these resources. More information is available at www.fishnh.com .

Founded in 1876, the Appalachian Mountain Club is America’s oldest conservation and recreation organization. With more than 100,000 members, advocates, and supporters in the Northeast and beyond, the nonprofit AMC promotes the protection, enjoyment, and understanding of the mountains, forests, waters, and trails of the Appalachian region. The AMC supports natural resource conservation while encouraging responsible recreation, based on the philosophy that successful, long-term conservation depends upon first-hand enjoyment of the natural environment. More information is available at www.outdoors.org .

Wildcat Mountain, a year-round destination located 100% within the White Mountain National Forest, provides both exhilarating and one-of-a-kind opportunities to enjoy views and scenery that have been consistently voted #1 in North America. In addition to New Hampshire’s only ZipRider zip-line cable ride and the state’s highest scenic gondola, Wildcat Mountain offers lift-serviced disc golf, hiking, weekly guided tours and outdoor interpretive programs with the Tin Mountain Conservation Center and Appalachian Mountain Club. All rates and information can be found at www.skiwildcat.com or by calling 1-888-SKI-WILD.

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