Action at Powell’s fishing facility was fast and furious for those willing to arrive for the 6 a.m. time slot during Powell’s Kids’ Fishing Day event Saturday. For most, limits were filled long before their hour was finished.

“We caught 17 fish in less than 20 minutes,” said Powell-area rancher Kalee Goolsbey.

Along with her husband Bill, the couple brought their six boys to the annual event, but only five fished because Ryatt isn’t quite old enough to work a reel. He was content to be with mom, who had her hands full baiting hooks and tending to the fish.

The bite isn’t always so strong for the season opener, which coincides with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s free fishing day. Last year Adelinn Peterson, 4, was skunked as the fish seemed full. This year, she and her brother Gage, 7, were working on their last fish of the day less than 30 minutes into their allotted time.

“Mom, I got one,” chirped Adelinn excitedly.

Wendy and Gage both lent a hand to help Adelinn fight the large trout — one of about 600 stocked by the city to provide summer fun for area anglers. The fish got away, but there was soon another chasing her worm.

The pond remains open for the rest of the summer for fishing. All Game and Fish regulations apply, including a license and conservation stamp. 

Powell Middle School math teacher and eighth grade girls basketball coach Dale Estes admitted free fishing day isn’t his only trip to the pond each year. He has been known to sneak over while attending his kid’s practices at Homesteader Park.

“I had some kids that were playing flag football over here that had practice. Yeah. I would bring my fly pole over and go fishing,” he said, adding “It’s always a lot of fun to catch a few.”

Estes has been bringing his eight children to the park for more than 20 years, he said. “I think it’s a great program. I know my kids have always enjoyed it.”

Most of the time it was fun for all, he corrected himself. Of course, with kids you never know what kind of trouble you’re going to find. 

A few years ago one of his sons caught a little more than he could handle. “One of my older boys hooked one of my younger boys in the back of the neck with a lure. We ended up going to the emergency room and had to cut the day short.”

This year he brought his son Eaen and grandson Jayce as part of Eaen’s 10th birthday celebration. Coincidentally, right next to Eaen, Monica Salazar and her son Javier, 7, were celebrating a birthday as well. It was a bittersweet affair. 

When Monica was young, her grandfather Rogelio Salas would bring her to the event. Then, after Javier was born, he resumed his tradition with Javier. But Salas passed away last October.

Salazar felt it was important to carry on the tradition. They have wonderful memories of their time with “Roy,” who worked for Powell’s Smith Farms for 40 years but always had time for fishing with his 13 grandchildren and great-grandchild, Javier.

Javier was the first of the day to catch his limit. It took him nine minutes to land his four feisty trout. He also won a fishing pole during the raffle, one of hundreds of prizes made possible by the Wyoming Outdoorsmen and other contributors, said the Rec Department’s Recreation Supervisor Joe Cates.

“Watching the little kids catch fish is always awesome,” he said. 

“They’re catching them by the dozens this morning. And that’s a great thing. We’ve had days where everybody was a little bit worried that no fish would be caught. I think we’re 15 minutes in and we’ve had three kids or four kids already catch their limit.”

More than 175 kids registered to fish Saturday. The pond remains open for kids and adults alike for the rest of the summer. The Rec Department will restock the pond as needed through the season.