The Penobscot County Conservation Association and the Maine Youth Fish and Game Association are two of the most prominent outdoors-related clubs in eastern Maine.
Their efforts are geared toward encouraging people to participate in outdoor recreation and conservation to help promote those activities and preserve them for future generations.
And that’s precisely why the Maine Youth Fish and Game Association and the Penobscot County Conservation Association are sponsoring their annual ice fishing events this weekend.
As area youth begin their annual February school vacation week, there is no better time to get out and have some fun with their families and friends than for these two time-honored traditions.
The activities are held in conjunction with the state’s Free Fishing Weekend, which permits anyone, with the exception of people whose license has been suspended or revoked, to fish without a license. All other laws and regulations apply.
On Saturday, MYFGA will hold its Family Ice Fishing Day on Pickerel Pond on the Stud Mill Road east of Milford. The free event will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will give youngsters ages 15 and under the opportunity to do some fishing in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.
The club drills the holes and provides the tip-ups, bait, a hot dog lunch and beverages. There also will be free door prizes, including a Maine lifetime fishing license provided by Old Town Trading Post.
For more information on that event, visit maineyouthfishandgame.org or contact MYFGA members Matt Redding, 207-852-0528, or Mike Regan, 207-852-2485.
On Sunday, PCCA is sponsoring its Youth Ice Fishing Day on the club grounds at 570 North Main St. in Brewer. The club’s aim is to encourage families to get outside to share the ice fishing experience in a fun and controlled atmosphere.
The free activity is scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at PCCA’s LeVasseur Pond. Club members will drill the holes, bait the hooks and place the traps to give youngsters ages 15 and under the opportunity to catch Maine’s most prized fish species, brook trout.
Club members with plenty of fishing experience on the ice will supervise the fun. Participants will be treated to hot dogs, which will be cooked outside by Boy Scout Troop 1, along with hot chocolate and coffee. Donations will be accepted.
All children must be accompanied by an adult.
For more information, contact [email protected].
Both organizations are conducting the activities to introduce area youngsters to the joys of ice fishing. For both events, parents are encouraged to dress their children warmly to enhance the fun and comfort of the experience.
