The sun may not have shone itself on Saturday morning, but that didn’t stop more than 150 kids and their families from showing up to Flax Pond in Nickerson State Park for a Kid’s Fishing Festival hosted by Goose Hummock Shops.

The knowledgeable staff at Goose Hummock was on site to assist, and made sure each young angler was equipped with a spinning rod and sand spike provided by Tsunami Tackle, and pre-rigged leaders provided by Eagle Claw.

While many opted to bait their hooks with live nightcrawlers and shiners (courtesy of Joe’s Bait and Tackle), others molded the classic Berkley Fishing PowerBait dough around their hooks. Over the course of three hours, brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout and yellow perch entertained the masses.

The morning was full of firsts; for some participants, it was their first time ever fishing, and for others, their first time catching. But, of all the “firsts” on Saturday morning, it was most rewarding to watch so many young anglers leave smiling with their first-ever fishing rod.

It was a fantastic way to kick off the spring fishing season and instill the love of the sport into Cape Cod’s youth.

Thank you to everyone who came out to spend a day on the water, and a special thanks to all those who made this event possible. We hope to do it again next year!