Indian Kill Open House and Fishing Day draws families, memories
Sometimes the simpler things in life are the most memorable.
Children clutching fishing poles stood alongside their parents and family members at the start of the 19th Annual Indian Kill Open House and Fishing Day at the Indian Kill Nature Preserve in Glenville on Saturday, May 7. Anyone under the age of 15 years old was invited to try to hook the biggest fish in their age category. The atmosphere wasn’t overly competitive, however, because most people were just happy to be out with their families.
It is just a nice time to take the kids out and basically get the time to fish and father and son time,` said Ron Stafford, from Glenville, who was helping his 9-year-old son, Alex. `I have a memory of winning a contest similar to this one when I was 5 or 6 years old.`
Before the anglers cast their lines, Mark Storti, founder of the event, had a few words of encouragement.
`Whether they catch it or lose it, they are going to remember it for the rest of their lives,` said Storti. `This is a family day for getting children and their parents or grandparents out fishing and utilizing a natural resource.`
Storti, who grew up in Vermont, said he took part in a fishing day when he was a kid. Remembering that experience as a child inspired him to bring a similar event to his community.
`It has been a great time,` he said. `We have had a lot of help from the county, Kiwanis and the Schenectady County Conservation Council.`
Setting up the fishing day is a major effort. The day before the event, volunteers release more than 500 rainbow trout into the milelong stretch of stream in the preserve. The fish are purchased from Avery’s Trout Hatchery in Gloversville, and the number of fish purchased depends on the amount of funding received.
`It takes a lot of volunteers,` Storti said. `We had 26 volunteers come out and take the fish down to the stream by hand in pails.`
He said all the effort is worth it if children walk away with a lasting memory, even if that memory is of the one that got away.
Storti said one of his fondest memories was when he caught a big brown trout many summers ago but lost it, crushing his ego.
`I still have nightmares to this day. I still can remember that fish. I still can remember that place,` he said.
The event draws a number of returning families as it grows. Bill Blesi said he has been coming ever since his son, Liam, was 2 years old. Liam is now 8.
`They really put on a great event here. They really prepare the whole area for it,` said Blesi. `It is really all for the kids; the kids love it. The kids are eager to get some fish.`
His daughter Ella Blesi said she enjoyed coming to the fishing day
`It is fun cause you catch a lot of fish,` she said. `You are always having fun getting to catch fish and getting to hold them.`
Also out fishing that day was Chris Casey, of Glenville, who said he had great memories of fishing as a child.
`I fished with my grandfather up in the Adirondacks, and, actually, this is my grandfather’s tackle box,` said Casey. `I remember just sitting on the row boat ` and the peacefulness and the dragonflies.`
His 5-year-old son, Keller, gripped a fishing pole in hand as he intently watched the lure drift downstream.
`Did you reel it in a little bit so it clicked,` Casey asked his son, with a click soon to follow. `There you go.`
Skylar Wright, 9, thought she had hooked the first fish of the day. She has been fishing for 5 years now and isn’t a newcomer to the sport.
`I love fishing,` said Wright. `I like to get the fish so I can eat them.`
Even with all the fun, it still feels good to come up with the biggest catch of the event.
`I like seeing if I am the winner,` said Wright, who came in second place in her age group last year.
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