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Want to spend a day outside with family and friends enjoying the outdoors? Then come spend a day of free fishing on Saturday, June 14th. The Prescott National Forest will co-host activities at two locations. The "Verde Valley Fishing Fun Day" is from 8 a.m. to noon at the Dead Horse Ranch State Park lagoon in Cottonwood. Activities are also scheduled at Lynx Lake South Shore in Prescott from 7 a.m. to noon.
At Lynx Lake South Shore, Forest Service and Arizona Game and Fish Department personnel will be present to answer questions and provide information about fishing. The Arizona Game and Fish Department personnel will have fishing poles and bait available for folks who don’t own any fishing equipment and want to give it a try. Door prizes will be donated by Maurice Sporting Goods and Walmart. Also, WalMart will be having a raffle drawing for various fishing gear. Proceeds from all raffles tickets will be given to the Children’s Miracle Network and benefit the Phoenix Children’s Hospital. In preparation for the event, Arizona Game and Fish Department will stock 500 pounds of channel catfish at Lynx Lake. The Forest Service will waive the $2 parking fee on Saturday June 14th at Lynx Lake North Shore and South Shore, Granite Basin Boat Launch and Playa Day use, and at the Mingus Lake Day-Use areas only.
The east side of Lynx Lake is within a bald eagle closure area which runs from west of the dam around the east shore south to the inlet near the picnic area. The entire east shore of the lake is closed to foot traffic to provide seclusion to nesting eagles while raising their young. Buoys mark the portion of the surface of the lake closed to boat traffic. There is still plenty of room for fishing at Lynx Lake. The young eagles just started flying at the end of May. If you are lucky you may catch a glimpse of the young eagles learning to fish.
The Verde Valley event is co-sponsored by the Cottonwood Parks and Recreation Department, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Arizona State Parks, and the U.S. Forest Service, and is free to everyone. Participants should request a free permit at the Dead Horse Ranch State Park office the day of the event.
In preparation for the event, 1000 pounds of channel catfish will be stocked into the lagoon. Fishing bait and a limited number of fishing poles will be provided to those who do not have their own equipment while supplies last. Door prizes will be donated by Walmart. Forest Service and Arizona Game and Fish Department personnel will be present to answer questions and provide information about fishing.
National Fishing Week is celebrated throughout the country to encourage sport fishing and promote fishery conservation.
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