Take a Kid Ice Fishing.

[NPO_Aaron]

One of the perks of my job is that there is a lot of small talk and I get the chance to talk hunting/fishing just about every day. Today I was no different, but one of my conversations floored me. A young kid, maybe fifteen, talks fishing with me just about every time he is in. Today I asked him if he liked to ice fish. His response really bummed me out. His parents separated quite a while ago and unless his mom can bring him, he doesn't fish. He said he went ice fishing once and loved it, but has no one to bring him. I realized today that the kid only gets to fish a few times a year and it is mostly when his family travels back to Minnesota to see relatives. This kid lives with his mom and two sisters, loves the outdoors, but has no one to get him there.

I'd love to get the kid out on the ice, but there are some professional boundary issues with the situation. Does anyone know of any clubs or organizations that do youth days on the ice, or has anyone else had experience getting others kids fishing? I didn't start ice fishing until I was in my twenties. It is one of my favorite activities. I would have killed for someone to give me a start. He has no gear, no experience, nobody to take him but a huge desire to go.

I'd love to help the kid out, but I really don't know what the best way to do that is. It would be great to find some people getting rid of cheap gear/donating old ice fishing stuff so he has the essentials when he can go himself, but that doesn't do us any good now.

I'm not much of a "feelings" dude, but the way this kids face looked when he said he doesn't have any way to go, really hit me in the soft spot. Any advice/Suggestions?

 

[Davey Crockett]

I see you are in Minot, I'd check out Big brother, Big sister club down there. My Boys have mentored a few kids and it's a life long rewarding experience. You are up to all good, Thank you for that.

 

[Captainbrad]

I get it and it is sad that one has to be concerned about "other issues" to take a kid out fishing. I get his plight being a guy who didn't start fishing until his early 20s.

I probably have some old gear laying around I could send up. Keep working on the getting him out part. Maybe we will just have to take his whole family, Mom and everyone out some time. Thanks for sharing, even though a tough situation.

 

[tikkalover]

I have 5 or 6 homemade rods with reels in a bucket that I no longer use that he can have for free. Nothing special but they work. Let me know if you want them.

 

[luvcatchingbass]

My dad was never much on the ice fishing thing but he did love to fish, I was lucky enough we had a couple family friends to take us/me out in middle school high school. The one guy was at our church and we did a couple youth group fishing trips besides the few he took me with his own kids. Not sure if there any opportunity areas down that Avenue up there or anymore period, I know ours currently does not but would like to see that change someday

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I do actually have a couple combos and tackle that I dug out and really don't use, was actually wondering if I should find a new home for them anyways