A day of success on the water — Hook, line and sinker! Kids for Fishing, “I want the youth to find and experience the simple enjoyments in life while being a kid.”

Saturday, May 28th, 2016 marked the sixth annual Kids for Fishing event in Akwesasne; a program founded by SRMT Tribal Police & Community Resource Officer, PJ Burns, and designed to abridge the relationship with youth and police officers.

Kids for Fishing started in 2010 and is a program that Burns says was created to “build a bond [with youth and local law enforcement] so they aren’t scared of us, and I believe it’s important to build that relationship.”

Kids for Fishing has seen roughly 300 youth participate in this annual one-day event where local competitive fishermen and women, from both sides of the border, spend their day teaching kids to fish in the St. Regis River.  Assisted by fellow Law Enforcement Officers Rob White and Norman King, and a slue of volunteers, Kids for Fishing is made possible each year by a proud group of people that want to bring their knowledge and love for fishing to the kids in Akwesasne.  “Our main goal is to learn, have fun, learn some safety, and to fish,” stated Burns.  “I want the youth to find and experience the simple enjoyments in life while being a kid.”

Due to its immediate popularity, Kids for Fishing began implementing a lottery system in 2011 to give fair opportunity to children to have a spot in this event.  The children’s names are drawn at random on CKON Radio Bingo a few weeks prior to the event.  The kids chosen are opened up to the world of fishing, and everything that it may entail, from safety, to rods and reels, to seeing how fishing can lead to a lifelong career.

Presentations were provided on topics such as: Water Safety- presented by local law enforcement officers Casey Jacobs, SRMT PD Marine Officer, Tyson Lazore SRMT  PD Marine Officer, Carrie Caldwell Massena Border Patrol- Tribal Liaison, and Agent LaBaff Vessel Manager US Border Patrol; Drug and Alcohol Trends and Effects- presented by the SRMT Alcohol and Chemical Dependence Prevention Program’s Olivia Cook and Ashley Frank; Environmental factors, tools, and science- presented by SRMT Environment division; SUNY Plattsburgh Fishing Team had a presentation on how education and fishing can go hand in hand; and finally a presentation by SHIMANO, a Kids for Fishing major sponsor, on the different rods and reels.

Each year Kids for Fishing offers 50 spots in the program, ten of which are designated for children with special needs.  Each kid receives a rod and reel, tackle, a PFD (personal flotation device), lunch, and a few hours of fishing with professional anglers from around Northern NY and Canada.  The kids chosen each year get to see firsthand the how the positive impact a fun activity like fishing can lead to a world of opportunities.  Whether it leads to competitive fishing, studying marine biology or environment, or simply gaining a hobby, these kids are introduced to a positive activity that they will carry with them for a lifetime.

Beginning in March each year, Burns spends about six weeks ordering and preparing for this annual event.  Everything from making the initial phone calls to sponsors and fisher people, to setting up docks and mowing grass at the river banks. Officer Burns handles each detail of Kids for Fishing with ferocity until the very end.  “Just to put together all 50 rods and reels took me about five hours,” stated Burns, “But you’ve got to think of the end results and the looks on the kids’ faces makes it all worth it.”

12 professional anglers showed up to the Kanatakon Rec Centre about 9:30 am, lining along the lawn for all the kids to see.  Along with volunteering their time, these fishermen and women received a nice “Kids for Fishing” jacket, as well as a fishing license good for the year.  “It was awesome to see the kids’ faces as all the fishermen rolled in with their boats [at Kanatakon Rec Centre], some of these kids have never been fishing, let alone get to take a ride on a fancy fishing boat,” said a ‘Kids for Fishing’ parent.

Sponsors such as SHIMANO were gained from Burns’ personal fishing experiences, and are used to help enrich this program each year.  Volunteers, Akwesasne Child and Family Service workers, Rob White, Norman King, Phil Terrance, and others donate their time on the main day to help make this event so successful each year.

This year Kids for Fishing has branched out into two new programs: the SRC Kids for Fishing, and Family Time Fishing, which Burns has helped implement, targeting the non-native youth in the area.  “This year one of the volunteer fishermen reached out to me to help put together a Kids for Fishing program near Montreal for next year.  It’s easy for me to do, I’ve been doing this for so long I just kind of go.  This program is unique and special to me, and the kids love it.”

ATV: By Ohseraséia:hawi