GooseFest - Nelson's Pond

20th Annual GooseFest
October 18 - 25, 2008

Kenmare volunteers help with special needs fishing day
Published June 11, 2008 in The Kenmare News

By Caroline Downs

A.J. of Minot smiled as he held up his freshly-caught perch for a keepsake photo. Then he handed the fish over to Curtis Golde, Kenmare, at the cleaning station.

Golde, a volunteer for the Special Needs Fishing Day held Saturday at Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge, stretched the fingers of one hand across the fish and looked at A.J. "It’s ten inches, I’ll bet," he told the boy, who grinned and nodded his agreement.

The fish was filleted and bagged within minutes, and stashed in a cooler for A.J. to take home. Most of the other people attending the event had abandoned their poles for the noon meal , but A.J. kept his line in the water until the perch took his bait. His patience paid off with fresh fish for supper.

A.J. was one of a handful of fishermen who actually landed fish Saturday, but everyone holding a pole seemed to enjoy themselves. "As long as the weather stays good, it’s a good day," said Tom Pabian, wildlife refuge manager at Upper Souris NWR. "Even if the fish don’t cooperate, it’s a good day!"

And while gusty winds stirred whitecaps on Lake Darling itself, the water remained fairly calm where fishermen and their assistants lined the shore at the Souris River Public Fishing Area. The occasional pelican swooped overhead, blue-winged teal paddled in the calm pools, and yellow-headed blackbirds defended their territories at top volume, but the fishermen remained intent on their poles, waiting to see their bobbers disappear below the water’s surface with a strike from a perch or feisty northern pike.

Duane Anderson, biological technician at Upper Souris NWR, glanced at fishermen up and down the shore. Then he checked with chefs Al Elliot and Harry Capaci, volunteers from the Pheasants for the Future chapter in Minot, to see if they were ready to start serving. At one point during the morning Anderson carried a clipboard holding his notes, but it was misplaced among the cheerful chaos. He didn’t seem too worried about the loss. "It’ll show up," he said with a shrug.

The clipboard might just be a prop, given Anderson’s experience with coordinating the Special Needs Fishing Day at the refuge since it started 16 years ago. "We saw a need for it and we just decided to do it," he said. "We’ve got the facilities here."

He looked around at the day’s crowd, taking their places for burgers, hot dogs and the trimmings. "There were less than a hundred people here that first year," he said. "There are close to two hundred here today, with all the clients, caretakers and nurse’s aides. Plus, there are approximately thirty volunteers. It’s grown tremendously!"

The Special Needs Fishing Day attracts fishermen throughout the area, including Minot and Stanley. According to Anderson, the Vocational Workshop in Belcourt sent people to the event this year for the first time, as did Tri City Cares of Stanley. Anderson also works with Souris Valley Special Services to promote the opportunity with eligible children in the public school districts and those attending classes at Minot Air Force Base.

"We have clients come who are three and four years old, up to folks who are 60 and 70 years old," he said. "Disabilities know no age."

Once the fishermen arrive, they’re treated to a carefree day of fishing with gear, bait, lunch and even insect spray provided. Spending time outdoors on a sunny June day seems fine with them, even if they’ve never fished. "It doesn’t seem to make any difference what they catch," said Anderson. "When one person catches a fish, ten others are excited about it!"

Darin of Minot agreed. He was partnered with Arlen Gartner of Kenmare and had his line baited with smelt. "I came last year and caught a couple fish," he said, adding that he has attended most years. "I’ll take anything that bites my line."

Dorothy from Minot was fishing at the event for the second time. She hadn’t caught anything yet, but she happily chatted with friends she saw. "I like all the people," she said.

Edith McDonald of Minot watched her two young sons sitting on the bank, totally focused on their orange bobbers floating in the water. "This is our first year," she said, explaining how the family heard about the program through one son’s school. "They’re liking it."

Chuckie of Minot had his fishing spot chosen in a shady site along the riverbank, with Larry Nore, Kenmare, working to keep his line out of a stand of cattails. Chuckie’s nightcrawler hadn’t attracted any bites, so North Dakota Game and Fish Department warden Jim Burud, Kenmare, delivered a new line baited with smelt.

"Boy, watch this!" Chuckie said, certain his luck was about to change.

Lucas from Minot was fishing along the same stretch of shore and landed a northern with assistance from Gartner. He hoped to add to his package of fillets during the day, with plans for supper. "I’m going to put it on the grill at home," he said.

"It’s a pretty special day," said Gartner. He and Nore have been volunteering with the fishermen for the past six or seven years and representing Kenmare GooseFest, which regularly provides funding for the event along with Kenmare Vet’s Gaming.

A third organization that supports the fishing day is the Souris River Basin Longbeards, an affiliate of the National Wild Turkey Federation. The Longbeards have been assisting at the Special Needs Fishing Day for five years, with Steve Weiskopf, Brian Lokken, Renee Bergstad and Sue Robb joining vice-president Peter Yung at the bait table Saturday.

"It’s nice to have a couple of organizations coming together on this," said Weiskopf.

"Every chance we can partner with the other agencies, we do that," Yung added.

"We have fun," Weiskopf said, gesturing to include his colleagues and the fishermen waiting to choose the best minnow, smelt or worm for their hooks. "That’s the main thing."

Anderson expressed his gratitude for the support offered by the three organizations, as well as the cooperation from the North Dakota Game and Fish Department and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. "We really appreciate the volunteers and the funding that’s given to this event," he said.

He grinned. "I’ll accept volunteer help any time I can, and funding!" he said, adding that the event’s popularity also resulted in higher food costs and a need for additional equipment.

Most important to Anderson, though, is getting the word out about the Special Needs Fishing Day to potential fishermen. "I’m always looking for people who want to come and fish, who have disabilities," he said. "They may be living alone or in a care home. We’d sure welcome them!"

He can all but guarantee a good time for any new fishermen, judging from the responses he hears from repeat visitors. "Some of the clients we’ve gotten to know quite well, and they look forward to this," he said. "Some of the clients start asking their counselors and caretakers about this in the winter time. They wait for this event."

Anderson relies on press releases and invitations sent to group facilities in the area, as well as word of mouth, for publicity. This year, volunteers distributed notes about next year’s Fishing Day to everyone along the shore Saturday, the papers decorated with a green frog carrying a pole and a sign marked "Gone Fishin’."

The 2009 Special Needs Fishing Day will follow tradition and be held on Saturday, June 6th. The first Saturday in June each year coincides with the free fishing weekend for North Dakota residents, sponsored by the North Dakota Game & Fish Department.

For more information, Anderson can be reached at Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge by calling 701-468-5467.