LOLO — Getting into a new sport can be expensive, let alone confusing if there are rules and regulations involved.
But on Thursday in Lolo, kids reeled in new fly fishing skills at no cost.
"I know the state fish! A bull trout," young participant Gabriel Cressler said.
Check out what happened at Traveler's Rest State Park:
Since fly fishing is a way of life for many in Montana, giving kids access to the sport at a young age can create a lifelong passion.
"This is something the Watershed Group, Trout Unlimited, FWP, and State Parks does every year," Lolo Watershed Group board member Pat Treacy told MTN.
Kids had the chance to cast lines with instructors by their side at Traveler's Rest State Park.
"It felt fun and it felt like an exercise," Cressler noted.
Plus, they got to tie knots and even learn best practices to interact with local species.
"Good ethics of how do you fish and not kill or hurt the fish, hopefully if you're doing catch and release. And then, how do you fish? How do you even catch a fish in the first place? The big thing we suggest is when you're fishing, try to use a barbless hook," Treacy explained.
The whole event was for free with the goals of lowering barriers of entry into the sport and inspiring the next generation.
"It's kind of the first step of conservation is loving the resource and then from there people will make steps," Treacy said.
Because of all this new knowledge, Cressler is excited to get on the water with his family.
"I think it's gonna be more fun," Cressler said.
