SOUTH FORK - Saturday morning, June 14, several young anglers gathered with their families at Saddlebrook Pond just outside of South Fork to enjoy a morning packed full of fishing and fun. The Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) along with the South Fork Visitor Center have hosted this event for well over 10 years and helped spread the joy of fishing to younger generations. 

Thanks to the generosity of a private landowner, the event moved from Tucker Ponds two years ago to the Saddlebrook area ensuring that those who participated in the event would be able to catch their limit in fish. 

CPW Officer Jeremy Gallegos and one of his helpers were on hand throughout the morning to help young anglers get down the basics of fishing. Colorado State rules and regulations can be confusing, even for adults, and this event gives local CPW officers a chance to start teaching future anglers at a young age. Several volunteer officers come out to show participating children how to identify certain species of fish that reside in local waters, how to be safe while out in the woods and how to follow rules and regulations that are so important to follow for various reasons. 

“We really have a lot of fun hosting this event. The children are always so excited to learn to fish, and it is fun seeing the families come out to enjoy the day,” said Gallegos. “We appreciate all of the work that goes into this event 

South Fork is home to some of the best fishing in the state, with Gold Medal waters all along the Rio Grande and the plentiful lakes and reservoirs within 20 miles of the town. South Fork is also home to a stretch of the Rio Grande that has been dubbed some of the best Gold Medal waters in the state for fishing. 

For the event, CPW stocks the small pond to make sure that those that participate are pretty much guaranteed to catch a fish and there is nothing better for Father’s Day than to hear the peals of laughter as young anglers reel in their first fish for the day.  

At the end of the morning, CPW handed out new poles to those who participated in this year’s event and thanked everyone for coming out to enjoy a day on the water and catching fish to take home for dinner.  

Next up for South Fork will be the Summer Social event at Rickel Park on Thursday beginning at 4 p.m. Come out and enjoy an evening of fun games, face painting, vendors, food, and live entertainment. This is an excellent way to spend a summer afternoon enjoying the company of neighbors and friends. For a more information, visit www.southfork.org.