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Families from both sides of the mighty Mississippi flocked to the Two Rivers Family Fishing Fair at Pere Marquette State Park in Grafton on Saturday, June 6.
The free event had something for all ages, and included several activities for the young in years and, of course, the young at heart.
Sarah Isringhausen, wife of event organizer Scott Isringhausen, was on hand to talk about the day as she sold raffle tickets for prizes that were given away at the fair.
“We won’t know the exact number until the end of the day, but I’m sure it will be close to over five thousand people in attendance,” Isringhausen said.
“The gratitude of everyone involved, and getting to have fun has to be the best part,” Isringhausen said. “Some kids never get to experience these kind of outdoor activities, or even get to fish at all, and the fact that they get to do it here today is great.”
Isringhausen also said that without the help of over 500 volunteers and nearly a hundred sponsors, the event would not be possible.
Educational activities were featured at the fair, which included a lecture on proper water safety and life jacket use. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife service demonstrated, with live specimens, how to identify certain fish that are indigenous to the waters of the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. The organization also described the effects of the invasive Asian Carp population that plagues the river way. Phillips 66 and the Wood River Refinery sponsored a four thousand gallon aquarium that exhibited the species that call the nearby waters home.
Illinois Conservation Police officers Mike Goetten explained how his time at the fair as a young child inspired him to protect the environment.
“I attended the fair as a kid, volunteered, and approached an officer like Officer Weishaupt here,” Goetten gestured to the officer on his left. “I told him I wanted to be a conservation officer and here I am, nine years later.”
The event not only taught the participating children about the river and its inhabitants. Several fishing-based activities were also available for children of all ages to play and test their skills. Younger children were able to “catch” fish on a blue tarp. Another activity allowed the kids to catch battery-operated fish with magnetic hooks that attached to their mouth.
But the fun did not stop there. Live trout and blue gill were placed in swimming pools filled with fresh water and small ponds so event goers could try their hand at real fishing. Kids who caught fish from the trout pool were allowed to, with their parent or guardian’s permission, take their catch home with them. The blue gills were returned to the pond.
“I caught three fish!” little Liam Tinker said, as his mother, Kristen Tinker, looks at her son’s beaming expression.
“I just like spending time with the family,” Tinker said. “It’s a beautiful day out, which makes it good to spend it outside with my kids.”
