Young Anglers Hook Success at Mount Shasta Hatchery’s Kids Fishing Day

Historic Facility Delivers Another Memorable Event for Northern California Families

MOUNT SHASTA, CA – Hundreds of young anglers descended on the Mount Shasta Fish Hatchery last Saturday for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s annual Kids Fishing Day, where guaranteed catches and community spirit created lasting memories for families across Northern California.

The event at the historic facility, located at 3 N Old Stage Road, welcomed children aged 15 and under who could handle a rod and reel. From 8:15 a.m. registration through 2:00 p.m. fishing time, the hatchery buzzed with excitement as kids experienced the thrill of their first catch or added to their growing fishing skills.

True to form, the event delivered on its promise of success. Following the pattern of previous years, young anglers pulled fish from the stocked ponds at an impressive rate, with volunteer counters tracking hundreds of catches in the opening hours alone. Last year’s events saw 2,000 fish caught in June and 1,800 in July, with 400 trout landed in just the first few hours.

Virginia Evans, Scientific Aid and four-year coordinator of the fishing events, watched as her vision of creating future conservationists unfolded throughout the day. “You know you’re going to catch a fish here – it’s about memory recall that grows kids into stewards of nature,” Evans explained. “The exposure and respect for nature leads to mentorship and lifelong conservation values.”

The community volunteer army that makes the event possible was out in full force Saturday. Representing 90% of the workforce, members from the Rotary of Mount Shasta, Rocky Mountain Elks, Shasta Trinity Flyfishermen, California Conservation Corps, and other local supporters created what Evans calls “a full-service event” where families simply needed to show up ready to fish.

The Mount Shasta Fish Hatchery provided the perfect backdrop for the day’s activities. As the oldest operating fish hatchery west of the Mississippi River, the facility has been serving California since 1888 and now produces upwards of 30 million eggs annually for Department of Fish and Wildlife hatcheries statewide.

Parents and grandparents could be seen throughout the day helping children bring coolers and buckets to transport their catches home, ensuring Saturday’s success would extend to family dinner tables.

The event exemplified the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s commitment to connecting young people with California’s outdoor heritage. As Evans observed throughout the day, when kids are guaranteed to catch fish, it creates the kind of lasting memories that often grow into lifelong passion for conservation and outdoor recreation.

With the July 26 event still to come, the Mount Shasta Fish Hatchery continues its role as both a vital component of California’s fisheries management and a bridge connecting generations through the simple joy of a day spent fishing.

Modern touches enhanced the traditional experience, including QR codes that allowed families to easily purchase fishing licenses directly to their smartphones. However, the core mission remained unchanged: creating positive outdoor experiences that foster environmental stewardship.

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