Eau Claire (WQOW) - This month, you can test the waters
of a Wisconsin winter sport, for free. The first winter Free Fishing Weekend is set
for January 19th and 20th.
For some, winter means hibernation,
for others, hiding out would mean missing out.
"Once you pull one
through the ice you are kind of hooked," says Eau Claire resident Taylor Mattson.
Ed Culhane, the Public Affairs
Manager for the Wisconsin DNR in Eau
Claire, says, "It takes
a little bit of a heartier soul to get out in the cold weather and on the
ice."
Drilling, scooping, and jigging may
not be at the top of your to-do list, but, on January 19th and 20th, you may
want to add it.
"Anybody can fish
without having to buy a license on that weekend," says Culhane.
The free ice fishing weekend is part
of the Sporting Heritage Bill, a law passed last year to help make outdoor
recreation in Wisconsin
more accessible.
Culhane says,"It's
a way to encourage people who maybe haven't tried it, to give it a try. They
don't have to buy a license they can go out and see if it's something they
like."
"I don't think a
lot of people, if they don't have the equipment, or if they don't know people
with the equipment, it's hard to get them out on the ice," says
Mattson.
Sometimes less is more, but, not when it
comes to catching fish, or the amount of
people who care about winter recreation.
Culhane says, "It
gives a constituent for the outdoors, it gives us a large group of advocates,
people who care about it and are going to participate in taking care of the
natural resources."
And, even if you don't have beginners luck…"It's fun, being able to make friends, just based off
of having the same interest. Spending time with family and friends, just
getting away from everyday life," says Eau
Claire resident Brandon Dressel.
Before you get out on any lake,
always check with locals about ice the conditions.
For years, Wisconsin has also had an open water Free Fishing
Weekend, it falls on the first weekend of June.
