Forest Service hosts Beartree Lake Kids Fishing Day

Release Date: May 15, 2023

Damascus, Va. May 15, 2023—The George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) will host a Kids Fishing Day event on Saturday, June 3, 2023 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Beartree Lake in Washington County. The event is open to children ages 3 to 15 and the lake will be stocked with trout in advance. However, the lake will be closed to fishing on June 2, the day before the event.

“The Kids Fishing Day event is a great way to introduce children to fishing and showcase the outdoor recreation activities available in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area,” says Area Ranger Ed Wright. 

Fishing is free at the event and State game laws for the Youth Fisheries Program do apply. Children are allowed to catch and keep three trout, a minimum of seven inches or longer, and should bring their own poles and any fishing supplies necessary for catching fish. A reminder to parents that only one pole per person is allowed. A parent or adult guardian must accompany all children. Bring a picnic lunch and spend the day. It is anticipated that approximately 10 trophy fish will be included in the stocking.

June 2-4, 2023 is Virginia DWR free fishing days so kids and adults alike can stay through the afternoon and fish. For more information on free fishing days and tips for getting started fishing visit the Virginia DWR website.

For more information, contact the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area at (276) 783-5196, visit our website https://www.fs.usda.gov/gwj or follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GWJNF and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GWJNF

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