Family fishing event lures anglers;

[Spiel]

Family fishing event lures anglers; 'Here fishy fishy,' child calls to icy waters

 

Courtney Whalen / orilliapacket.com

February 25, 2008

 

 

Four-year-old Travis Moxham was angling to leave Lake Couchiching with more than just time spent in the fresh air and sunshine Saturday afternoon.

 

He had his heart set on a fish.

 

"A really, really big one," he said.

 

The Moxham family, dad Tim, mom Jen, Travis and his little brother Kyle, 2, drove from their home in New Lowell, outside of Barrie, to Orillia for Family Fishing Weekend.

 

The weekend, one of two held in Ontario each year, allows fishing with no licence to promote the sport in the province. The second weekend is being held in July this year.

 

"It's family fishing weekend so it's all legal (for us to be out here)," said Tim Moxham as he and his family trudged out onto Lake Couchiching from Tudhope Park. "This way it gets everybody out."

 

While Travis and Kyle have been out fishing with their dad on Georgian Bay, having to drill through the ice to reach the water was new to them.

 

"It's my first time for ice fishing," said Travis.

 

Once they found a spot, Travis, Kyle and mom Jen watched Tim bore holes in the ice and get them set up for their first winter catch.

 

As his dad helped him bait his hook, Travis' mind settled on a subject important to many children, and adults too.

 

"Do we have snacks?"

 

After being assured there were snacks on hand, Travis settled down to wait for the fish to start to bite.

 

Little brother Kyle was trying a different tack to encourage the fish to bite.

 

"Here fishy fishy," he called into his fishing hole.

 

"It's good to get people out because I wouldn't buy a licence," said Jen of the family fishing weekend.

 

Travis said once the family was done fishing Saturday afternoon they planned to meet his grandma and grandpa for lunch.