Kicking off the fun for Great Neighbours Week is the ever so popular Kids Can Catch event.

On Saturday, June 15th, families are invited to come down to Mitford Pond and try their luck at hooking a trout from the stocked pond.

Brianne Sachdev, Town of Cochrane, Community Liaison & Programmer of Neighbourhood Inclusion shares for the past four years Cochrane has hosted the event thanks to a partnership between Canadian Tire, Alberta Conservation Association (ACA), and the Town of Cochrane. "It is a great family event for all ages; you can learn about responsible angling, water and wildlife safety, and it's a nice outdoor event happening on Father's Day weekend."

(Photo Courtesy: Valentina Fenton)

Although registration for the event is sold out, residents are still welcome to come down to Mitford Pond as long as they bring their own gear. "There was registration for it but we are sold out. There are 175 children registered, so we are expecting 300 to 400 in attendance, but people can still come out to the event as long as they bring their own fishing rod. The reason for that is Canadian Tire provides the rods, and when they are all gone we are booked."

Each year, multiple Kids Can Catch events are held across the province. Volunteers are on-hand to help teach new anglers the proper ways to bait a hook, where to drop a line, and what to do once a fish has been caught.

Children under the age of fourteen are welcome to take their 'catch of the day'; home, however, for everyone else it is catch and release. Alberta Sportfishing Regulations do apply to this event which means residents of Alberta who are between the ages of 16-64 will need to have a sport fishing licence, which you can purchase prior to attending the event at Canadian Tire for 28.00 dollars. 

Kids Can Catch runs from 9 in the morning to 1 p,m., though people are welcome to continue fishing past that time. The event would not be possible without the partnership of sponsorship between Canadian Tire, ACA, and the Town of Cochrane, along with ATB for providing snacks for the annual event.

Although in past years there has always been spots available to register right up until the last day, this year, due to growing popularity, the event was sold out two weeks ago.