'Best day of the year'

Kids with disabilities throughout the region enjoyed the opportunity to catch Goldendale rainbow trout, which often put up a big fight with the anglers, at the Merwin Fish Hatchery during the 24th Merwin Day of Fishing on Saturday, July 13.

Pacific Power and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife hosted the fishing event for children with disabilities at the Merwin Fish Hatchery near Woodland. The event gathered over 200 kids eagerly ready to cast a line in the hatchery ponds. The event provided a special opportunity to experience the joy of fishing in a supportive and inclusive environment.

“The importance for today is to give these kids that are facing challenges in their lives the opportunity to do something new, right? A lot of these kids don’t have the opportunity to actually be on the water’s edge to catch a fish for the first time,” Pacific Power President Ryan Flynn said. “It’s just amazing to be out here to bring the community together with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife just to support the families and friends in the community with these kids.”

The anglers caught Goldendale rainbow trout specially raised for the event, with many experiencing the excitement of fishing for the first time, while some make the day an annual trip.

One angler, Josiah Laughlin, experienced quite the fight reeling in a rather large trout, which brought cheers and smiles to those around watching the epic battle between fish and fisherman. Laughlin, who was diagnosed with autism, dysgraphia and dyspraxia, and his family made the trip up the Lewis River from Portland to the Merwin Hatchery for the third year. His mother, Victoria, enjoys watching Josiah succeed and continue to grow his love for fishing.

“We don’t always get to succeed at life, especially if we’ve got some disabilities, and they come out here and are guaranteed to get success at fishing,” Victoria Laughlin said. “This is actually one of the events that helped him love to fish. So we take him out fishing now and getting out in nature. … It encourages him to be outdoors, not on a computer. He’s not on his phone. We come out here, and then we go to the lake, and sometimes we fish at Merwin, but just teaching him that love to be outdoors and not on the screen is awesome.”

The Otto family made the roughly 120-mile drive from Spanaway for a weekend trip so Derrick Otto could cast a line for the ninth year.

“He loves to fish and really likes learning so much about doing it,” Teresa Otto, Derrick’s mother, said. “He looks forward to this every year. So we usually come, and he and I get a room and stay for the weekend … But every year when he knows this is the fishing derby, he’s always so excited for that.”

Battle Ground’s Sam Chumbley and his family were one of the many to make their first trip to the fishing event.

“We don’t fish much, so getting out and being able to do something like this is awesome,” Dan Chumbley, Sam’s father, said.

When the kids arrived at the hatchery, they were given T-shirts, fishing rods, tackle and other items. Then volunteer coaches helped them catch up to five fish, which were cleaned and put on ice while families enjoyed a barbecue.

“The smiles and just the joy that you see out here is incredible,” Flynn said.

The event not only provided a fun recreational activity, but also fostered connections among participants and volunteers. Volunteers from Pacific Power, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and several recreational fishing organizations generously contributed their time and expertise to ensure each child had a fulfilling experience, a press release stated.

The Vancouver Wildlife League (VWL) donated bait and tackle for the fishing derby along with wagons to transport fish to the cleaning station, VWL Director Gene Ritter said. Corporate sponsors also supported the event and provided necessary equipment and resources.

“I enjoy watching these guys enjoying themselves, catching fish and just having something to take home to eat and hoping to get people interested in fishing,” Lee Morgan, a volunteer with the Southwest Washington Anglers Association, said.

The event brings to the hatchery kids with disabilities — including those with spina bifida, cerebral palsy, cancer or other conditions — from Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Legacy Emanuel Children’s Hospital, Kaiser Kids and other institutions, the release stated. The Merwin Day of Fishing for kids with disabilities is an annual event on the second Saturday in July.