Connor Gorsuch Kids Fishing Day returns Saturday to Sault Ste. Marie
SAULT STE. MARIE — The annual Connor Gorsuch Kids Fishing Day is returning to Sault Ste. Marie this Saturday, July 30.
This annual event at Rotary Park has been a part of Sault Ste. Marie for more than 20 years. It originally began as a regular fishing tournament, but 19 years ago the Sault community came together to support the family of Connor Gorsuch, a young boy who died shortly after being born. After receiving so much support from the community, Connor's father Gary Gorsuch donated money in his son's name to the Soo Area Sportsmen’s Club, which turned this event into something all the kids in the Sault area could enjoy.
The fishing pond is open during the summer months and stocked with trout. It is reserved for use by kids age 16 or younger.
"We just pick one day to have a fun kid's tournament, it's a one-day event," said Gary Gorsuch. "But these kids can fish in this pond all summer long."
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"I live right next to the pond, on Sugar Island, and some days I'll go to work and see kids pedaling their bike down the road with their fishing poles going fishing early in the morning. It puts a smile on my face," said Gorsuch.
In 2018, the Soo Area Sportsmen’s Club disbanded and the Sault Convention and Visitors Bureau took over organizing the yearly event. Other local organizations also sponsor the event, including Cloverland Electric, the Lake Superior State University Aquatic Research Lab and several local hatcheries that help stock the pond during the summer.
The event used to be held in a small pond near St. Marys River but was moved to a pond in Rotary Park, near Sugar Island, about 10 years ago.
Jordan River National Fish Hatchery also sponsors the event, and has been stocking the pond since it was established in 2004. Each year, the hatchery stocks the pond during the summer, giving 1,000 rainbow trout to the pond and stocking an additional 800 for this event.
Other groups, such as Pendills Creek National Fish Hatchery and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, have donated fish for the pond in the past.
The event is expected to draw hundreds of local kids and teens to join in the fun.
"In past years we've had close to 400 kids," said Gorsuch.
The event is free for kids to participate in, and lunch and refreshments will be provided. All participating children will also be included in a raffle, where they are guaranteed to win some kind of prize. Prizes include bikes, tackle boxes, fishing poles, other fishing equipment and six kids will win half-day long fishing trips on charter boats.
Registration starts at 8 a.m. and will go until 9 a.m. when the fishing begins. Children eight and under will fish from 9 a.m.-10 a.m., children nine to 16 will fish from 10 a.m. -11 a.m. From 11 a.m.-noon, all registered children will be able to fish.
Plaques will be awarded to the kids who land the five biggest fish of the event. The shop Wilderness Treasures will be providing bait for free, other fishing equipment will be available to use but participants are encouraged to bring their own.
There will be no use of lures, contestants will only use hooks and bobbers.
Contact Brendan Wiesner: BWiesner@Sooeveningnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Sault News: Kids Fishing Day returns to Sault Ste. Marie on Saturday
