By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
The annual Fishing Forever event returned to the stunning manicured wilderness of Strohmans Pond on June 11 after a two-year pandemic-induced hiatus.
The event was created – arguably with very forward thinking – over 30 years ago by the B.C. Wildlife Federation with a simple goal: to provide an opportunity where people with disabilities can learn, or continue, to fish and enjoy the outdoors.
For Mike Stiles who is one of the organisers of the local event and who has long been involved in a number of organisations working on accessibility, including currently co-chairing the Acessibility and Age Friendly Committee in Osoyoos, this simple act of getting people out fishing can literally change a person’s life.
“It can change a person’s life because they realise they can do something others do and it progresses into other things as well,” he said.
He says he met one man at the event previously who hadn’t been fishing in 20 years since he injured himself.
“They come out and it’s a real equalizer because you only need a fishing rod and its powerful. For some people it sometimes takes years to get over their disabilities. We all have disabilities here so there is camaraderie,” said Stiles who has a ‘quad’ disability which requires some minor adaptations to his fishing rod.
The event takes place at a dozen locations across the province with the Osoyoos event hosted by Brian and Carolyne Strohmann at their exquisite pond 22 km east of town. The B.C. Wildlife Federation and Accessible Okanagan are key sponsors of the event.
“We started in 2014 when my eldest son who was a member of a fishing and game club in Osoyoos. The club was talking about this program and he said, ‘oh we can do that at my place!’, without consulting with his father,” Strohman laughs.
That first year was a single day event but because some people were coming from further afield, overnight camping became the norm.
And as the event progresssed Strohman says seniors from Mariposa were also invited to join.
“But because of COVID and the technicalities there we didn’t invite them this year but we hope to get them back next year because they really enjoy getting out,” he said noting there is typically around 10 seniors that come up for the day.
The pond is stocked with triploid rainbow trout which are a sterile fish so they don’t spawn and there is also the benefit that they grow larger than normal trout. Go Fish B.C. sponsors the stocking of the pond with 100 ‘catchable’ fish of around 226 grams each.
Well over 80 per cent of the pond is accessible making it the perfect venue for this event. “You just can’t beat this, there’s so many accessible locations around the pond. We are blessed,” Stiles adds.
Because of the COVID-19 lockdowns over the past two years Strohman says the pond wasn’t stocked so he doesn’t know how many fish, or their size, are residing in the pond, but there’s a good number he’s confident. The spring-fed pond was created by constructing an earthen dam back in 1996, he notes.
The fishing day also has a contest element to it, with prizes for the first fish, biggest fish and most fish caught between 12 and 3 p.m. Strohman said.
He noted that because the event was being held for the first time since COVID-19 started, “we’re a little lighter on numbers”, but there are more kids this year “which is lots of fun because they just have a blast and that’s what it’s for too.”
And for one young boy who caught his first fish it will be an event he will probably long remember. In the midst of speaking to Shawn who is wheel-chair bound, the rod that he and his son Oliver are tending jerks into action as a fish takes the bate. And as easy as that Oliver has his first ever fish as his proud dad helps bring it in.
This is the first year Shawn and his family which includes his other son Eli and his wife Samantha, are attending from Kelowna. “I’m friends with a lot of the people that have been coming here for a few years and I’ve always wanted to and this is the first time I can make it work and bring the kids,” he said.
Meanwhile, Stiles has been busy in Osoyoos working with the Osoyoos Indian Band and B.C. Parks to try and get an accessible dock at sw̓iw̓s Provincial Park. Aside from offering greater accessibility for those with disabilities, the dock would provide fishing and learning opportunities for children about the OIB’s long history in the area, the lake and climate change as well.
And for one young boy who caught his first fish it will be an event he will probably long remember.
In the midst of speaking to Shawn who is wheel-chair bound, the rod that he and his son Oliver are tending jerks into action as a fish takes the bate. And as easy as that Oliver caught his first ever fish as his proud dad helped him bring it in.
This is the first year Shawn and his family which includes his other son Eli and his wife Samantha, are attending from Kelowna.
“I’m friends with a lot of the people that have been coming here for a few years and I’ve always wanted to and this is the first time I can make it work and bring the kids,” he said.
Meanwhile, Stiles has been busy in Osoyoos working with the Osoyoos Indian Band and B.C. Parks to try and get an accessible dock at sw̓iw̓s Provincial Park.
Aside from offering greater accessibility for those with disabilities, the dock would provide fishing and learning opportunities for children about the OIB’s long history in the area, the lake and climate change as well.
Fishing Forever 2022 Mike Stiles
