City hosts Family Fish Day May 18
May 12—The City of Palestine will be holding a Family Fishing Day, allowing Palestine and other Anderson County families the chance to come out and test their own angling skills, free of charge.
The event is set for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 18, and will take place at Blue Lake.
In 2022, the City of Palestine completed a massive clean-up of Blue Lake, removing debris and deep water root systems, as well as the clearing of brush from the banks.
"History shows that Upper and Lower lakes used to be the source of water for our city," said Patsy Smith, director of Palestine Parks and Recreation. "Blue Lake used to be a reserve for water many years ago. Blue Lake basically was forgotten after its water resource was no longer viable. I am an avid fisherman and enjoy being outdoors. I found that the lakes were not being utilized like they should be and basically they are a hidden gem for our community. This has become my passion, to clean up these lakes and make them more user friendly for families, and to hopefully bring fishing back to our community."
Smith also said that the efforts in keeping the lakes clean have helped contribute to the rise in outdoor activity in the city, including seeing more young people taking up hobbies such as fish and boating. She also said the city is planning to restock the lakes in the future, to insure a healthy fish population for want to be anglers.
Fishermen of all ages will be welcome at this year's event, and no fishing license will be required to catch catfish at this event. Anglers will have a limit of five fish, and while participating in the Family Fishing Day, all fishers must abide by Texas state fishing laws.
There will be a limited amount of bait and tackle available at the event, but patrons are encouraged to bring their own fishing rigs if possible.
Prizes will be awarded throughout the day for children age 17 and under.
According to Smith, the Family Fish Day is just the first of several fishing events the city is planning.
"This coming year we will also be doing our very first Senior Fish Day, so that seniors from our local nursing homes can come out and enjoy a day of fishing as well," Smith said.
This event is set for Saturday, May 25.
