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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has special prizes to offer at the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center kid’s only fishing pond. Spring is the perfect season for fishing, as many fish species, especially crappie and bluegill, congregate to spawn amongst the shallow banks in the water. MDC fisheries biologists are adding a fun and challenging twist to fishing with the debut of a reward fishing program at the kid’s only fishing pond at the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center.
“Fisheries biologists have tagged Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Bluegill, and Redear sunfish in the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center Kid’s Fishing Pond,” said Kamaria Pearson, an angler education assistant. “The tag reads ‘reward’ followed by a series of numbers. If youth anglers catch a fish that with one of these tags, they can remove and mail or present the tag to the Cape Girardeau Southeast Regional Office or Cape Nature Center to redeem their prize.”
Pearson said the fish caught can either be harvested or released back into the pond.
“Our goal is to promote youth fishing and give young anglers an opportunity to win prizes by catching tagged fish. Every tagged fish is a winner,” Pearson said.
Prizes range from t-shirts to basic fishing tackle, as well as an entry into a drawing to win a spin cast fishing combo. The kid’s fishing pond is open to youth anglers ages 15 and younger. For additional information or inquiries, call the Cape Girardeau Southeast Regional Office at (573)290-5730 or the Cape Nature Center at (573)290-5218. For information on fishing and other nature programs at the Cape Nature Center,
