PAYETTE, Idaho — The Payette River Bassmasters volunteered to help hundreds of youngsters learn more about the outdoors during the 15th annual Kids Conservation Clinic, June 13, at the Leroy Atwood ponds near the Payette River.
The event drew 455 kids ranging in age from 6 to 17 years old along with parents and grandparents. Activities during the clinic included fishing, boater safety, gun safety, clay target shooting, pellet gun target shooting, BB gun target shooting, archery, rock climbing and a four-wheeler course.
“We have been involved running the fishing event pretty much from the beginning,” said Chris Rambough, Payette River Bassmasters event coordinator. “We had 12 boats on the 20-acre pond, which is loaded with multiple species.
“Idaho Department of Fish and Game brought a tank and we taught the kids about fish care and transporting fish to another location to both maintain a good population-to-food ratio in the pond and to also expand the resource to another pond being groomed for future youth events,” Rambough continued.
Payette River Bassmasters who volunteered to work the event were Chris Rambough, Stacy Rambough, Harold Vaughn, Troy Meckert, Eli Meckert, Cherri Meckert, Dan Cook, Dot Cook, Robert Allison, Bob Allison, Jeremy Metcalf, Kelly Payne-Metcalf, Pat Patterson, Tanner Payne, Mick Birmingham, Rory Clinton, Frank Johnson, Jim Ogstad, Nate Smith, Rob Inson, David VanEtten, Noah Hart, Kaitlyn Stratton, Crissy Rasmussen, Julie Metcalf and Matt Lundstrum.