Disabled anglers relish fishing day
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WOODS BAY — Young and old anglers alike turned up early Thursday morning with the hopes of landing a few fish during the 23rd annual Fishing Without Barriers event on Flathead Lake. The event gives the elderly and disabled an opportunity to fish in boats and along the shore at Saddle Horn Resort in Woods Bay. Eager anglers set out on boats early in the day to try their hand at catching lake trout, and more than a few succeeded, with a total haul of 26 trout. Out on the boat, fishers trolled along the banks looking for good fishing spots and the captain and other helpers handed the rods off to the anglers to reel up the catch. After a morning of fishing, adverse weather compelled the anglers to return to shore, where they enjoyed a barbeque, games, and a western band. Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Information Officer John Fraley created Fishing Without Borders in 1993 in order to provide a safe and fun place for people to do something they wouldn’t normally be able to. According to Fraley, they see everything from developmental disabilities to mobility programs. When the event first started, only about 20 anglers showed up to fish, according to Fraley, but through the years it has grown to more than 80 anglers, depending on the weather. Many people come together to make the event possible, including FWP Crossing the Barriers committee members, FWP game wardens, fisheries biologists, and many volunteers. Jerry Howard, chairman of committee, organized the food, donations, and other aspects of the event, Fraley noted. He also baked chocolate chip cookies, which have become a tradition of the fishing day, which is classified as a 501c organization. “It’s a 501c to enable a time for handicapped and disabled people to enjoy an adventure,” said Kelly Toman, an organizer at the event. “What it boils down to is crossing the barriers.” Crossing the Barriers’ goal is to transcend the challenges that handicapped and disabled people have when it comes to accessing nature. Toman also mentioned how rewarding it was to see the caregivers’ responses to the event. Caregivers devote their whole lives to raising and helping their children and others, and it is amazing to be a small part of that, Toman said. Response from the anglers was also positive. Lucky fish-catchers grinned with excitement as they brought their prizes to shore. They weren’t the only ones who enjoyed the atmosphere surrounding the day of fishing. Hank Campbell, who has helped with the event for the last nine years and more recently taken people out fishing, praises the program for the joy it brings to everyone involved. “For all the trips I get to take as a guide, this one is my favorite,” said Campbell. The boats were provided by Montana Charter Boat association and by private charters and were launched from Hidden Harbor facilities.
