By RORY MOORE
Tiger Media Network
Hays Public Library partnered with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism to host its Fishing at Big Creek activity at Frontier Park on Thursday. Parents and children came to learn about various fish species that occupy the river through Big Creek and how to fish.
A channel catfish. 
Hays Public Library director Brandon Hines shows Easton Hill and Samuel Phannenstiel how to attack a hook. 
Dave Salsberry, District Fishing Biologist from the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, gives advice on how to work with young kids while fishing. 
Salsberry shows how to operate a fishing rod. 
Salsberry talks about the fishes species that swim in Big Creek. 
Martin Thibault fishes at the pond. 
Thibault catches a blue gill. 
A private lesson by a parent. 
Salsberry gives some tips on where to throw bait. 
Thibault amused by a fish Hines holds. 
Thibault proudly shows off the Bluegill he caught.
Fishing at Big Creek originated in 2006 under the tutelage of District Fisheries Biologist Dave Spalsberry.
“My job is to provide more and betting fishing opportunities for the public,” he said. “Parents and grandparents are coming here wanting to take young kids fishing for an activity during the summer, so part of the thing here is to educate the parents almost more than the kids.”
Spalsberry began the activity with a lecture on how to operate a fishing rod, emphasizing a setup that is easy to work with while exercising patience.
“Simplicity is key,” he said. “You want to go into a simple setup since we’re fishing with worms and bobbers. When I see kids bring stuff to them [while fishing], they’ll bring this huge hook that looks like it should be sharp, but you can’t catch small fish on a big hook. You can catch big and small fish on a small hook. With young kids catching fish fast because they’re impatient, it’s important. That’s where maximizing your chance by using small hooks is good.”
All families worked with limited space to fish at Big Creek, which taught them the lesson of adapting to challenging conditions.
“To fish deeper, move the bobber away from the hook so that’ll put the bait deeper,” Spalsberry said. “To fish shallower, move the bobber down toward the hook. We gotta be careful since the hooks are sharp, and we don’t need hooks buried in hands, ears, or eyelids. The key is situational awareness, knowing what is around you. You don’t want people around you real close to where you can hook them. Plus, we have all this overhanging vegetation and trees.”
Spalsberry stressed the need to teach fishermen how to be more patient through the activity, especially at a young age.
“You have to learn to be patient,” he said. “When I see kids cast out, they’ll retrieve it right back over and over again. The longer the bait is in the water, the more chances you have of catching the fish. You gotta link in time and invite it.”
More information about fishing locations and licensing can be found at https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing.