Take A Kid Fishing marks 40 years on Lake Bemidji with 93 youth anglers
Forty years after it began in Bemidji, Take A Kid Fishing drew 43 boats and 93 young anglers to Lake Bemidji, keeping the focus on access, mentors and the next generation.
Lake Bemidji’s Take A Kid Fishing reached its 40th year with 43 boats and 93 youth anglers on the water, a turnout that kept the Bemidji tradition centered on access, not competition. On the lake’s 6,500 acres, volunteer captains and guides spent the day getting children into boats and teaching them the basics of fishing, outdoor confidence and how to spend time on the water safely.
The outing has long been pitched as more than a summer activity for children ages 10 to 15. Organizers have said the event teaches fishing skills along with conservation, catch-and-release practices and awareness of lake water quality, giving Bemidji families a structured way to connect kids with mentors who know the lake. The 2026 event also honored one of the founders, a nod to the continuity that has carried the program from 1986 to today.
Bemidji Area Take A Kid Fishing scheduled the 2026 gathering for Wednesday, June 10. Volunteer guides met at Cameron Park at 10:00 a.m., then wrapped up the day with a fish fry at 5:00 p.m. at Lake Bemidji State Park. Those details matter in a community where getting kids on the water can mean lining up boats, adult supervision and transportation in advance, and where the event’s volunteer structure helps make the day possible.
The event also landed just after the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ Take a Kid Fishing weekend, which ran June 5-7. During that special weekend, Minnesotans age 16 or older could fish without a license when taking a child 15 or younger fishing, and children under 16 do not need a license at any time in Minnesota. For Beltrami County families, that combination of local volunteers, a familiar lake and state fishing rules helps keep the tradition open to more kids, even as it enters its fifth decade.
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