After raising and donating $9,300 to the Ontonagon County Cancer Association, the Upper Peninsula Sport Fisherman’s Association (UPSFA) will hold its annual Kid’s Fishing Day this Sunday. The annual event takes place at the Rockland Pond.

Rockland Pond is one of the few in Michigan that is a part of a Michigan DNR Program to get children into fishing. The pond is a cooperative venture between the DNR, the UPSFA, Rockland Township, Rockland American Legion Post 92, and American Forest Management.

Every year the UPSFA joins with local sponsors in providing children with fishing poles and bait.

“We also provide free food and drinks,” said Larry Greig, UPSFA board member. “Kids don’t need a license, and the best part is that this pond is known to have lot of fish.”

That may sound like a “fish story,” but this pond has been a popular spot for kids to fish for decades. Formed with the Minesota Mine.

“Every summer kids would go down to this pond and catch panfish. This prompted a lot of local people to get the DNR to make this a youth fishing pond. This concept has caught on and there are other youth fishing ponds in the State,” said Larry.

You can find more information on youth fishing ponds by going to: www.michigan.gov/fishing.

The dedication of the Rockland Pond to be a youth fishing pond prompted the UPSFA to host the Kids Fishing Day. The event returns Sunday after missing last year due the COVID-19 pandemic.

It will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be fun games for the kids to participate in. “One would have to actually be there to see all the smiles from both the children and the parents,” said Diane Greig.

The poles, bait, food, drinks, are all made possible with the support of the Ontonagon VFW, Rockland American Legion Post 92, Lakeshore Systems, JJ’s Tackle Shop, and Walt’s Crawlers.

“While Larry and Diane (Greig) not only started the popular Lake Trout Classic Fishing Tournament, they put this together without credit for their business, Greig’s Taxidermy. Please make sure you mention them as a sponsor,” said J.R. Richardson.

Richardson is the president of the UPSFA and a member of the DNR’s Natural Resources Commission.

It is the UPSFA that is a volunteer organization that cooked fish caught at the Lake Trout Classic for over 240 people.

“We had so many people at that fish fry we had to turn people away,” Larry said.

The Lake Trout Classic tourney has donated close to $100,000 to the Ontonagon County Cancer Association over the last 18 years. The UPSFA and the Greigs are both excited to now turn their attention to this Sunday’s Kids Fishing Day.

For more information about the Kids Fishing Day and to join the Upper Peninsula Sport Fisherman’s Association, you are asked to call Larry or Diane Greig at 906-884-2770. The UPSFA is also active in working with the DNR, Ottawa National Forest, and Keweenaw Bay Indian Community in Fish plants and Fish habitat improvements. Family membership in the UPSFA is $25.00. To join and for more information, contact Pam Karttunen at 906-884-4016.