Lacy May knows the Homesteader Fishing Pond well. Twenty-seven years ago she was brought to the pond by her father, Rick Ebersberger, on Powell’s annual Kids' Free Fishing Day. On that day she caught her first fish with her father by her side, helping her bring in the lively trout.

She has kept a picture of the event (clipped from the Tribune and published in June 17, 1997) and often looks at the image. The black and white photo, taken when film was still in daily use, is a prize that makes May nostalgic.

On Saturday, June 1, Lacy and her husband Jordan May brought their children, McCoy, 3, and Maverick, 1, to the pond. It was a special event including grandmother Crystal May and her partner Wade Barman in attendance. They had attended the fishing event last year, but McCoy got skunked.

Seeing McCoy bringing in his first fish with his father at his side — mixed with memories of time spent with her father — made a big lump of emotions well up in her throat. She fought to hold back tears as she told the story of her first fish.

McCoy didn’t want to touch the fish.

“They’re too slimy,” Lacy said.

McCoy was fishing with a rod and reel he won last year. The Powell Rec Department had awarded the setup to McCoy last year and had more than 100 rod and reels and other prizes for participants on hand Saturday.

This year was the 38th year of the locally popular spring event. Recreation Supervisor Joe Cates and Rec Department Director Colby Stenerson were busy calling out raffle ticket winners and enjoying the sight of big trout jumping while children giggled.

In past years the trout have been stubborn, but not this year. Trout, some as big as 17-inches, were hungry for worms and lures and the splashes of battles were like a wave across the cement pond. Powell’s Kalee Goolsbey brought Rowdy, Rhylee, Rhenn and Ryatt to the event.

“They all limited out in 30 minutes,” she said proudly while carrying the bucket of fish.

To top it off, three of the boys won fishing poles in the raffle. The Goolsbey family has made the event a spring tradition, bringing their boys to opening day at the facility for the past 13 years, she said.

“It's great to see the kids out here with mom and dad and the little brothers and sisters fishing,” Cates said. “It’s a great family outing.”

Seth Carter was watching his son Titus reel in a spirited trout. Both were excited by the fish’s feisty antics.

“That one [fish] jumped and fought like I've never seen before,” Carter said.

But thinking back over the years as his son has grown into an experienced angler has been the most rewarding part of the experience.

“What's really fun is seeing the progression of him getting more confident. Even last year he needed me to bait the hook, but this year he is doing it all on his own,” Carter said.

The event is all about encouraging children to seek adventure through fishing. The local Walleyes Unlimited chapter has been sponsoring the event for years. This year the group was set up at a church table full of colorful lures waiting for children to pick one as their own.

“Seeing the kids enjoying themselves and getting out of the house and in the outdoors is very important,” said Marvin Matthiesen, a representative for the organization. “You know, we're starting to lose kids to video games; so it's nice to see so many kids get up off the couch and get out here and enjoy stuff.”

Walleyes Unlimited is a nonprofit organization whose “main mission is education to young anglers, conservation and community service, all around walleyes. The Powell members are part of the Big Horn Basin Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited of Montana.

The organization will be running their own kids' fishing day in July, featuring a barbecue and fishing. The date has yet to be determined.

(Editor's note: This version corrects the spelling of Rick Ebersberger's name. It had been misspelled in the June 17, 1997 edition of the Tribune.)