PRAIRIE CITY – McHaley Pond will be the site of a free fishing day event Saturday, June 7.

The event will kick off at 9 a.m. and wrap up about 1 p.m. A lunch will be provided at noon. The annual event has been going on for more than 15 years. Last year’s free fishing day drew 85 people to McHaley Pond.

Casting and fishing contests for kids will be held throughout the day. Adults can fish, but the contests are for kids only.

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife fish biologist Tim Unterwegner recommends people come prepared for the day. He said to bring a rod and reel, bait, sunscreen and water.

There will be a limited number of loaner rods and bait available. Unterwegner and other ODFW staff will be on hand to help teach kids how to fish.

“It’s a a fun event and almost everyone catches a fish usually,” Unterwegner said. “It helps gets kids and other first-time fishers interested in fishing.”

The fishing is expected to be good at the event, and to increase the odds of a catch, the pond was recently stocked with rainbow trout. The contract to stock the pond went to Dayville’s Prairie Springs Hatchery.

A fishing license is not needed for the event. The free fishing day is held during Oregon’s free fishing weekend, June 7 and 8. During free fishing weekend fishing licenses and tags are not required in the state, although anglers must adhere to species, bag limit and size restrictions, as well as equipment limitations.

The ODFW and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs John Day Basin Office are hosting the fishing day. McHaley Pond is located less than a mile east of Prairie City, off Highway 26.