BROOKINGS — If you’re a youngster with a hankering for fishing — or want to learn to fish — then make plans check out the Trout Extravaganza this weekend at the Indian Hills Pond in Brookings.
The event will stock the pond with 800 rainbow trout ranging mostly between 12 inches and 14 inches in size, with a couple of 16 inchers as well, Brookings County Outdoor Adventure Center Director Joe Salvati told The Brookings Register.
Children 14 and younger can try their luck hooking a prize catch from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 16 and from noon to 4 p.m. May 17. The Indian Hills Pond is found along Trail Ridge Road just off Main Avenue South. Some other tidbits of information include:
• There’s no cost to take part.
• Equipment and bait will be provided.
• Fish-cleaning services will be offered on site.
Salvati is hoping for a youth turnout at least in the 400 range, adding that past extravaganzas have lured up to 700 youngsters to test the waters with their angling skills.
Anglers already know this, but rainbow trout are widely considered to be an excellent, nutritious and mild-flavored fish — in other words, they make a good meal. They’re also highly versatile — great grilled, pan-fried, or smoked — and are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and vitamins D and B12, according to Nebraskaland Magazine.
The Trout Extravaganza has been a staple event in Brookings for decades, with this year’s event being its 31st. There was a one-year interregnum in 2025 because there weren’t enough event volunteers — and, speaking of volunteers, Salvati said folks willing to step up and lend a hand are still needed for this year’s undertaking. If you’re interested, reach out to Salvati at 605-693-4622 or sign up via the BCOAC’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/BCOAC.
While the BCOAC is now overseeing the event with help from groups, the Trout Extravaganza was organized and administered for years by the Brookings Optimist Club. It’s still involved, too, Salvati said, especially with planning and insurance.
“It’s been a good community effort to bring us together and have the event again,” he said.
— Contact Mondell Keck at [email protected].
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