The Jasper County Conservation Department’s Youth Fishing Club started 2026 strong with over 40 kids from around the county attending the January meeting this week at the Newton Izaak Walton League. The topic for the first meeting of the year was ice fishing. The lake at the Izaak Walton League wasn’t frozen enough for any actual ice fishing, but club members learned about ice safety, basic gear and tackle, and how to locate fish through the ice. Club members were also informed that forty-nine new rod and reel ice combos were purchased for the club through a grant provided by the Izaak Walton League of America Endowment Fund. 

Jasper County Conservation Department Naturalist Greg Oldson helped start the Youth Fishing Club in September 2024 after pitching the idea a couple of years earlier, to a group of kids who were avid fishermen.

“They were really excited and thought that was a good thing to pursue. So we reached out to the schools and some of the kids who had been involved with our camps and set up a meeting. At the first meeting, over 30 kids showed up. So we started the club from there, and have been growing ever since.” 

To learn more about Jasper County Conservation’s Youth Fishing Club, contact the Jasper County Conservation Department at 641-792-9780 or at conservation@jasperia.org.