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Nicholasville Firefighters are ensuring there’s something fun for local kids to do during the dog days of summer. 

At Lake Mingo, on Saturday, August 5, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Nicholasville Fire Department, with the help of the Jessamine County Fire Department and Nicholasville-Jessamine County Parks and Recreation and Stokley’s Marine, will be holding Fishing with Fire, an event that will teach kids how to fish and about necessary water safety with their local firefighters. Life Jackets will be available.

The fire department will also be bringing a fire engine to show off to the kids in case they need a fishing break. 

Austin Roberts started working for Nicholasville Fire in 2020. He commutes from Frankfort to work for Nicholasville Fire Station One. He also works as a mechanic at a boat repair shop on his days off. It was his idea to hold this public education event; he said it came from a love of the sport and wanting to get local kids outside.

“I’ve been doing it since I was little, probably still in diapers. I grew up on a boat dock in a marina.” Roberts said. 

So that there is an even distribution of firefighters to kids, the event is capped at 30 children. Adults can pre-register their child for the event at this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdTJ9XGvCMfJbEx6jUA3E6JwqpRuzA3oXzxoyX1hg6SB6-o-A/viewform

These thirty kids will be given a rod and reel and a small tackle bag to bring home, provided by one of the event sponsors, B&B Bait & Tackle.

Roberts said, however, that if more than 30 kids come, as long as they have been pre-registered, he won’t turn them away. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Resources provided loaner rods and reels for the event, so if extra children show up, they cannot keep the supplies, but they will still be able to fish. 

Parks and recreation will provide a simple hot dog lunch and an inflatable bouncy house that kids can use when not fishing.