Members of the Boys' and Girls' Club of Orangeburg, along with their parents, enjoyed a fun day of fishing Saturday at the U.S. Fish Hatchery in Orangeburg.

According to Boys' and Girls' Club Director Tom Eklund, the club, in cooperation with the U. S National Fish Hatchery, has sponsored this day of fishing "for seven or eight years" of the 36 years the club has existed.

"We've had a lot of kids" over the years come to fish during the special day.

Hatchery Manager Willie Booker said the hatchery will drain two ponds of all of the stock fish and leave the catfish so that three groups -- the kids from the Boys' and Girls' Club, senior citizens and special needs individuals -- can enjoy a day of fishing.

Booker said the Orangeburg hatchery supplies seven to 10 million fish to stock public waters in the southeastern United States.

"The striped bass will go to Lake Murray and the Santee Cooper lakes and rivers," he said.

The Orangeburg hatchery supplies Red Breast and Blue Gills, some of which will go to Louisiana because Hurricane Katrina adversely affected the hatchery there.

Hatchery personnel were assisted Saturday with the Boys' and Girls' Club fishing day by other federal wildlife employees from Congaree National Park, Beidler National Forest and Santee Wildlife National Refuge.

Santee National Wildlife Refuge Park Ranger Kay McCutcheon conducted an outdoor class on Wetlands Habitat for the young people. She said she also, during such events, conducts classes on the different types of fish and how to recognize them.

T&D Correspondent Larry P. Jordan can be reached by phone at 803-874-3276. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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