The Department of Natural Resources will host a celebratory event Saturday, April 29, at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery in Mattawan, Michigan, to dedicate a new kids fishing pier.

Visitors listening to interpreter at Wolf Lake State Fish HatcheryIn 2014, the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund awarded a development grant to the hatchery (located in the southwest corner of the state) to improve accessibility and to provide additional fishing and educational opportunities for visitors.

The public is welcome to attend this event, held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., to see several special guests provide remarks to recognize the importance of these improvements. Following the remarks and a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a special kids fishing event will take place on the fishing pier and tours of the hatchery will be provided.

"Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery Visitor Center has been providing opportunities to teach kids to fish for more than 15 years," said DNR interpreter Shana Ramsey. "This new fishing pier gives us the ability to provide a better fishing experience for kids. It's our hope that getting kids interested in fishing will create future anglers and natural resource stewards."

The Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery and Visitor Center is located at 34270 County Road 652 in Mattawan.

Please note, the new fishing pier is open to walk on, but it is not open to the public for fishing, other than during scheduled events hosted by the Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery.

Other site improvements focused on the visitor center show pond also were completed with the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant. These include a new path around the pond, native plantings along the shoreline to help stabilize the bank, and a new railing on the dock. Also added was a universally accessible path between the show pond and the new kids fishing pier, as well as interpretive signs that highlight some unique features found at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery.

For more information on this, and other state fish hatcheries, visit michigan.gov/hatcheries.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state's natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.



Contact: Shana Ramsey, 269-668-2876 or Martha Wolgamood, 269-668-2696, ext. 25