YORK, Pa. — Parents looking for something fun to do with their kids over the weekend might consider taking them fishing.
At one York City lake, it’s not the children who need supervision but the adults.
Kiwanis Lake is home to the annual Kids Fishing Derby when it’s stocked with trout.
Anglers may also find catfish, carp, and bass, but not everyone should break out their fishing rod just yet.
At Kiwanis Lake in York, you’ll find a lot of signs with a lot of rules such as don’t feed the waterfowl, no trespassing, no bikes.
There also is one little known city ordinance that could use a few more signs to spread the word.
City of York superintendent of parks and sanitation Keith Gerber said “if you’re older than 16, basically if you carry a fishing license you shouldn’t be fishing in Kiwanis Lake. You probably should be fishing in a larger lake.”
According to York city ordinance Article 741.04, “no person other than children under sixteen years of age shall fish in Kiwanis Lake.
“It was originally built for children to fish and for folks with disabilities to have a place to go and fish. So, I think that what we really try to do is maintain the environment, or maintain the lake for fishing for those guys,” Gerber said.
There are lots of ducks and geese around the lake, but few, if any, fishing age-restriction signs.
“We are going to be putting more signs up, just for education so people do know, although we have tons of ordinances in the city that there isn’t a sign for,” Gerber said.
Besides a lake full of water fowl, some may ask who’s actually keeping an eye out for over-age anglers.
“The police enforce it, but we don’t do targeted enforcement. We had police officers over there to patrol the lake because we had some wildlife issues, and they were just informing folks that there was an ordinance,” Gerber said.
There are other activities adults can enjoy at Kiwanis Lake besides fish.
Bird watcher Mary Southern said “take pictures of the birds. I don’t have a fishing pole with me, I’m not planning on fishing.”
The crime and punishment for anyone over the age of 16 caught catching fish is a citation that would cost no more than $50.