Let’s all go fishing

Petaluma River Fishing Fair and Can You Canoe-dle events set for Saturday, July 26.

Jena Parsons Maia Pagan and her dad, William, discuss the right lure to catch a big fish. Zoom Photo

PETALUMA FISHING FAIR What: Learn about fishing the Petaluma River, see presentations on tackle, techniques and locations used by successful local anglers and experts from Western Sport Shop. When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 26. Where: Petaluma Marina, 781 Baywood Drive. Admission: $5 donation adults, kids under 16 admitted free. Information: 763-7756 or visit www.friendsofthepetalumariver.org. CAN YOU CANOE-DLE? What: River event for single, active people featuring wine, dessert and an opportunity to paddle on the river. Where: 7-10 p.m. Saturday, July 26. Where: River House, 222 Weller St. Tickets: $25. Reservations: 781-6984.

Petaluma is going to learn a whole lot more about how it can use its river.

The Friends of the Petaluma River will be holding two new events on July 26. The first of the two is the Petaluma River Fishing Fair, meant to teach citizens how to fish the river.

“I have been asked many times what fish are in the river, how to catch them, are they good to eat,” said David Yearsley, founder of Friends of the Petaluma River. “So I’ve seen a lot of people interested in that information.”

The event will be held at the Petaluma Marina at 781 Baywood Drive from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and will include displays, rigs and techniques on bait fishing, a display on artificial loaders, a fly fishing table and exhibition, and other fishing topics. Each will also include a brief 15-minute workshop to educate on those techniques.

The workshops will be taught by Tom Nelson, manager of Western Sports Stores, Mike Simpson, former principal of Petaluma High School, and Dan Wolpert, a fly-fisher.

“We have a great volunteer team,” said Yearsley.

The event also includes a raffle for sporting items donated to Friends of the Petaluma River, the proceeds of which will benefit the organization.

The second of the two events on Sat. will happen later on in the evening, and is geared towards a more adult audience.

For those looking for something a bit more romantic on the river, an event called Can you Canoe-dle? will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. at the dock by the old River House restaurant. It is a way for singles to get together and enjoy an evening on the river.

The event will feature canoeing, wine, dessert and of course, romance. Couples are welcome to the attend event as well.

“The idea was brought to our organization by some enthusiastic volunteers,” said Yearsley. “I think it’s a great way to both get people on the river and have some fun.”

But fishing exhibitions and twilight canoe romance aren’t all that the Friends of the Petaluma River do.

The organization’s motto is “Celebrate and conserve,” and it constantly monitors the quality of the water and works on conservation programs to benefit the fish in the river. In addition, it hopes to found a River Heritage Center so that there can be one place where people can go to learn about the river.

Before Yearsley founded Friends of the Petaluma River in 2005, he served as Petaluma’s Riverkeeper.

“As riverkeeper, I worked with the San Francisco Baykeeper to assess conditions and monitor water quality,” said Yearsley. “And my personal goal was to promote information about the Petaluma River.”

However, Yearsley felt he wasn’t doing enough to increase local knowledge of the river, so he left his job and founded the Friends of the Petaluma River.

“When I first moved here 15 years ago, few people had been on the river, and even fewer knew about its resources,” said Yearsley.

Now the organization does a broad variety of activities, including recreational events, workshops and outings.

“Education, recreation and conservation: those three words really describe what we do,” said Yearsley.

(Contact Joey McMahan at argus@arguscourier.com)