Huckleberry Finn didn't show up, but about 50 youngsters and their parents did. Residents of Desert Shores took advantage of the community's first fishing clinic and derby.
Youngsters visited four fishing instruction stations along Lake Jacqueline.
At one, a poster showed various types of fish. At another, plastic fish, looking more like Swedish fish than non-edible fish models, were passed around.
Children learned about bait, tackle, rigging, structure and casting.
"We want the children to come out and enjoy fishing and be safe about it," Ivey Santee aquatic education coordinator for the Nevada Division of Wildlife said. "We want parents to feel comfortable so they take their kids fishing again."
Assisting Santee were volunteers Leon Simon, Robert Gaudet, Ken Marlow, Bill Potter and Chris Pietrafeso.
Under the tents, youngsters learned sparks of wisdom.
"If you catch a fish and you're going to let it go, handle it as little as possible," cautioned Simon. "With the catfish, be careful not to get stuck by the spines. They can poke a hole in your hand and it could get infected. And keep your fingers out of the mouth of a trout. They have a lot of small teeth."
Potter taught a "flip cast" technique which requires a pendulum movement to the weighted line. He had those in attendance copy his movement with varying degrees of success.
"You're not on the dance floor, honey, just rock the fishing line," he cautioned one girl who carried the instruction further than required.
Poles, tackle and bait were provided. The lake was stocked with large mouth bass, black crappies, blue gill, channel catfish, red ear sunfish and flathead minnows.
"I've heard of catfish in there yea big," said Rita Peterson, general manager of the community which headed the fishing committee. "They've really pulled some big ones out of there."
This day, no 5-foot-long fish were reeled in, but it was not for lack of trying.
Ali Hagerty, 11, had instruction of her own to share.
"Big fishies eat little fishies, so if you catch a big one, eat it," she said.
Kayla Cameron, 10, said her chances of catching a fish were pretty fair. Asked who would clean the fish she caught, she quickly said, "Not me."
Paul Werly, 9, said he is a long-time fisherman. But these days, he always releases whatever he catches.
"I don't keep them anymore because no one in my family will eat it," he said.
Kole Wesen, 6, there with his mother, Janice, revealed his secret weapon.
"I use Power bait," Kole said. "So the fish can get on the thing (hook) very fast."
Marlow brought his daughters, Katie, 7, and Riley, 6. Riley said she likes the taste of trout but what she likes best about fishing trips is that "Daddy's quiet."
Her sister piped in with her secret to catching fish.
"I kiss the worms," she said. "That makes them lucky."
No matter how lucky anyone got that day, they were required to follow Desert Shore's catch-and-release policy.
Perhaps the most important rule -- when you cast, don't hook your fellow fishermen.
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