If you were 12 years old or younger, the place to be was Kids Corner.

Kids Corner wasn’t a drop-off zone or an afterthought — it was a hands-on launchpad into the world of fishing. Young anglers learned how to make their own fishing lure, colored posters for a chance to win prizes, and every single one walked away with a free musky lure of their own. For a kid, that’s basically treasure.

Todd and Lauri of Leopardi Leo Lure Company ran the coloring contest, and let’s just say the competition was fierce. The focus and intensity at those coloring tables rivaled any musky angler waiting for a strike. Future designers? Possibly. Future diehard anglers? Almost guaranteed.

But the fun didn’t stop there.

NYSDEC staff drilled a hole through the 10-inch-thick ice to release the musky fingerlings into the lake from the musky expo aquarium. Photo courtesy of Katia Rivers

The musky show scavenger hunt sent kids exploring the expo floor, where they discovered one of the most memorable stops of the weekend: the NYSDEC fisheries team. Biologists and technicians brought along an aquarium filled with live musky fingerlings — tiny versions of the apex predator that rules Chautauqua Lake.

Kids leaned in close, eyes wide, as they listened to how these baby muskies came to be and learned something powerful: the very fish they were staring at would be released into Chautauqua Lake the next day.

That moment connected the dots. Fishing isn’t just about catching the biggest fish in the lake. It’s about conservation, stewardship, and understanding the life cycle of the species that make places like Chautauqua Lake special.

On Sunday, that lesson became unforgettable.

NYSDEC staff and show chairperson Katia Rivers drilled a hole through the 10-inch-thick ice to release the fingerlings into the lake. Kids who had attended on Saturday reportedly begged their parents to come back just to witness the release. (And if you’ve ever tried to convince a kid to willingly return to a winter event instead of staying home, you know that’s saying something.)

Watching those baby muskies slip into their future home wasn’t just cute — it was meaningful. Those kids now have a personal connection to Chautauqua Lake. Years from now, when they cast a line into those waters, they might just wonder if the fish on the end of it was once the tiny fingerling they watched swim away.

Meanwhile, the show delivered plenty for adult anglers, too. Sunday Funday featured a buzzworthy special from Zach Baker of Baker Musky Lures, offering $25 musky baits — a rare deal in a world where handcrafted hard baits can push $100. For musky enthusiasts, that was like spotting a 50-incher in clear water.

With free admission for the kids and discounts for retired and active veterans and first responders, the event made it easy for families to attend. And that matters.

Events like the New York Musky Expo do more than sell gear. They spark curiosity. They introduce kids to the outdoors in a way that feels exciting, accessible, and fun. In an age of screens and schedules, handing a child a fishing lure and letting them learn about the biggest freshwater fish in their own backyard is powerful stuff.

For Chautauqua County, the expo warmed up a winter weekend, bringing anglers indoors, supporting local tourism, and reminding visitors why this lake, this community and this fishery are worth celebrating.

Gotta Love the outdoors.

CALENDAR

Feb. 12: Chautauqua County Federation of Sportsmen, monthly meeting, 7 p.m., Lakewood Rod/Gun Club. Agenda: Election of officers; Right to hunt, fish, trap; Drone/WNY Deer Search.

Feb. 14: WNY Walleye Fisherman’s Flea Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Knights of Columbus, 36 Pierce Ave., Hamburg; Info: Chris Kempf, 716-400-9258; Jim Plinzke, 716-861-8817.

Feb. 17: Children in the Stream, Youth Fly Fishing program, free, Costello Room, Rockefeller Art Center, SUNY Fredonia, 7-8:30 p.m., 12 years old and older, info: 716-410-7003 (Alberto Rey).

Feb. 19-22: Greater Niagara Fishing Expo, Niagara Falls. Over 200 seminars. Visit www.niagarafishingexpo.com.