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An Outdoor Escape: Branch Pond on Edwards AFB gets stocked with hundreds of fish for fall fishing season

  • Published
  • By Adam Bowles
  • 412th Test Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  

Branch Pond on Edwards Air Force Base gets stocked with hundreds of fish for the fall fishing season.  If you have a fishing license and base access you can come out and enjoy this unique Edwards gem.

"This is our fall stocking," James Papin, Branch Pond Conservation Manager said. "We decided to stock with largemouth bass and some bluegill."

The largemouth will grow to a maximum length of 24" with the bluegill growing to about 10".  1,300 bluegill was put into Branch Pond during the stocking with about 500 largemouth being put in as well. While waiting for the stocked fish to grow, Papin says there are many large fish already in the pond waiting to be caught.

"It is a really good stocking event for the pond," Papin said. "Branch Pond is in great shape and we saw a lot of fish already, so it's a good time to be fishing."

"It's recreation for the people who live and work here," Greg Paape, Willow Creek Fisheries explained. "You are out in the middle of the desert and something like this is a little goldmine. If you look around you got the trees and the cattails. It's beautiful and is such a nice place to go."

"Civil Engineering and Environmental Management is happy to keep this pond up to date and keep in great shape for whoever wants to come out and fish," Papin said.  "If you have access to the base and have permits through the state and ISportsman, you can come out and fish.  We are happy to see people out here on the weekends and during the week. The mornings and the evenings are a great time to come out.  So, this one of the recreational areas we are happy to provide."

If you need a EAFB fishing pass in addition to the state fishing license, you can go here. 

Edwards provides care, opportunities for children aged six weeks through high school graduation

Edwards provides care, opportunities for childrenaged six weeks through high school graduation

The Child and Youth Program at Edwards AFB provides care and opportunities for kids ages six weeks old through high school graduation. A brief summary of those services follows:

  •                    The Child Development Center cares for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years, with a DOD-wide curriculum. The curriculum is focused on learning through play activities supporting social, emotional, physical and intellectual development. Installations across DOD follow the curriculum on the same timeline to allow seamless permanent change-of-station transitions for youth enrolled in care.
  •                    The School Age Center provides before and after-school care and summer camp for children ages 5 to 12. During school breaks, full-day camps are offered. SAC promotes cognitive, social, emotional, cultural, language and physical development through programs that encourage self-confidence, curiosity, self-discipline and resiliency.
  •                    The open recreation program at the Main Youth Center provides a safe space for ages 9 to 12 to attend after school. Programs include Power Hour, STEM, Torch Club, social recreation, youth camps, special events and more.
  •                    The youth sports program provides intro and league opportunities for ages 3 to 12, and promotes inclusiveness, self-discipline, commitment, resiliency and social skills. There are four sports offered annually for ages five to 12: baseball/softball, soccer, flag football and basketball. Smart start programs are available to ages 3 to 5. There are many other sports and camps offered throughout the year.
  •                    The Teen Center is available for ages 13 to 18 during the school year. Programs offered include Military Youth of the Year, Keystone Club, social recreation, STEM activities, college trips, leadership camps and more.
  •                    Youth programs (SAC, open rec and teen) are affiliated with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and 4-H.
  •                    Family Child Care homes – there are currently three FCC homes on the installation. They can provide care for ages two weeks to 12 years. FCC providers are trained by Child and Youth Program training and curriculum specialists and have the flexibility to determine their hours of operation and the ages of youth within their care. The program’s new dedicated manager, Jennifer Stegmann, may be reached at 661-275-7529.

Although CDC enrollment capacity is 317, not all slots are currently filled because of a shortage of childcare workers. School Age Center enrollment capacity is 156. After-school care enrollment is 130. Before-school care enrollment is 75. Summer Camp 2022 was at its capacity and enrollment for Summer Camp 2023 opens April 3.