‘To see this project complete, I’m completely thrilled. It brings joy knowing kids will be using these rocks exactly the way we used to,” states Rick Tucker.
There’s a new way to fish Willow Pond at Colorado Youth Outdoors—and it involves a little rock hopping.
This spring, 23 massive sandstone boulders were carefully placed along the pond, creating a series of stepping stones that lead young anglers closer to some of the best fishing spots on the water.
And while the rocks may look like a simple fishing upgrade, they mean something much bigger to the Tucker family.
Rick and Ken Tucker donated the project in memory of their dad, Ed Tucker. CYO felt like the perfect place for their gift because, in many ways, it gives kids the same opportunities Rick and Ken had growing up.
“We knew a gift would go to good use at CYO,” Rick says. “It was a no-brainer.”
It Started With a Rock
As kids, the Tucker boys were always looking for a rock to fish from.
It was usually farther out from shore. It made it easier to see the fish. Best of all, less chance of getting their fishing line tangled in the back cast – which meant more time fishing.
They were so determined to find the perfect fishing rock that it became a family joke.
Their dad thought the whole thing was a little silly, but he put up with it.
Decades later, those childhood fishing rocks inspired a project that will give a whole new generation of kids the chance to do exactly what the Tucker brothers did.
Built for Fishing – and a Little Adventure
The project included 23 sandstone boulders, strategically placed at 10 different locations around Willow Pond.
The goal was simple: create flat rocks that jut out from shore and give young anglers a better shot at the deeper water. Willow Pond reaches depths of about 10 feet, and the new fishing rocks make it easier for a fishing line to reach those spots.
Of course, putting 6,500-pound rocks in a pond takes a little more than a wheelbarrow and a good throwing arm.
Connell Resources provided the river rock bedding. Arkins Park Stone supplied the sandstone boulders, which averaged about 6,500 pounds each, with the largest weighing in at a whopping 11,000 pounds. Jordan of Wicks Enterprises delivered the stone, and Jeff Lawrence of American Contractors carefully placed each boulder.
The placement had to be just right: close enough for kids to jump from one to the next, but far enough apart to make it a challenge.
Because, as anyone who has spent time around kids knows, sometimes the adventure is just as important as the fishing.
Thanks to significant discounts from all of the companies involved, this project estimated at $35,000 came in closer to $14,000.
We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make it happen.
A Gift That Keeps Giving
There’s another part of this story that makes the project especially meaningful.
Rick and Ken had long-held stock that had appreciated significantly over the years. Rather than selling the stock themselves and potentially paying capital gains taxes, they donated it to Colorado Youth Outdoors.
CYO was then able to sell the stock at its current value and use the proceeds to fund the Willow Pond project, with the remaining funds supporting CYO’s general mission.
It’s a creative way to turn an appreciated asset into something tangible: a place where kids can fish, explore, take a few risks, laugh with their families and make memories of their own.
Remembering Ed
Ed Tucker passed away in 2024.
One of Rick’s favorite memories of his dad was a family fishing trip to Canada to chase salmon.
At one point, Ed hooked a Chinook and finally managed to get it to the boat.
The guide looked at the fish and said something along the lines of, “Well, it’s kind of a medium one. Want to throw it back and go for bigger?”
“My arms are too tired!” said Ed. “I can’t reel in another one of those!”
So they kept the “medium” salmon.
Ed talked about that trip often. And it became the inspiration for the words carved into the rock beside Willow Pond:
Take the Time to Make Great Memories.
Because in the end, the size of the fish wasn’t the point.
It was the time spent together. The adventure. The laughter. The stories that get told again years later.
That’s exactly what Rick and Ken hope these rocks will provide for the kids and families who visit Colorado Youth Outdoors.
“There’s something important about giving kids room to explore, try something new and figure things out for themselves,” states Luke Brough, Executive Director at CYO. “The challenge is part of the fun.”
And maybe, someday, a kid standing on one of these rocks will tell a story about the time they caught the biggest fish ever at Willow Pond.
Whether it was actually a big fish or a “medium” one, we hope they’ll remember the day—and who they spent it with.
Thank you to the Tucker family, Connell Resources, Arkins Park Stone, Wicks Enterprises and American Contractors for helping make Willow Pond a place where more great memories can be made.
Take the time. Make the memories.