7-21-10 — Many people say going fishing is fun and you can really tell how much fun when the fisherman talks about how many fish they caught or how big the fish were. If the number of fish caught is a barometer for fun then all of the kids at the Kids Fishing Derby had a great time.

    A total of 259 kids attended the 6th annual Kids Fishing Derby held at the Cave Lake Event Park near the Mill Springs area and the kids caught 447 fish in three hours. All fish caught were weighed and measured and returned to the Cave Lake on the Nick Cooley property.

    The kids were divided into three age groups including 5 years and under, age 6-10 years and the I I - 15 year old age group. From each group first, second, and third place trophies were awarded for the most weight caught and a kid in each age group received a trophy for catching the largest fish during the hour of fishing allotted.

    Following is  a list of winners:

5 & Under Age Group-99 kids caught 211 fish

    1st Place - Tye Preat -caught 12 fish weighing I I lb. 9 oz.

    2nd Place - Karmyn Stringer -caught 8 fish weighing 6 lb. 9 oz.

    3rd Place - Gyson Rains -caught 3 fish weighing 6 lb. 5 oz.

    Big Fish - Gyson Rains -2 lb. 8 oz.



6 - 10 Age Group-108 kids caught 138 fish

    1st Place - Dylan Jones - caught 6 fish weighing 5 lb. I oz.

    2nd Place - Leah Bell - caught 8 fish weighing 4 lb. 15 oz.

    3rd Place - Savannah Harmon - caught 4 fish weighing 3 lb. 15 oz.

    Big Fish - Leah Bell - 2 lb. 8 oz.



11 - 15 Age Group-52 kids caught 98 fish

    1st Place - Mikayla, Savage - caught 10 fish weighing 7 lb. 8 oz.

    2nd Place - Ashley Harmon - caught 6 fish weighing 4 lb. 13 oz.

    3rd Place - Jacob Meredith - caught 4 fish weighing 4 lb. I oz.

    Big Fish - Morgan Crabtree - 2 lb. 7 oz.



    A toal of 259 kids caught 447 fish in three hours.



16 and over Age Group-31 Adults caught 54 fish

    1st Place -Gregory Hill - caught 6 fish weighing 6 lb. 7 oz.

    2nd Place - Tie - Michael Savage - caught 4 fish weighing 5 lb. 15 oz.; Franklin Barber - caught 9 fish weighing 5 lb. 15 oz.

    Big Fish - Robert Riddle - 2 lb. 5 oz.

    The Kids Fishing Derby was not only about fun when fishing. The kids also got to participate in casting competitions and pontoon boat rides as well as receiving a free lunch and every kid won a door prize and got to pick up a bag of free goodies like candy, pencils, small toys and educational materials from Fish and Wildlife.

    All adults that brought the kids to the fishing derby also received a free lunch and had fun meeting up with neighbors and coworkers that they had not seen in a while.

    Kids were not the only ones to have fun fishing at the Kids Fishing Derby. 31 adults participated in a fund raising event at the completion of the Kids Fishing Derby to help provide money to start preparing for the 2011 event.

    Winners in the 16 and older group paid $5 each to fish and help with expenses for the big event.

    A host of volunteers assisted Kids Fishing Derby coordinator Rick Kempton in making the event one of the most successful of it’s kind in the region. Defensive Action Against Drugs and the Wayne County Bass Club were the primary sponsors of the event.

    Numerous churches, agencies, organizations, businesses and individuals helped make the event a huge success. Over 50 volunteers logged more then 2000 volunteer hours before, during and after the event.



    If you would like to help with the 2011 Kids Fishing Derby it is never too early to get started. Contact Rick Kempton at 307-7401 or Ray Vater at 307-5169. All financial contributions are tax deductible.