Prizes were the bait to get kids outdoors, fishing

COSHOCTON – Hundreds of young fishing enthusiasts gathered Saturday to try their fishing skills and hopefully earn cash awards for their efforts.

The Coshocton County Sportsman’s Association presented the annual Coshocton County Kids’ Fishing Derby Saturday at Lake Park. More than 300 kids ages 3 to 16 spent the morning and afternoon fishing for perch, bluegill, bass, catfish and an occasional frog in hopes of catching those that were tagged or measured 8 inches or longer for cash prices.

“I didn’t realize I had a fish on my line until I felt a tug,” said Anthony Pham, 12, of Coshocton.

Although it was his first time fishing, Anthony said he had already caught a prize winning bass earlier in the day, and was taking his recent catch, a bluegill, to be measured.

“I was very excited because a lot of people were waiting a long time to catch a fish, and I caught two in an hour,” Pham said.

The Sportsman’s Association has been hosting the annual event for the past 23 years as a way to get kids out with their families to enjoy the sport, said the organization’s president, Ralph Dickerson.

“It’s a day parents and kids can get together and have some fun, and hopefully catch some fish,” he said. It’s something that many kids don’t get to do very often. It’s a great event for them.”

Numerous local businesses and the Friends of the Park, Park Board Association and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources joined forces to make the event possible, Dickerson said. Prizes including bicycles and fishing gear were raffled off to the participants, and the local Bob Evans restaurant supplied food.

“A lot of people in the community have been very generous and stepped up to help,” Dickerson said.

He said the lake at the park was stocked with fish from Fender’s Fish Hatchery in Baltic, and members of the organization tagged as many as they could Wednesday in preparation for the event.

Kids registered and were divided into three age groups: 3 to 6, 7 to 12 and 13 to 16. Each participant received $10 per tagged fish and for fish 8 inches and longer, and the top three in each category also received cash prizes. Members of the organization measured each fish caught.

“I like to see the little kids bring in 3-inch bluegills. They are so happy, they think they caught Moby Dick. It’s a lot of fun for them,” Dickerson said.

Patience Gephart LaRue, 5, of Coshocton, was enjoying the day with her sister and family when she caught a bluegill.

“I’m excited to catch a fish,” she said.

Her sister, Phylicia LaRue, 11, caught a frog and a bluegill earlier in the morning.

“We are having a lot of fun,” she said.

Skip Lawrence, of Keene, a member of the sportsman association, helped measure the fish as the kids caught them. As an organizer of youth programs, Lawrence said events like the fishing derby teaches kids about outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing.

“That’s what this is all about, the kids. That’s why I’m proud of this event,” he said.

Coshocton County Wildlife Officer Jerrod Allison was on hand to answer questions and give advice about enjoying outdoor sports.

“It’s wonderful because the derby gets the kids outside and gets them interested in fishing,” Allison said.

He said teaching kids about outdoor sports and respecting their surroundings helps build their interest in important activities.

“I like to say that if you take your kids fishing and hunting, you don’t have to hunt for your kids,” Allison said.