The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

May 31, 2009

Annual Kids Fishing Derby set for Saturday

John Blankenship

It’s one of the most outstanding family-oriented projects in southern West Virginia.

The 18th annual 2009 Kids Fishing Derby for 14 and under will be held at Little Beaver Lake State Park Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.

The theme as always is “Get Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs.” Some 400 children are expected to attend the event.

But the annual Kids Fishing Derby at Little Beaver State Park didn’t just happen overnight.

“We have had more positive feedback on this event than anything else we’ve ever done for local kids,” explained fisheries biologist Mark Scott, with the DNR in Beckley.

“It takes a number of private enterprises, civic and conservation organizations and individual efforts to produce one of the most popular public-private partnerships in the state.”

Scott added, “West Virginians are passionate about fishing. It is a great time for anglers to help young people and adults alike discover the joys of fishing and develop an appreciation for our streams, rivers and wildlife.”

Parents are urged to attend this event with their children and make it a family outing, according to Scott. “Children should bring their basic fishing gear,” he said. “Bait and lunch will be provided.”

Registration will take place the morning of the event from 9 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. Late registration will not be permitted. Children must be registered to be eligible for prizes. Kids may fish anytime after registering.

Prizes and T-shirts will be given out after the derby while supplies last. For more information, call Scott at 304-256-6947.

“It (the derby) takes a lot of individuals and volunteers, and it takes a lot of footwork to put it together; there is no one single organization that does it all, or could do it all,” Scott pointed out.

Scott, meanwhile, explained that the derby began 18 years ago with only 39 youngsters participating in the first fishing event.

Later, during the late 1990s, the derby grew to a maximum of 600 youngsters, before leveling off during the past few seasons to average about 400 young anglers, the biologist explained.

“It takes a lot of dedication from everyone involved,” he said.

Getting kids interested in fishing may require actually catching some fish, too.

And one of the best ways to get your child hooked on fishing is to make it fun and easy to catch fish.

That’s where Kids Fishing Derby comes in.

The result of the Kids Fishing Derby is a bounty of fishing and other outdoor opportunities for youngsters who might not otherwise have a chance to experience the activities, the biologist said.

And that’s not all. Scott noted that the young anglers and their parents will receive a free lunch at Little Beaver State Park as well as enough mealworms for bait to go around.

Children need to bring their own basic fishing gear, including rod and reel, hooks, bobbers, sinkers, line and any other kind of bait they want to use instead of mealworms.

The next weekend, June 13-14, is statewide free fishing days, meaning that anyone can fish anywhere in public waters without a fishing license, Scott said.

— E-mail:

jabbb@register-herald.com

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