The Frankfort Optimist Club and Frankfort Lions Club Annual Fishing Derby for Youth and Families at the Frankfort Lagoons proved successful on Saturday as the children of Clinton County vied for the biggest fish caught and the most fish caught throughout the day.
The event kicked off at 9 a.m. on Saturday amongst sunny skies as the children in attendance sought the coveted title of “biggest fish” caught in their age group, which consisted of ages 0 to 8, ages 9 to 13 and ages 14 to 18. While some were able to capture large fish throughout the day, others were raking in smaller fish with an aspiration to claim the title of “most fish caught” during the award ceremony at noon.
The event saw 30 children and teenagers and 14 families attend and try their hand at fishing while enjoying the scenery of the Frankfort City Lagoons for the Indiana Free Fishing Day. Almost every family in attendance brought a bucket of fish to the table ranging from 5 fish caught in the three-hour span to 22 fish caught. Some families were unable to reel in a catch during the day, but upon their departure, the families with zero fish expressed how the day was still successful as they were able to spend time together and have fun in the sun at the Lagoons.
Following the morning of fishing, participants gathered at the main shelter to enjoy a free light lunch of hot dogs, chips and drinks while waiting for the scores to be tallied to determine the winners of each award.
The results were announced, including:
- 0-8 Biggest Fish: Hunter Haley
- 9-13 Biggest Fish: Ryzley Quinlisk
- 14-18 Biggest Fish: Jayden Hemmerling
- Most Fish: Dacota Davis
Families were permitted to bring their own bait and fishing poles or utilize the equipment provided by the organizers, and numerous different forms of bait were utilized to varying results, with one of the biggest catches of the day being caught with corn.
The free event is an annual joint effort of the Frankfort Optimist Club, Born to Shine Optimist Club and Frankfort Lions Club alongside interested individuals who volunteer their time to help the event prosper.
For more information about the derby or volunteer opportunities for next year, call 765-659-2919.
The Department of Natural Resources Indiana Free Fishing Days continue today, Sunday, June 2 where a fishing license is not required to fish at local locations, such as the Frankfort City Lagoons.
More Photos Available On Facebook
Video and Photos by Erick Dircks:
