By LuAnn Zettle
WEST BRANCH- On Sat., June 7, the 43rd annual Kids Fishing Derby was held at Irons Park, sponsored by the Optimist Club of West Branch.
Over one hundred children registered in the two age groups, 3 – 6 years old and 7 – 13 years old. Each child got a prize at registration then excitedly fished the stream, hoping to catch some of the 400 Brown and Rainbow Trout the Optimist had planted.
Rayden Hall (5) caught the first fish, 12 inches, in the 6-yr old and under category. Layla Noreyko (7) caught a 10 ¾” trout in the 7-yr and up category.
The biggest trout caught in the 6 years old and under class was by Emery Culhane 4 years old, and it was a whopping 13 ¾ inches.
The biggest fish caught in the 7 – 13-year-old class was a tie between Mason Knoll (11) and Kenneth Lumley (10) catching fish 12 ½ inches long.
Optimist member, Chuck Snyder, said “the derby is always the first Saturday in June. It is a catch and fry derby. Whatever you catch you take home and fry it up.”
