Dust off your tackle boxes and untangle that pole in the garage.
The Plant City Recreation and Parks Department, with sponsorship from Landshark Charter, will host a youth fishing derby for the 17th year in Plant City March 23, at the pond behind the Randy L. Larson Softball Four-Plex.
The catch-and-release event is for children ages 5 to 15. Participants will be divided into two age groups — 5 through 10 and 11 through 15 — with multiple awards given to winners in each category.
The shotgun start will be at 8:30 a.m., with fishing concluding around 11 a.m.
“There is only one rule,” said T.J. Vail, of Landshark Charter. “The kids must catch the fish.”
Anglers must be accompanied by an adult, who can assist in baiting the hook or casting a line, but the young anglers must reel in the catch and present the fish to be weighed.
At least nine species can be found in the pond, including bass, catfish, mudfish, speckled perch and blue gill.
Some award categories include biggest fish, first fish, first bass and first catfish. The event gives young anglers of all experience levels the feeling of competing in a big-time event, complete with a weigh station and photographers to capture the anglers with their catches. Scorecards are kept and tallied at the conclusion of the event to determine the winners, who receive trophies, rods and tackle boxes.
“One of my favorite questions I always hear is, ‘Who is winning,’ while the contest is going on,” Vail said. “I always tell them the same thing: ‘The fish.’”
A COMMUNITY EVENT
Vail called Plant City home for more than 20 years.
He met Plant City Recreation and Parks Department Program Manager Deborah Haldane at the first derby in 1996.
“I had my boy with me, and I was a city employee at the time,” Vail said. “I saw that she could use some help with the event, and I haven’t missed one since.”
Haldane brought the idea for a youth fishing derby to Plant City from a position with another parks and recreation department.
“It’s a great community event,” she said. “I started looking around for a place for it, and when I found the pond, I knew that would be perfect.”
The derby has been held at the location since. Starting as a bi-anual event, the derby later grew to three times a year, before returning to the current spring and fall format.
When citywide budget cuts threatened the event five years ago, Vail decided to bring on Landshark Charter — a Lakeland-based company that does business in Plant City — as the title sponsor, continuing the free event.
“To see a child come up with the first fish they have ever caught — squealing like a pig because they never did it before — it’s just an ecstatic feeling,” Vail said. “It gives them a great love for the outdoors. They can start picking it up there and start caring about the environment.”
Vail is supported by his friend Tom Mahoney, of Tom Mahoney Marina, in Tampa. Mahoney has supported the event throughout the years, despite not having a large customer base in Plant City. Because of this, a Tom Mahoney Big Bass award will be presented for the first time at this year’s event, going to the angler with the heaviest bass.
Stingray Chevrolet also has been involved with the event in the past, and their touring pro, C.J. Kenny, is expected to make an appearance.
“It gives the kids a chance to see a professional bass-fishing boat up close,” Vail said.
FAMILY TRADITION
According to Haldane and Vail, the most exciting thing about this event is the second-generation participants.
“Seeing former participants now bringing their kids to the event is just a great thing to see,” Haldane said. “I’m not much of a fisherman myself, but I enjoy watching the kids fish. Seeing their eyes light up when they catch one, I get a kick out of that.”
Vail added the event opens the door for many young anglers.
“Some kids have excelled so far, got through high school bass clubs and even earned college scholarships,” he said. “Our responsibilities as adults are to show young people that there is more to life than video games and all these computers.”
According to Haldane, the event brings several volunteers, including members of the Bass Masters team at Plant City High School.
“It’s a great opportunity for them to earn volunteer hours and teach younger generations about fishing,” she said.
As with the allure of fishing, some great stories also have been reeled in from the event.
“We had a young lady one year that kept catching small fish with bait her dad would cut up,” Vail said. “When she brought the bucket over, she had 180 fish. She ended up winning for most weight. That’s one that I always look back on and laugh.”
YOUTH FISHING DERBY
WHEN: 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. March 23. Award ceremony at noon.
WHERE: Gordon Food Service Drive (formerly Albertson Drive), west of Park Road, just behind the Randy L. Larson Softball Four-Plex.
AGES: 5-15
REGISTRATION: Pre-registration can be made until 5 p.m. March 21, by visiting plantcitygov.com/forms.aspx?FID=207 or calling (813) 659-4200, Ext. 4302. Registrations will also be accepted on site at the derby from 7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m.
COST: Free
RULES: Anglers must be accompanied by an adult and bring their own poles and bait. This is a catch-and-release event. Anglers are encouraged to bring their own five-gallon bucket for weighing.