Take Kids Fishing Day attracted more than 400 people Saturday to Jeffers Bend Environmental Center, where the young anglers hauled in fish as small as 3 inches long and as big as 29 inches.
Charles Turner, coordinator for the Pennyrile Area Resource, Conservation and Development that oversees Jeffers Bend, said cash prizes were given in the following categories:
Age 3 to 5
- Longest fish — Emma Hahn, 27-inch catfish
- Most fish — Bentley Johnson, three fish
- Smallest fish — El-lee Murphy, 3-inch fish
- Casting — DeKavien Davis — 85 feet
- Reeling — DeKavien Davis — 7.5 seconds
Age 6 to 8
- Longest fish — Landon Acree, 22-inch catfish
- Most fish — River Banclay, nine fish
- Smallest fish — Jayden Santiago, 4.75-inch fish
- Casting — India Croney, 62 feet
- Reeling — Cameron Mitchell, 10.25 seconds
Age 9 to 11
- Longest fish — Jayden White, 29-inch catfish
- Most fish — T.J. Blanton, six fish
- Smallest fish — Sophia McGee, 4.5-inch fish
- Casting — T.J. Blanton, 87 feet
- Reeling — T.J. Blanton 5.91 seconds
Age 12 to 15
- Longest fish — Karlee Smith, 20.5-inch catfish
- Most fish — Alexie Nagent, 14 fish
- Smallest fish — KeSean Croney, 2-inch fish
- Casting — Karlee Smith and TyReese Croney, 86 feet
- Reeling — Adreyona Smith, 5.5 seconds
Organizers also awarded more than 20 door prizes in a drawing for children who didn’t receive one of the fishing, casting or reeling awards. The prizes includes archery equipment, coolers, outdoor chairs and tackle boxes.
This year marked the 21st Take Kids Fishing Day.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
