Kids fishing derby back at Quarry Springs Park Saturday

Standing on the shore, waiting for a fish to grab hold of the worm dangling off of the hook, fishing can be a game of patience, especially for kids. The joy that comes with a pull on the line and the fight to reel the fish in is what the organizers of the Third Annual Kids Quarry Springs Park Fishing Derby, sponsored by Bass Pro Shop, hope the kids remember from their experience fishing.

Kids, along with a parent or guardian, are invited out to Quarry Springs Park to get in some fishing, have a tasty lunch and go home with one of many prizes Saturday. Registration runs from 8 to 9 a.m. with the derby taking place from 9 to 11 a.m. and lunch to follow from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Prizes will be awarded starting at 11:30 a.m.

“It is usually a pretty low key event,” organizer Patrick Utz said. “It is more, for us, about getting kids to enjoy fishing and enjoy the park with their families.”

The derby will run similarly to years past, with fishers on the southwest lake competing to nab the biggest fish. Utz said volunteers will walk around the competitors with buckets of water to put the fish in to measure. The information will be kept on cards detailing the catches.

“If the parents don’t know a lot about fishing, one of our volunteers will be happy to help put worms on and help them out, but the kids should at least come with a rod and reel and a parent there to help them out,” Utz said.

After measuring them, the fish are typically released, but Utz said if the competitors want to keep the fish they can. They just need to abide by Iowa Department of Natural Resources rules and regulations.

“We’ve had a ton of success with blue gill and crappy along with bass and some really nice catfish,” Utz said.

The derby has seen as many as 75 kids out fishing but Utz said the weather typically plays a big role in the turn out for the event. If the sun is shining, the numbers grow while rain usually keeps kids indoors.

“The first year it was super hot and humid and last year it was kind of raining until about 9:30 a.m.,” Utz said. “That year we had some really big fish caught including a second grader who caught a nice size bass.”

The derby also coincides with the state of Iowa’s open fishing weekend, a time when a fishing license is not required to fish in Iowa’s lakes and streams. The free will lunch includes grilled hot dogs, chips, cookies and water.

“It is just a fun family weekend,” Utz said.

To register for the event, visit Quarry Springs Park's website at www.quarryspringspark.com.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com