John Dorrill was telling no fish tale when he said that the catfish are “bubbling” the water at his pond at Clay Hill Farms.

The pond is heavily stocked with catfish and some are the size of a man’s arm. And that’s no tale, Dorrill said. “There are some mighty big fish just waiting to be caught. Some of them could break a line.”

And, the kids who chew their bait just right might land one of the big fish at Pike County Kids’ Fishing Day at Clay Hill Farms on Saturday.

John and Carol Dorrill host the annual kids’ free fishing event and few kids go home without a long stringer of “cats.”

Blank Nowling, Pike County conservation enforcement officer, said the fishing will be good and all kids ages five to 12 are invited to participate as long as they have a parent or responsible adult with them.

“Registration begins at 7 a.m. Saturday and we’ll open the pond for fishing around 8 o’clock,” he said. “It’s probably going to be sunny and hot so all kids need to bring a hat, sunglasses, a rod and reel, bait and an ice chest for the fish.”

Chicken livers and Catfish Charlie are the favorite fish foods but some fishermen prefer wigglers and crickets.

Nowling said fishing will wind down a little after 10 a.m. so everyone can get their fish in the coolers and get ready for lunch.

“Wal-Mart will provide a sandwich and chips lunch for everyone,” he said. “After lunch, we’ll have drawings for a lot of really great prizes.  So, we want everyone to stay around for that.”

When the kids register Saturday morning, they will be given a ticket for the drawing.

“Everybody needs to hold on to those tickets because, if you lose your ticket, you won’t be eligible for the drawings and we’ve got a thousand dollar’s worth of fishing equipment to give a way. And, not corks and stringers.”

Nowling said that the Alabama Conservation and Enforcement Officers Association gave the Pike County Kids’ Fishing Day the large donation.

“Instead of giving trophies for different things, I decided to buy reels and rods and other fishing equipment to give away in the drawing,” he said. “Wal-Mart has also donated two bicycles for a drawing, so everybody will have a chance to win some really great prizes.”

The Pike County Kids’ Fishing Day is sponsored by Wal-Mart and the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division and assisted by the Federal Sport Fish Restoration Program.

Clay Hill Farms is located on County Road 5523. From Brundidge, take Highway 93 toward Banks and turn left on 5523.

From Troy, take Highway 231 south and turn left at the stockyards sign, take a right at the dead-end and then the first left.