More than 90 kids turn out for annual Clay Hill Farms event

When the sun is shining and the fish are biting, all is right with the world. And all was right with the world Saturday when John and Carol Dorrill hosted Pike County Kids’ Fishing Day at Clay Hill Farms in Pronto.

Ninety kids and parents took advantage of the great weather and the free opportunity to fish a pond where a catch is not only possible but also probable.

“It was a great day for fishing and the turnout was great – one of the largest we’ve had in a while,” said Jerry Jinright, Pike County Conservation Enforcement Officer. “We had a lot of kids who caught fish and a few kids that didn’t, but all in all it was a good day for fishing.”

When all the fish were counted and weighed, it was a banner day. “The kids caught 161 fish that weighed 225 pounds,” Jinright said.

In the 5-to-7 age group, Karissa Morris was the top finisher with nine fish that weighed 11 pounds, .08 ounces.

In the 8-to-11 age group, Bradley Adkinson caught eight fish weighing 13 pounds, 3 ounces.

Brandy Adamson took top honors in the 12-to-14 age group with 10 fish weighing in at 9 pounds, 5 ounces.

However, the big catch of the day went to Melvin Lampley who caught a monster snapping turtle that would make enough soup for any and all of the kids who wanted to try it.

“The kids and parents were treated to a hotdog lunch and we also gave away some great prizes,” Jinright said. “Everyone had a good time. We appreciate the generosity of John and Carol in making their pond available for this event.”

Those who did the fishing agreed with Jinright that everyone had a good time.

Briana Adkinson is a regular at Pike County Kids’ Fishing Day and she was the returning big catch champion from 2013.

“Last year, I caught 12 pounds of fish and the fishing is good this year,” she said and added with a smile, that she would like to retain her title. “But, if I don’t, fishing is fun enough.”

Xutong Niu and his wife, Dan Hu, and children, Daniel and Cadee, were participating in Kids’ Fishing Day for the first time. Niu, who is a professor of geomatics at Troy University, stepped back and let his wife give the fishing lessons. He would do the cooking honors.

“But in China, we don’t fry fish,” he said. “What we do is more of a stew. We just flip the fish. I don’t think we’ll fry tonight. The kids love fishing and we are having a good time.”

Jinright said Pike County Kids’ Fishing Day is an educational fishing experience and a day the kids will long remember.

“We look forward to the event every year and hope the kids who came this year are looking forward to their next fishing experience,” he said. Pike County Kids’ Fishing Day is sponsored and hosted by Walmart, the Conservation Enforcement Officers Association and the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division.

The event is partially funded by the Federal Sport Fish Restoration Program.