Young ladies take the top prizes at annual fishing event

To be politically correct, Saturday was the day for “fishergirls.”

Girls took the top prizes in all three age divisions at the 2013 Pike County Kids’ Fishing Day at Clay Hill Farms and they did so with flair and style.

The winner in each age division was determined by the total weight of their stringer of fish.

Autumn Adamson won the five to seven age division with 10 fish weighing 16 pounds. Brianna Adkinson caught nine fish that weighed 12 pounds to take the prize in the age eight and nine division. The age 11-13 division champ was Haley Middlebrooks with 10 fish at 13 pounds.

Pike County Conservation Officer Jerry Jinright congratulated the winners of the fishing competition as well as all of the boys and girls who came out to participate. He also expressed appreciation to the parents and other adults who spent a morning fishing with the children.

“We had a very good turnout for the free Kids’ Fishing Day this year,” Jinright said. “We had 68 kids who caught 170 catfish with a total weight of 223 pounds. The fish were biting and everyone seemed to have a good time.”

Jinright said the Pike County Kids’ Fishing Day is an educational event that will hopefully get kids “hooked” on fishing.

Youngsters Luke and Evan Deloney and their “Pawpaw” were fishing together. Pawpaw baited the hooks while the boys waited to hear the catfish “meow.”

“This is a great place to bring kids fishing,” Jerry Deloney said of Clay Hill Farms. “Kids really enjoy fishing and it’s a good, fun way to spend time with them. We fish at several ponds and have even fished on the Conecuh River, but we really like it here and not just because the fish are biting.”

Jamie Whitworth and young Jaxson Whitworth were participating in Kids’ Fishing Day for the first time and the elder Whitworth said they would be back.

“We just learned about Kids’ Fishing Day and it is a great event and at such a great place,” he said.

Jaxson got a lesson in, not only casting and reeling, but in taking a catfish off the hook, as did many of the kids.

Kameron Christian and Shaniya Lampley were also fishing at Clay Hill Farms for the first time, but they were pulling in the catfish like pros.

“I’ve already caught six fish and I’m not even tired yet,” Christian said with a big smile. But Lampley gave away their success secret.

“We’re fishing with chicken livers, not worms … ugh,” she said.

But there was more to Kids Fishing Day than baiting hooks and catching fish.

“Those who stayed for lunch had an opportunity to win some really great prizes, including two bicycles that were given away in drawings,” Jinright said. “It was a fun day all around and we really appreciate John and Carol Dorrill letting us fish at their pond. Most everybody caught a stringer of fish and that makes fishing even more fun.”

Walmart co-hosted Pike County Kids’ Fishing Day with the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division and provided lunch for the participants. Walmart also donated the bicycles. The free fishing event was funded in part by the Federal Sport Fish Restoration program. Prizes for the event were provided by the Conservation Enforcement Officers Association.