Annual Take-A-Kid fishing day a success on Toledo Bend
By PATTY LENDERMAN Lakecaster Managing Editor

Outdoors photo/Patty Lenderman KIDS WERE challenged to cast at targets in the casting contest

No matter how you look at it, at a kids fishing tournament everybody wins. On Mothers' Day weekend every year for the past 29 years, the Shelby County Bass Anglers in conjunction with Center Broadcasting has hosted Take A Kid Fishing Day.

The event has always taken place in Shelby County on Toledo Bend, and Huxley Bay Marina has provided their facilities for many years. The event is highly anticipated each year, with kids coming from as far away as Northwest Louisiana, Longview, Lufkin, Houston, Southeast Texas and all around the local area.

The banks were lined with hopeful anglers, the boat slips were full of people and many went out in boats. The kids were divided into three age groups: 3-5 years, 6-10 years, and 11-15 years. It is a free event, with local sponsors providing prizes, hot dogs, drinks and trophies. Each age group had a top prize for heaviest stringer, smallest fish by length and biggest fish by weight. Each child was allowed to weigh in a maximum of five fish.

There were several moms and dads bringing their kids there, remembering when they were kids fishing in this very event. No matter what the size or number of fish they had caught, everyone was proud of their accomplishment.

Lori Alvis of Center Broadcasting took care of the stage area along with her crew, helping to keep the participants organized and make sure that every kid who came out went home with some kind of prize of their choice.

"We have a real unique bass club," stated Larry Matthews of the Shelby County Bass Anglers.

Each year the club sponsors seven scholarships, totaling over $4,000.

"We used to sell chances on boats to raise the funds, but in recent years started selling chances on guns instead. Hunting is as big of a sport in East Texas as fishing, and this year our scholarship fund is around $10,000!"

The club members are active in the community all year, but the Take A Kid Fishing day is by far their biggest activity.

As each child came through the weigh in line, they were ushered to the stage to pick out any prize they wished. There were rods and reels, water guns, basket balls, tackle boxes, hula hoops, bits, glider planes and so much more. Once everyone had weighed in, the results were tallied for the casting contest and the fishing tournament.

Casting contest winners:

3-5 age group

Girls Mallory Fawcett - Zoe Horton - Brylee Scarborogh

Boys Brandon Lee Dog - Jarod Perez - Nickolas Hunsley

6-8 age group

Girls Madlin Myers - Raychel Hagler - Ashley Fullbright

Boys Brock Hughes - Blake Taylor - Chase Hooper

9-11 age group

Girls Ashley Perez - Rachel Lawson - Stormi Hagler

Boys Carson Wright - Hunter Hendricks - Dacorey McGee

12-15 age group

Girls Kara Chamblis - Sabrina Reeves - Jessica Murphy

Boys Skyler Gilpatrick - Charlie Permenter - Billy Gilchrist

Fishing contest winners:

3-5 yrs

Largest Fish - .56 lbs. Cole Dolan

Smallest Fish - 1-11/16" Zoe Norton

Heaviest String - 2.42 lbs. Robbie Hill

6-10 yrs Largest Fish - .88 lbs. Seth Hendricks

Smallest Fish - 1-3/4" Rachel Hagler

Heaviest String - 2.41 lbs. Sawyer Hendricks

11-15 yrs

Largest Fish - .61 lbs. Ryan Chander

Smallest Fish - 2-5/8" Clint Lowery

Heaviest String - 2.19 lbs. Hunter Hendricks

Getting kids started in fishing, then nurturing the love for it is a big part of our heritage and tradition. After 29 years of the annual Take A Kid Fishing event, it is a tradition shared by generations. You don't need an organized event to take a kid fishing. The opportunity for memories to be made happens every single day.