Rusty Asberry, 13, of Newcastle, Indiana, was named the Freshwater Division winner with his catch of a 10-pound catfish in Indiana. Hannah Mink, 12, Kissimmee, Florida, won the Saltwater Division by catching a 38.3-pound Pacific halibut in Alaska. Asberry, a seventh grader at Knightstown Intermediate School, caught his catfish using a worm and dough-ball bait combination while fishing an event hosted by the Jay County Optimist Club of Newcastle.
Minks, a sixth grader at Central Florida Christian Academy, caught her halibut while fishing at a derby hosted by the U.S. Forest Service in the Tongass National Forest in Petersburg, Alaska. As winners, Asberry and Minks each earn a $500 U.S. Savings Bond and a special gift pack from Fujifilm, U.S.A.
Fujifilm is just one of numerous national sponsors of the huge fishing derby program, now in its eighteenth year, which annually holds more than 2,000 fishing events for almost 350,000 anglers in the U.S. and five foreign countries.
Other 2004 sponsors include title sponsor Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., DMF Bait Co., Edy's Grand Ice Cream, PURELL® Instant Hand Sanitizer from GOJO Industries, Kraft Foods'Kool-Aid, Repel Insect Repellent from Spectrum Brands, BAND-AID® BRAND ADHESIVE BANDAGES, Bar-S Foods Co., Berkley Powerbait, Berkley Trilene, Dubble Bubble Bubble Gum, Eagle Claw, EverStart Batteries, FishingWorld. Com, Lake Fishing Tackle, Zebco, and Nestle Waters North America, which markets the natural spring water brands of Arrowhead, Deer Park, Ice Mountain, Ozarka, Poland Spring, Zephyrhills, and Nestle Pure Life.
The program is coordinated by Hooked on Fishing International (HOFI), Tulsa, Okla. but the events themselves are organized and staffed by adult volunteer groups who apply to HOFI for a derby kit including everything from instructions to prizes. Types of agencies hosting events include parks and recreation departments, federal and state fish and wildlife agencies, service organizations, scouting groups, angling clubs, and 4-H groups.
The materials are provided free of charge to the approved organizations. Information and registration is available through the program's web site located at http://www.kids-fishing.com. Learn more...
About Hooked On Fishing Int'l
Now in its eighteenth, the program has become the largest youth and family oriented fishing program in the world. To date, over 8 million youngsters and their family members have participated in a Kids All- American Fishing Derby event. In 2004, there were over 1,800 individual events in all 50 states, reaching over 330,000 youngsters.
The program truly has gone international with numerous events being scheduled at U.S. military bases in places as far away as England, Germany, South Korea and Japan. The goal of the Kids All-American Fishing Derby program is a simple one . . . to provide the opportunity to bring kids and fish together. Website: http://kids-fishing.com
Kids Fishing Tip:
A FISHING TIP FOR KIDS FROM SEBASTIAN T. BOBBER; Like you, fish usually like to hang out with one another. That's why they sometimes call it a "school" of fish. So if you catch one fish, chances are you might catch another one in the same area and at the same depth. Be real quiet. Put your bait right back in the same spot. I'll bet you'll catch another fish. When you get home, you can do some imaginary fishing with me on my website, www.Kids- Fishing/Sebastian's Corner.com I hope to see you there. Website: http://kids-fishing.com
Kids All-American Fishing Derby and Sebastian T. Bobber are Registered Trademarks of Hooked On Fishing International.
