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Families catch more than fish at 25th Kid’s Fishing Derby

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
LARIMORE, N.D --  Local youth and families baited hooks and tightened reels while gathering at Larimore Dam for the annual Kid's Fishing Derby.

More than 100 youngsters registered to compete during the twenty-fifth annual event put on by staff members of the Outdoor Recreation Center and the services flight, subordinate units of the 319th Force Support Squadron at Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D.

"I was very surprised by the turn-out," said Outdoor Recreation manager John Gorman, who also served as the derby's master of ceremonies. "I told some the folks here that I thought it would be a good day if we could get about seventy-five folks show up."

More than 170 people attended the event, despite gray skies, a constant threat of rain, 20-mile-per-hour gusts of wind and a nearly 30-degree difference in temperature from last year's derby, which registered in the low 90s.

The youngsters competed in various age groups starting as young as 3 years old. Prizes such as stuffed animals, bicycles and fishing equipment were awarded to the winners.
The base hosts the derby on the same day North Dakota offers a day of license-free fishing. The event was designated as a catch-and-release competition.

Although the young anglers and their families could not take their fish home, many were able to leave with the experience that comes with taking one's child fishing for the first time and watching the excitement as they reel in their first catch.

Tech. Sgt. Zalman Kosofsky shared one such experience. He and his two sons were out fishing for the first time.

"Fishing is not something a lot of city boys like me get to do," said Kosofsky, who grew up in New York City. "But after coming out here and seeing how much fun the kids have, and the great opportunity it provides for parents to bond with their children, I now understand why so many families do it."

Kosofsky was not the only father to leave with a positive experience of the event.
"I'm out here fishing for the first time as well," said Master. Sgt. Collin Rawles. "So I thought it was nice to see how some of the fathers out here were kind enough to help inexperienced dads like me teach their child how to properly bait a hook or cast a line."

Rawles added that this camaraderie among fathers allowed him to witness the moment his 7-year-old son, Collin Jr., reeled in a three-ounce yellow perch as his first-ever catch -- a moment he said he would not soon forget.

Editor's note: The Kid's Fishing Derby directly supports the Air Force's Comprehensive Airman Fitness Program, which is designed to build and sustain a thriving and resilient Air Force Community that fosters mental, physical, social and spiritual fitness.