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Fish On & Fun On at the 26th Annual Kids' Fishing Derby

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
LARIMORE, N.D --  With rods and reels prepped local youth and families recently gathered on the south end of Larimore Dam for the annual Kid's Fishing Derby.

More than 160 youngsters registered to compete during the twenty-sixth annual event put on by staff members of the Outdoor Recreation Center and the services flight, subordinate units of the 319th Force Support Squadron on Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D.

The event, designed to provide families with a fun and wholesome activity while increasing awareness and appreciation for the outdoors and conservation, coincides every year with the first Saturday in June when the state of North Dakota waives the need for a fishing license and allows people to fish for free.

"We had a little more than a hundred and seventy people last year despite the bad weather, which tells you how popular this event is, so we expected a bigger crowd to show because of the nice weather," said Outdoor Recreation manager, John Gorman, who also served as the derby's master of ceremonies.

Gorman's expectations were met as more than 250 people attended the event, amidst a mostly sunny sky, and Fahrenheit temperatures in the mid-80s.
Prizes such as stuffed animals, camping gear and fishing equipment were awarded during a drawing for registered children.
The youngsters competed in various age groups starting as young as 3 and up to 15.
The event was designated as a catch-and-release competition.

Although the young anglers and their families could not take their fish home, many parents were able to leave with the memories that come with spending some quality time with loved ones by fishing.

"My family really enjoyed coming to this event," said Maj. Ricky Cam, acting commander of the 319th Civil Engineer Squadron. "Our sons [8 year-old Leon and 5-year-old Allan] were so excited about the fish derby that they started practicing at home in the living room."

Another group excited about the attending derby was the family of Master Sgt. Raul Lopez, 69th Maintenance Squadron production superintendent.

"This is the third year in a row my boys and I brought my sons [8-year-old Noah and 12-year-old Isaiah] to the fishing derby;" said Lopez. "I guess you could say it's become a family tradition and it's always a fun time."

Although the fishing event has become a tradition for many families like the Lopez's, for some families it was their first time fishing at Larimore Dam, or North Dakota for that matter. Such was the case for Tech. Sgt. Lewis Isassi from the 319th CES, who recently transferred from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.

"The fishing license in Germany is expensive and the weather wasn't always the best for fishing, so it has been a long time since we did any fishing," said Isassi. "However, we've only been here a week and this fishing derby and beautiful weather has been somewhat of a nice welcome. I think this was a good way for us to begin our time in North Dakota. My family and I are definitely looking forward to taking part in the derby next year."

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.