By Jeremy Pyle
Staff Writer
Another year is in the books, and there was an amazing turn out for this year’s Little Anglers Fishing Derby in Yukon.
It was a cloudy morning, and catching fish started a little bit slow, but over 30 of Yukon’s best little anglers entered the derby, and over 50 fish were caught!
This year awards were handed out for first, second and third place in categories including smallest, largest, and most fish caught. Though all the competitors are winners, only a handful were crowned champions.
Children had smiling faces when they caught their fish, this was a great event to attend. It seemed that just about everyone caught some fish and a few of the little anglers did very well.
For largest fish caught, Lukas Ruzicka brought home the bacon with a 15-inch 2 pound fish and he is just 5 years-old! In second place was Ethan Corral, 11, and in third place was Aiden Watters, 6. All three children were awarded prizes.
In the category of most fish, Caleb Moreland caught the most with 11 fish, while Austin Breedlove was close behind with 10. Ethan Corral rounded out the pack with his seven fish caught. Caleb was excited to be there fishing.
In the smallest fish category, this week’s winners were Eli Clawson with his ¾ inch minnow caught on rod and reel. Elijah Bowles, 5, with his huge 1-inch long fish. And in third place was Austin Breedlove with a 3 ¼ inch fish.
There were a lot of young fisher ladies that came out and did quite well. Maguire Jinkens who not only was out for the derby, a few weeks ago, was only a few ounces shy of the Oklahoma state record redear sunfish when she caught a 1.7 pound redear out of their farm pond on rod and reel.
As for the most fish caught by little lady anglers, Daphne Holden, 6, caught the most, followed closely behind by Lilliana Corral, 5, and Preslee O’Conner, 7.
The Little Anglers Fishing Derby was part of Yukon Parks and Recreation Department Friday Fun Days series.
