After its highly successful late afternoon Day at the Races watch party for the Kentucky Derby in Arlington Hall and an air-conditioned tent, the Turtle Creek Park Conservancy held a derby at the other end of the sports spectrum on the morning of Saturday, June 17. Instead of the well-dressed guests wearing showy chapeaus, sun dresses and natty suits who cheered loudly for their favorite racehorses, the 2nd Annual Kids Fishing Derby was strictly gimme caps, T-shirts and shorts.
Taking place on the morning before Father’s Day, it was definitely a family outing as kids, parents, grandparents like Carol Stabler and big brother/sister types escorted the youngster to Turtle Creek in the morning before the summer of 2023 heatwave started simmering.
While some like Luke Gorr brought their own gear, organizers had plenty of rods and reels and bait available for newbies.
And like any sporting event, there were celebs in the crowd to share their advice and tales of the ones that didn’t get away, like award-winning author Murray Richter; primo fly fisherman Greg DeMars, whose book “Urban Fly Fishing Dallas-Fort Worth” is due out this October; and noted literary agent David Hale Smith, who proudly displayed his Longear Sunfish that he caught on a fly rod that day.
As cars lined the curb of Turtle Creek Boulevard with guests unloading their equipment, the turnout proved to be such a hit that the bucket of worms became wormless within the first hour. Luckily, there were jars of designer baits. But some like one well-experienced fishing grandmother arrived with her secret bait — a combination of secret ingredients and hot dogs.
As the youngsters and their adult partners spread out along the creek, one youngster, who landed a couple of fish immediately, responded that he couldn’t tell where he had been casting his line because it was top secret.
As a Muscovy duck settled down under a tree watching the creek’s activities of anglers and a pooch passed by, the catches of the day vying for prizes were being presented at the Nature Observation Platform. As soon as the size and weight of the catfish and sunfish were recorded, they were quickly returned to the creek.
At the end of the Derby the results were announced, with the following winners receiving trophies and copies of Murray’s “Fishing For Luck”:
- Longest fish – Gilbert Martinez with a 20½” fish
- Biggest Fish – Gracie with a 4½ lb. catfish
- Shortest Fish — Simon Reynolds with a 3” fish
- Most Fish — Mila Ramirez catching 20 fish
- Smallest Fish — Ben Davis with a .01 lb. fish
While the event was free for fishing, donations were made in honor of Father’s Day and in memory of Nell Heathington Baldwin, who loved fishing, to support this interactive morning for Dallas Children at Turtle Creek Park..
For more looks of the faces, fishes and friends of the Second Annual Kids Fishing Derby, check out MySweetCharity Photo Gallery.
* Photo credit: David Hale Smith ** Photo provided by Turtle Creek Park Conservancy
The post MySweetCharity Photo Gallery Alert: 2023 Kids Fishing Derby – June 17, 2023 appeared first on My Sweet Charity.