Joe Duran of Aurora and his son J.D., 10, got out of bed early Saturday morning knowing that time waits for no one when it comes to fishing.
“We got out here early,” Duran said at the free Youth Fishing Derby Saturday sponsored by the Fox Valley Park District at Jericho Lake in Aurora.
Beginning at 8 a.m., the four-hour event included experienced and novice anglers hoping to snag bluegill, largemouth bass, black crappie, catfish and carp, all of which officials said were lurking in the waters of Jericho Lake.
Fishing took place until 11 a.m., followed by an awards ceremony and a hot dog lunch.
Prizes were awarded in numerous categories including largest and smallest fish caught, as well as the greatest number of fish reeled in.
Stephen Schuler, the maintenance manager at Blackberry Farm and one of the event’s organizers, said he enjoys helping kids learn the art of fishing.
“My favorite part of this event is walking around, interacting with the families and the children that have never been able to hold a fishing pole. That’s not an experience they have ever had,” he said. “To walk them through how to cast their first time and watch them catch their first fish, the excitement level is hard to compare.”
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Schuler said that success generally runs high at the event, and “nearly everyone gets something from bluegill to bass.”
“We’ve had kids catch carp and catfish but having them get out here and experience nature and the closeness you get to being in it – you hear the bullfrogs and the trees moving around,” he said.
Alex Shire of Aurora came with his family and said they have attended the fishing derby before.
“We had some luck. The kids caught a bunch of bluegills,” he said.
“For me, this is something I did as a kid. Me and my dad and my brother. We’d always go to the Fox River a lot, and we’d come here and we fished all the time when we were growing up,” he said. “When I told the kids we were going fishing today they were excited. They’re all in. All of them have done this before – even the little one.”
Alex’s wife Letty Sanchez said she wasn’t fishing but that she “was supervising and I’m the snack provider.”
“The kids show pretty good patience with this. They actually enjoy it and watching what pops out of the river,” she said.
Allen Beck of Aurora and his son Cooper, 8, said this was their first time at the event
Beck said his son “picked up the hobby from his grandfather and that’s all he wants to do. I said, well, if this is his hobby, I’ll go and try to figure things out and help you out. That’s why we’re here fishing. So far, he’s caught 86 fish this year including bluegill and bass.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.