Children Reel In Fun at the AWF Youth Fishing Rodeo
More than 220 youth were on hand for a fun filled day of fishing at Lanark, the Alabama Wildlife Federation’s (AWF) headquarters in Millbrook last Saturday, August 9, from 7-11 a.m. The day was packed with excitement as children honed their angling skills while catching 732 pounds of catfish in Lanark’s Upper Pond. Each child was able to take up to five fish home with them at the end of the day, and all participants received free tee shirts, and complimentary snacks and drinks. Many of the children won door prizes as well.
AWF looks forward to hosting many more youth events like this one at Lanark. “We can’t wait to do it again next year”, explained Tim Gothard, AWF Executive Director, “Our goal is to instill a lifelong love of fishing and the outdoors in our young people.”
Tommy Tidwell, AWF’s Hunting and Angling Specialist was excited about the support from the community. “We had a great turnout,” said Tidwell. “The AWF Youth Fishing Rodeo would not be possible if not for our volunteers and sponsors. We were fortunate to have over 30 dedicated volunteers for this event.”
Also at the Youth Fishing Rodeo, Prattville High School’s AP Biology class led by teacher Amy Boyd, conducted a Fish Tag Survey in which the students charted any changes in 32 out 375 catfish that were tagged earlier this year as part of a Pond Management Field Study. Fifteen 11-12 grade students participated on Saturday.
This event is sponsored by the Alabama Power Company, Sam’s Club, Wal-Mart, Costco, River Region Guide Service, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, The Sportsman’s Headquarters and Courtesy EZ-GO.
