Hooked on Kids Fishing Derby will reel in kids June 9

BRIDGEPORT – Hooked on Kids, the annual fishing derby sponsored by the City of Bridgeport, will welcome young anglers at the Marina Park cove at 8 a.m., Saturday, June 9.
The cove will be stocked with 400 trout provided by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and its narrow entry channel blocked to give fishermen from ages four to 14 years plenty of opportunity to catch a fish. Twenty-five of the trout will wear special tags that kids can redeem for prizes like bikes, fishing rods, and other treasures.
“We have lots of prizes, more than last year,” Bridgeport Mayor Janet Conklin said.
The derby fee is $3, and a waiver signed by a parent or guardian is required for each participant. Entry is limited to 250 anglers and those under 10 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
There are no catch-and-release requirements and each youngster can keep up to 10 trout.
Only one pole per angler is allowed. An adult may help a youngster cast for and net a trout, but the child must be the one who catches the trout. Allowances will be made for handicapped children.
A life jacket is required for all youngsters fishing from the cove dock.
The derby coincides with WDFW’s Free Fishing Weekend, June 9-10.
Hooked on Kids was originally the brainchild of former Bridgeport resident and council member, Neil Jacobson. Jacobson even held a competition for Bridgeport school students to come up with a design for the derby logo.
The winning design, showing a large trout holding a bent fishing rod that is hooked onto the collar of a dangling youngster, remains the official logo.