The Kids’ Fishing Derby has been a staple of the Cody community for almost 30 years. Last Saturday at Beck Lake, was a huge success by all accounts. Although the weather wasn’t ideal for a fishing event, Cody Optimist Club received a great turnout. With nearly 300 kids registered for the derby, they couldn’t ask for a better group.
Kids came out to fish on Beck Lake for the Kids’ Fishing Derby last Saturday.
The fun started at 9 am on the banks of Beck Lake, with excited families flooding the edges, ready to fish. Whether children were experienced fisherman or first-time anglers, each kid was faced with the same challenges: What bait should they use? Where were the fish biting? When is lunch?
A girl with her dad trying to catch a fish at the Kids’ Fishing Derby at Beck Lake last Saturday.
The fishing derby was free to kids 14 and under in Park County. Anyone who caught a fish could either take it to the weigh station on the east end of Beck Lake or take a picture of the fish next to a ruler provided at the event. Participants were required to submit the length and weight of the fish to the weigh station by 12pm to see if they placed in the top 5 of their categories.
“Beck Lake is stocked with about 7 types of fish,” Bob Bole of the Cody Optimist explained. “We do it for the kids. Rain or shine we want the kids to have this experience.”
Wyoming Game and Fish joined the fun that morning with their fish stocking truck, filling the upper ponds with trout from the Clarks Fork Fish Hatchery. Kids watched in awe as the fish were dumped into the lake from the back of the Game and Fish truck. With over 1,000 fish being freshly stocked, the kids were eager to get their rods back into the water.
Ranging from fly fishing poles to tackle, winners of the derby were presented with different prize options. Even if they were not a top placer, all kids were entered into a free raffle for the chance to win an inflatable kayak. Also, kids who caught a fish tagged by the Game and Fish received a lifetime conservation stamp.
