Weather doesn’t dampen 9th Fishing Derby

About 140 anglers participated in the 9th annual Fishing Derby Saturday despite the cold weather.

The derby began at 2:30 p.m. with a crowd of about 400 parents and spectators surrounding Pacana Park Lake. The high in Maricopa was 59 degrees under stormy skies.

Brenda Campbell, the city’s special events coordinator, said the 1½-acre pond was stocked with 350 pounds of blue gill and 350 pounds of catfish prior to the event.

“Most everyone that has come up is excited to be here,” Campbell said. “There are a lot of families, which is what we want, and for them to bond and create those memories.”

Campbell said this is the first year the weather has been an issue. However, she said it didn’t seem to affect the events participation or attendance.

Children, ages 5-12, had 90 minutes to catch as many fish as they could. Each participant received a fishing pole provided by Fry’s Marketplace and live bait provided by Chitwood Feed.