By Louie Stout

Tradition Continues with Giant Aug. 11 Youth Derby

When it comes to fishing events, there is not a longer standing tradition in Michiana than the St. Joe Valley Bassmasters annual youth derby at Potato Creek.

On August 11, the club will hold its 42nd annual event at Worster Lake in the state park.

It’s free to all kids ages 4 to 14 who register.

Think about that – 42 years of giving thousands of youngsters a chance to fish and providing great prizes for everyone.

It’s the oldest running youth fishing event in Indiana, if not the Midwest, and the St. Joe club was one of the state’s first bass clubs to form.

Last year’s event drew 175 kids. Historically, the event draws from 150-200 kids and has drawn as many as 300, all of whom go home with a t-shirt and a bag filled with candy, school supplies and a few other goodies – all supplied by generous local merchants.

Several of this area’s great anglers participated in the event during their early years and many of the parents of the kids participating this year are former participants.

“It got me and some of our other club members excited about fishing when we were younger,” said Blaine Pickavet, chairman of the St. Joe Valley Bassmasters youth event. “We know how important it is to continue this tradition.”

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the contest runs from 9 to 11. Hot dogs and pop will be provided for the kids afterwards at no charge.

You can save time by pre-registering. Simply go to the club’s website (www.stjoevalleybassmasters.com), click on youth tournament and download the entry form. You can sign up the morning of the event, but the club urges parents to pre-register their kids so it can get a handle on how many participants it will have.

The youngsters are divided into three age groups in boys and girls divisions. The age groups are 4-7, 8-11 and 12-14.

New bicycles (six) are awarded to the winners in each age group. In addition TVs, electronics, camping gear, fishing tackle and other great prizes are given to other finishers in each division.

Prize winners are determined by total inches of fish they catch during the two-hours of competition.

“What’s interesting is the younger kids tend to be best at accumulating inches because they are just trying to catch fish any fish that bites with live bait,” said Pickavet. “The older kids are trying to catch bass with artificial lures, and some do, but not like the younger kids who are fishing for anything that would bite.”

At least one parent or guardian must accompany the youths and the kids have to provide their own fishing tackle and bait. Parents may assist the kids but club members will be available to take the fish off the hook, measure and record each child’s length accumulation.

For more details, you can call Pickavet at 574-344-7709 or email him at bpickavet@yahoo.com.