Youth Tourney Snags Nice Crowd, Large Fish

Area youth gathered to challenge their fishing skills at Home Run Pond over the weekend. On June 1, kids of all ages spent the day at the Walleyes Unlimited youth fishing tournament attempting to snag any variety of fish, from carp and bullheads to rainbow trout, and with a freshly stocked pond, the bite was on.

The weather could not have been more perfect for fishing, with a slightly warm day, overcast skies and only a slight southerly wind blowing over the water. According to Mary Humbert with the local chapter of Walleyes Unlimited, 28 area youth from ages as varied as four years old up to double digits participated and countless fish were caught throughout the event. Each child received gifts for showing up which included Subway gift cards, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks toys and informational materials for outdoor safety. Bait, tackle and rods were also available so participants did not have to bring their own or rig up a rod.

The event ended with an awards ceremony and a hotdog lunch provided by Walleyes Unlimited. The top fishers of the day were first place Tyler King, catching an 18-inch carp, receiving a $100 gift certificate to D & G. In second place was Owen Thompson who landed a 17 3/4 inch carp, taking home a $50 gift certificate. Coming in at third place was Jaxson Kemp who managed to hook into a 17 ½ inch trout and earned himself a $25 gift certificate.

Montana Walleyes Unlimited is a conservation-based organization dedicated to preserving, enhancing and maintaining Walleye habitat across the State. A separate Walleyes' mission is education and awareness of fishing which includes engaging youth in the sport and teaching them conservation, outdoorsmanship and, of course, how to have fun fishing.