Beginning bright and early at 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 27, the Bath Area Fish Committee held their 69th Annual Children’s Fishing Contest at Monocacy Creek with two days of fishing and fun for children ages 0 to 15.
This year, the Bath Area Fish Committee stocked the creek with 400 trout on Friday evening using funds raised through generous donations from businesses and individuals in the community.
These donations also allowed the committee to purchase prizes for tagged fish that lucky participants could win, consisting of fishing poles, nets and tackle boxes.
The weather was a bit chilly and windy, but that didn’t bother the young anglers as they arrived early with their families to set up their spots all along Monocacy Creek.
Children patiently waited for Pa. State Representative Zach Mako to blare the horn at 8 a.m. sharp, hoping to hook not just fish, but memories that will last a lifetime.
Then, with baited lines and determination in their hearts, the young anglers cast their lines into the water, watching with bated breath for that telltale tug that signals a bite.
It was a true family affair as proud parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and siblings cheered each other on, celebrating each catch and bonding over the experience.
As fish began to tug, excitement filled the air and young anglers could be heard shouting “Pappy, I got one!” and “Dad, get the net!”
After reeling in each of their catches, children beamed with joy as they held up their wriggling prizes, checking to see if they had caught one of the tagged fish.
Those lucky enough to reel in a tagged fish hurriedly took them to the fishing lounge to collect their rewards.
Many children even caught their limit of all four fish within the first hour.
This year, the committee’s Chinese raffle had over 35 items up for bid throughout the duration of the contest for both children and adults such as boxes of cigars, Hot Wheels toys, Lego sets, stuffed animals, backpacks, games, puzzles, snacks, sports equipment, outdoor items for summer fun and baskets that were perfect for Mother’s Day coming up themed with houseware items, beauty and bath products, home décor, cozy socks, jewelry and more. Gift cards to Southmoore Golf Course, Red Wolf Bar & Grille and Santa Fe Taco were also included in the raffle.
These items were purchased by or donated to the committee, and were raffled off on Sunday, April 28, which helped raise back some of the funds the committee used for the contest.
The Bath Area Fish Committee is a nonprofit organization run entirely by dedicated volunteers and is still accepting late donations to help cover the costs of this year’s contest and prepare for next year’s.
Any local businesses, organizations or individuals who wish to donate can make checks payable to the Bath Area Fish Committee, Federal Tax ID# 270504688. The donations can be mailed to BAFC, P.O. Box 143, Bath, PA 18014.
