Area children enjoyed the sport of fishing at the Hamburg Game Association’s Children’s Fishing Rodeo, a long-time annual event held this year on Saturday and Sunday, May 16 and 17. Over both days, 283 youngsters – accompanied by parents and grandparents – caught 537 trout, pulled from the association’s beautiful pond.
Families attending the rodeo walked down a shady, woody path to the pond. There, they were greeted by association members who helped them register by age group and explained the rules: each child could catch two fish per day. Each child was given a ticket for free prize drawings, including many items donated by members and area businesses. Additional prize baskets were set up as raffles.
The fun event also included music and an emcee, free hot dogs and birch beer for the children and other concessions for sale. The air was festive as adults assisted young anglers, and everyone cheered as youngsters pulled large, splashing fish out of the water.
Gary Hausman assisted his granddaughter, 8-year old Kylee Koller, of Morrisville, pull a 2-foot trout to shore. Brother Drew, 10 years old, posed with the three for pictures as their mother recalled similar fishing memories from her childhood.
“My dad used to take my sister and I here when we were kids,” she said.
Debra Kline, a member of the Hamburg Game Association, noted that many families share similar stories about the rodeo. It has been held by the association since 1957, and Kline is happy to help organize it now. She is assisted by a bevy of volunteers, many of them association members, who were eager to assist children as they pulled in some of the 1,700 pounds of trout stocked for the rodeo. (An earlier load of 1,110 pounds of trout – including brown and rainbow varieties – were stocked in the pond in April for the start of the fishing season).
Among the volunteers were Michelle Rumbel, a member and professional photographer who donated her time and photographs for the club, along with her assistant Donna Berger, also an association member.
“All our volunteers are golden,” Rumbel said, scanning the busy scene. “Without them, none of this would happen.”
On Saturday’s rodeo, winners by age group were: ages 1 to 5, Mckenzie Kissinger (1st place), Emily Eddinger (2nd), Kylie Smith (3rd); ages 6 to 8, Kylee Koller (1st), Emily Burkholder and Iris Stemko (tied for 2nd), Addison Lesher (3rd); ages 9 to 11, Cody Gehres (1st), Drew Koller (2nd) and Bradley Spatz (3rd); and ages 12 to 15, Owen Stemko (1st), Alexa Althouse (2nd) and Haley Bylina (3rd). Catching the smallest fish on Saturday were Alyssa Brensinger (12 1/4″”) and Owen Gerberich (10 1/2″).
Winners for Sunday included: ages 1 to 5, Sydney Schappell (1st), Vera Himmelberger (2nd), Phalene Hoppes (3rd); ages 6 to 8, Kylee Koller (1st), Brianna Seip (2nd) and Gavin Heim (3rd); ages 9 to 11, Haley Stertzel (1st), Makenzie Schaner (2nd), Blake Bristow (3rd); and ages 12 to 15, Derrick Behney (1st), Julian Amway (2nd) and Quentin Snyder (3rd). Smallest fish on Sunday came from Molly Krick (11 1/2″) and Clayton Verrastro (11 1/2″)
Kylee Koller was the overall winner for the 2015 Children’s Fishing Rodeo. She attended both days and caught four trout measuring a total of 74″.
“She won the $50 gift card donated by Jeannie Stewart-Good in memory of her husband, Jerry Stewart,” Kline said.
