Families lined the banks of the pond owned by the Hamburg Game and Fish Association. Fathers and mothers supervised enthusiastic casts, children diligently watched bobbers looking for signs of a nibbling fish, while energetic siblings caught frogs or munched on snacks.
This is the scene each year at the annual Fishing Rodeo, held each spring on the club’s wooded property on the edge of Hamburg. Event organizer Deb Kline noted this was the 61st year for the two-day event.
On Saturday, May 19, rainy weather still drew in 105 youngsters who caught 136 trout. On Sunday, sunnier skies brought 155 children who caught an additional 180 trout. The overall winner of the rodeo this year was Bailey Garris, whose two-day, four-fish total measured a combined 64 inches in length.
New this year, Kline said, was the addition of tiger trout to the pond. All children who caught a tiger trout got a special prize, including $10 cash or passes to a Fightin’ Phils baseball game.
The event is free and open only to children, up to age 15. Each participant can come both days of the rodeo and catch up to two trout each day. Their odds of success are made sweeter because the club stocks their tree-lined pond for the weekend: 1,600 pounds of trout this year in the 12- to 18-inch size range and 100 pounds in the 18- to 28-inch range. Twenty-five tiger trout were also put in the water.
A team of 14 volunteers ran the event on Saturday, and 16 came on Sunday to staff the registration table, measure fish and hand out prizes. The food stand, which dispenses free hot dogs and drinks to children and low-priced snacks to all, is run by the advisers and student members of the Hamburg Area High School’s Wilderness Club.
Kline said that much of the intensive work for the rodeo is done in the days ahead. This year, club members organized extensive improvements around the pond: adding benches, building retaining walls and adding safety edges. Donations from local businesses are also key.
“The children’s rodeo is for the kids. Everything is for the kids,” Kline emphasized. “We just ask that the kids reel in the fish or have their hands on the rods when the fish are pulled in. It’s to get the kids to enjoy the outdoors and get a taste of fishing [and] enjoy fishing and the out-of-doors.”
Many of the volunteers fished at the rodeo when they were children, and all say they share the same motivation: helping the next generation of children gain a love of fishing.
Anne Postupak has volunteered for over 20 years, along with her siblings. She said they all came to the rodeo as children.
“We were here as kids,” she said, and “now it’s our turn to give back, to get the kids to fish. Anyone can fish!”
Another regular volunteer is Mike Drumheller. He said this is the 21st year he’s played music and served as emcee, and he loves interviewing children after they’ve pulled in a trout of any size.
“I love their expressions and I especially love their recipes,” he said, grinning. “I get a lot of really interesting recipes from the kids.”
Watching over the crowd on Sunday was Glo Wetzel, who organized the event for 30-odd years before Kline took over the job.
“I’m so grateful,” she said, “because they’ve done such a fantastic job. It just gets better every year. And I’m so glad we’ve kept it free and open to the public. It’s our way to thank the community. It’s our way to give back.”
In a fun twist, the club awards prizes for the smallest fish caught by a boy and girl each day. This year, the honors went to Lauryn Postupak and Carter Riegel on Saturday and Carla Le and Skyler Schaner on Sunday.
On Saturday, winners in the age 1 to 5 category were Carl Weaver (first), Bailey Garris (second) and Kehl Berk (third). Other winners that day were ages 6 to 8: Kayleigh Halenar, Celeste Mummdo, Sophia Stoudt; ages 9 to 11: Aidan Matthews, Luke Brown, Kaeli Cox; ages 12 to 15: Jacob Stump, Gabriel Matthews, Kendra Barlet.
On Sunday, winners were ages 1 to 5: Reagan Dreibelbis, Parker Garris, Zachary Werner; ages 6 to 8: Asher Nadkett, Brandon Elo, Cara Le; ages 9 to 11: Luke Brown, Brayden Fessler, Ian Vitalo; ages 12 to 15: Zach Peters, Avante Chea, (tie for third) Arizona Rentschler and Brody Lasko.
The Hamburg Fish and Game Association holds events year-round for children, youth and adults on their property, 935 5th Street in Hamburg. For more information, call 610-562-3532 or visit their Facebook page: www.fb.com/HamburgGame.