Brother and sister vie for fishing derby honors at Jaycee Park

Tuesday, June 6, 2017
Thirteen-year-old Daisy Sieg of Greencastle is the fishing derby winner Saturday at the Greencastle Parks and Recreation Department’s Celebrate Kids Fishing Day at Jaycee Park. Daisy -- who also won the Most Fish Caught title -- shows her winning entry, an 18-inch, 2-pound, 1-ounce channel catfish, to Park Maintenance Supervisor David Bault (right) and summer intern Jorden Froderman from Indiana State University.
Courtesy photo

With a dozen young participants fishing alongside their parents at Jaycee Park, the Greencastle Parks and Recreation Department conducted its annual Celebrate Kids Fishing Derby on Saturday, June 3.

The program is held every year during the first weekend of June to not only promote fishing to children in the community but also to promote Indiana’s Free Fishing Weekend where all who wish to fish can without a fishing license.

The youngest participant to catch a fish at Jaycee Park was three-year-old Carlin Ray of Greencastle, who caught a 12½-inch, 8-ounce channel catfish.

Three-year-old Carlin Ray claims the Youngest Angler title by catching an 8-ounce, 12 ½-inch channel catfish which his father, Sam Ray of Greencastle, helps display.
Courtesy photo

Meanwhile, the largest fish caught resulted in a tight race between two siblings -- six-year old E.J. Sieg and his 13-year-old sister Daisy Sieg, both landing channel catfish.

E.J.’s catfish was caught in the final moments of the derby and measured 17½ inches, weighing in at 2 pounds, 1 ounce, while sister Daisy had earlier caught an 18-inch, 2-pound, 1-ounce catfish, barely edging out her brother for the Largest Fish Caught title.

Daisy also caught the most fish in the tournament, landing six -- two channel catfish, three bluegills, one red ear -- and a turtle over the course of three hours as overall the young anglers caught 17 fish total of four different species.

The Greencastle Parks and Recreation Department would like to thank its tournament sponsors, who donated the many fishing poles, lures and bait given away during the event.

Sponsors included the Greencastle Walmart store, Bass Pro, ½ Nelson Lures, Indiana Department of Natural Resources and Park Maintenance Supervisor David Bault and his family.

Others who caught fish were Nicholas Fowler, age 7, one bluegill; Sydney Taylor, age 8, one smallmouth bass and a frog; Isabelle A. Cooper, age 8, one largemouth bass; and Sully Taylor, age 12, one bluegill.

Other Fishing Derby participants were Emma Haddon, age 7; Brenton Cooper, age 8; Natalie Fowler, age 8; Madalynn Sanford, age 9; and Gavin Hoopingarner, 13.

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