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Sep. 17—Even the smallest fish can make a youngster happy at the Muskogee Breakfast Optimist Club’s annual fishing derby.

“They catch a lot of these little perch things, about two and a half or three inches long, and they’re so tickled to catch them,” said Optimist President Bud Hinshaw.

Youngsters can try their skill at catching fish and potential prizes at the Fishing Derby, which is Saturday at the Honor Heights Park pond.

Registration is 8 a.m. with fishing beginning at 9 a.m. Registration is free.

Youth catch fish of all sizes.

“We have had some big fish caught at the pond out there,” Hinshaw said, adding that the pond is stocked with fish the night before.

“That’s how they get the super big fish,” he said. “We have a lot of perch, catfish, maybe a crappie or two. A couple of years ago they caught one that must have been 18 to 20 inches long. He held it up and it was waist high and it was almost to the ground, so you can imagine how tickled he was.”

Past derbies have drawn 100-150 youngsters, Hinshaw said.

“We furnish the worms, we have some poles, but they’re encouraged to bring their own poles,” he said. “The kids have to have an adult with them, of course.”

Prizes will be given in pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade categories.

“Every fish that is caught will be measured, and a record will be kept,” he said. “All the kids get a T-shirt as long as they last. This is the first year we put out T-shirts.”

The Optimist Club has held the derby for more than 30 years, but canceled it in 2020 because of COVID 19.

“It gets people out of the house,” Hinshaw said. “It gets the parents and kids to do something together. And the kids love to fish.”

If you go

WHAT: Muskogee Breakfast Optimist Club Fishing Derby.

WHEN: 8 a.m. Saturday, registration.

WHERE: Honor Heights Park.

ADMISSION: Free.

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