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+--- Thread: Statewide winners of 27th Annual Youth Fishing Tournament honored today at Delaware State Fair Governors Day ceremony (/showthread.php?tid=884381)
Statewide winners of 27th Annual Youth Fishing Tournament honored today at Delaware State Fair Governors Day ceremony - FishNews - 06-03-2014
HARRINGTON (July 25, 2013) Today at the Delaware State Fair, Governor Jack Markell, DNREC Secretary Collin O'Mara, U.S. EPA Region III Administrator Shawn M. Garvin and Division of Fish and Wildlife Director David Saveikis honored the winners of the Division of Fish and Wildlife's 27th annual Youth Fishing Tournament, which was held June 8.
This year's New Castle County winner and statewide first place winner for three years in a row is 14-year-old Emma Griffith of Middletown, who caught nearly eight pounds of fish in Lums Pond.
The Sussex County winner, second place statewide, is 14-year-old Will Geppert of Rehoboth Beach, who caught 7.2 pounds of fish in Ingrams Pond.
The Kent County winner, third place statewide, is 14-year-old Sara Deason of Harrington, who caught 6.18 pounds of fish in Wyoming Pond.
This year's tournament drew a total of 194 young anglers and their families. The New Castle County location, Lums Pond in Bear, drew 88 children and teens casting lines, while at Kent County's Wyoming Pond, 42 youngsters turned out. Sussex County reeled in 64 young anglers at Ingrams Pond in Millsboro. Winners received fishing rods and tackle boxes as well as trophies, and all participants received prizes. All of the fish caught in the tournament were weighed and released. Complete results are as follows:
New Castle County - Lums Pond, Bear
County winner: Emma Griffith, 14, of Middletown, 7 pounds, 15 ounces of fish caught.
The biggest fish of the day, a catfish weighing 1.14 pounds, was caught by 11-year-old Carter Wilkins of Landenberg, Pa. Another interesting catch was made by Christian Britton, age 13, of Middletown, who caught a 4-pound turtle. Other New Castle County winners, by age group and total weight of fish caught, were:
Ages 4 to 7
First place - Brendon Wiley, age 6, of Landenberg, Pa, 2.9 pounds
Second place - Tyler Trzonkowski, age 4, of Newark, 1.14 pounds
Third place - Austin Shreckengost, age 5, of Drumore, Pa, 1.6 pounds
Ages 8 to 11
First place - Marlynnae Muhammad, age 10, of Wilmington, 7.8 pounds
Second place - Owen Grossi, age 9, of Wilmington, 3.9 pounds
Third place - Andrew Wiley, age 10, of Downingtown, Pa., 2.9 pounds
Ages 12 to 15
First place - Laurel Hossler, age 13, of Smyrna, 6.12 pounds
Second place - Eddie Breitenbach, age 14, of Smyrna, 4.16 pounds
Third place - Aaron Rohrer, age 13, of Newark, 3.9 pounds
Kent County - Wyoming Pond, Wyoming
County winner: Sarah Deason, 14, of Harrington, 6.18 pounds of fish caught.
Mikayla Peirdon of Dover caught the largest fish of the day, a 2.93-pound largemouth bass. The smallest fish of the day was a 1-ounce white perch caught by MJ Greco, age 8, of Dover. Other Kent County winners, by age group and total weight of fish caught, were:
Ages 4 to 7
First place - Ava Ruggiero, age 5, of Camden, 2.17 pounds
Second place - Trevor Wong, age 7, of Frederica, 1.21 pounds
Third place - Hunter Timmons, age 7, of Dover, 0.76 pounds
Ages 8 to 11
First place - Devon Scheidecker, age 9, of Camden, 3.16 pounds
Second place - Rebecca Webb, age 11, of Hartly, 1.37 pounds
Third place - Chad Nicholson, age 8, of Dover, 1.17 pounds
Ages 12 to 15
First place - Sofia Gordy, age 12, of Ocean City, Md., 4.10 pounds
Second place - Mikayla Peirdon, age 12, of Dover, 3.48 pounds
Third place - Steven Swan, age 13, of Dover, 2.43 pounds
Sussex County - Ingrams Pond, Millsboro
County winner: Will Geppert, 14, of Rehoboth Beach, 7.3 pounds of fish caught.
The biggest fish of the day was a largemouth bass weighing 1.11 pounds, caught by Zach Rowe of Greenwood. Olivia Marzullo of Georgetown caught the smallest fish of the day, a 0.44-ounce bluegill. Another interesting catch was a snapping turtle caught by Ian Rieley of Millsboro. Other Sussex County winners, by age group and total weight of fish caught, were:
Ages 4 to 7
First place - Andrew Wertz, age 6, of Lewes, 2.13 pounds
Second place - Noah Harshbarger, age 6, of Millsboro, 2.08 pounds
Third place - Camrin Croney, age 7, of Ocean View, 1.72 pounds
Ages 8 to 11
First place - Yatzel Calderon, age 8, of Georgetown, 2.01 pounds
Second place - Caden Cope, age 9, of Georgetown, 1.79 pounds
Third place - Zachary Hicks, age 8, of Greenwood, 1.76 pounds
Ages 12 to 15
First place - Will Geppert, age 14, of Rehoboth Beach, 7.20 pounds
Second place - Hunter Lied, age 14, of Millsboro, 3.29 pounds
Third place - Jase Meredith, age 14, of Milford, 2.67 pounds
The Youth Fishing Tournament was established to introduce youth to the sport of fishing and to teach the catch-and-release approach to conservation. The free tournament, held annually in June, is open to youth ages 4 to 15. The Division of Fish and Wildlife-sponsored tournament is entirely organized and run by the officers of the Division of Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Section, with a Fisheries biologist serving as official weigh master at each of the three ponds during the event.
For more information on the Youth Fishing Tournament, please call 302-739-9913 or visit www.fw.delaware.gov/Info/YouthFishing.htm.
DNREC's Youth Fishing Tournament is part of Delaware's Children in Nature Initiative, a statewide effort to improve environmental literacy in Delaware, create opportunities for children to participate in enriching outdoor experiences, combat childhood obesity and promote healthy lifestyles. Delaware's multi-agency initiative, which partners state and federal agencies with community organizations, is part of the national No Child Left Inside program.