Palatine Park District Fishing Derby May 10-11

Palatine Park District presents the annual Fishing Derby from 8 a.m.-noon on Saturday, May 10, at Plum Grove Reservoir located on Algonquin Road near Harper College. This day of catch-and-release fishing for all ages includes largest fish competitions, a casting competition for kids and raffle prizes throughout the event.

This family-friendly event has been offered annually by the Palatine Park District since 1991. For the third year in a row, the event is being offered in the spring, a period of the year when the fish are more apt to be biting.

Fish in the Plum Grove Reservoir include hybrid sunfish, bass, channel catfish, perch, carp, bullhead and northern. Prizes will be awarded for the largest bass, largest catfish, largest northern, and the largest fish in the "other" category.

The West Suburban Bass Angler's Club will be on hand to conduct a kids casting contest complete with prizes donated by the club.

Raffles will also be held throughout the day, made possible through donations received from a variety of community groups including CristalMe Rhinestone Apparel Inc., Salmon Shop of Palatine, Lucky Dog Charters, Cabela's, Angler's International Resources, and Ram Restaurant. Gold level event sponsors who have also supported this program include A+ Day School, CristalMe Rhinestone Apparel Inc., Daily Herald Media Group, Loving Care Animal Hospital, Premier Credit Union, SportClips-Palatine, and Sports Authority.

The $3 fishing derby entry fee is payable at event check-in on May 10. The first 200 children will receive a complimentary goody bag. All participants 16 years and older must have a fishing license. Licenses can be purchased online through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources at www.dnr.illinois.gov or locally at the Salmon Shop, 111 S. Northwest Highway, Palatine.

To prepare for the derby, members of the West Suburban Bass Angler's Club will be offering a free instructional fishing class from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 9. The class is for all ages and will be held at Plum Grove Reservoir. Participants will be instructed in the proper method of setting a hook, reeling in a fish, properly releasing a fish, and a wide range of other topics. Participants need to bring their own rod and reel and tackle; bait will be provided. After class, participants will have the opportunity to fish with help from the instructors. While the class is free, preregistration is required at www.palatineparks.org using code 4586-1.

For information, contact Todd Ranum, Palatine Park District athletic coordinator, at (847) -496-6238 or tranum@palatineparks.org.

The mission of Palatine Park District is to provide a variety of safe, enjoyable and affordable parks and recreation facilities and activities that will enhance the quality of life by promoting good health and well-being for all residents and visitors of the Palatine Park District.

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