Palatine Park District to hold its Fishing Derby May 10

Palatine Park District presents the annual Fishing Derby from 8 a.m.-noon Saturday, May 11, at Plum Grove Reservoir 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.

The family-friendly event has been offered annually by the Palatine Park District since 1991. For the second year in a row, the event has been moved to 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 Pike. Prizes will be awarded for the largest bass, largest catfish, largest Northern, and the largest fish in the “other” category.

The West Suburban Bass Anglers 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 the Salmon Shop of Palatine, Lucky Dog Charters, Cabela’s, Angler’s International Resources and Ram Restaurant.

Gold level family event sponsors, who also support this program, include A Plus Day School, All About Kids Dentistry, Daily Herald Media Group, Loving Care Animal Clinic, Premier Credit Union and Tailchasers, Inc.

The $3 fishing derby entry fee is payable at the event check-in May 11. All participants ages 16 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 Hwy., Palatine.

To prepare for the derby, members of the West Suburban Bass Anglers Club will be offering a free instructional fishing class from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, May 10. 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 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, registration is required at www.palatineparks.org using code 4576-1.

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

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