The City of Athens Parks and Recreation Department’s 21 st Annual Free Kids Fishing Derby will be held Saturday, April 27, 2019, at the Athens Regional Park. Registration will begin at 7:00 am with fishing from 8:00 am until 11:30 am. Boys and girls 12 & under can fish for prizes, including cash prizes and a 50” Flat Screen Television sponsored by Comcast. Participants do not need a fishing license to participate, but must bring their own fishing pole, bait, and be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The TWRA will stock the lake with over 800 rainbow trout days before the derby. Once the lake is stocked, with the additional trout, the lake will be closed for public fishing until after the fishing derby. Anyone fishing, while the posted sign stating the lake is closed, will be subject to a fine.
In partnership with the Fishing Derby, Comcast will be having their annual “Comcast Cares Day”. Comcast and their employees invite everyone to volunteer their time and assist with the derby. Bojangles’ will be contributing breakfast for volunteers and a free lunch will be provided to all participants by U.S. Cellular starting at 11:00. The local chapter of Trout Unlimited will also be on hand to assist young anglers and will have a fish cleaning station set up. Joseph Ladner, with Edward Jones, has donated many tackle boxes, bait, and is sponsoring $200 worth of prize fish. April 27th is also World Tai Chi Day and the UT Extension will be hosting a Tai Chi demonstration, around the Lake Loop, beginning at 10:00 am.
“Springtime in Athens means that our Parks Department is wildly busy with great programs to offer our community. The fishing derby is one of those activities that really means a lot to the families that participate. This is many children’s first experience fishing and we plan to make this experience a great one,” stated Brianna Hanson, Program Coordinator.
The Athens Regional Park is located at 2405 Decatur Pike in Athens, TN, conveniently off Exit 49 at I-75.
The City of Athens is a full-service municipality nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains and has garnered a reputation as the “Friendly City.”For more information, please contact the Office of Parks & Recreation at (423) 744-2704 or email the department at recreation@cityofathenstn.com or visit the website at cityofathenstn.com/parks.
