More than 200 children came out to the second annual Clay Fishing Rodeo at Cosby Lake Park on Saturday to enjoy a day of fishing, free food and prizes.
The city stocked the lake with catfish in a netted area prior to the event and gave away 200 Debco fishing rod and reels to the children who attended.
Turkey Creek Nature Preserve provided catfish bait and Trussville’s Academy Sports and Outdoors donated fishing lures to the city as well
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“I think it was a great success this year,” Clay City Councilman Charles Webster said.
The city gave away prizes to every child that caught a fish. The prizes ranged from fishing lures, bobs and hooks to tackle boxes and Bass Pro Shops T-shirts.
“We gave out every prize we had and every rod,” Webster said.
He said he already has a list of ideas to improve the rodeo next year, including netting off a second fishing area and adding more fish.
“I’m looking to expand the fishing area,” Webster said. “That will be a lot better. People won’t be too close to each other fishing.”
He said he is also considering having a fish weigh-in contest next year.
“We could have like the top 10,” he said. “The top 10, maybe top 12, that have the biggest fish would win a prize.”
Webster said the only complaint he received about this year’s rodeo was that too many adults were fishing.
“I tried to control that because basically, it was for the kids,” he said. “I think next year we’ll stress that a little bit more before the fish rodeo that there won’t be any adults allowed to catch any fish. If you can assist a child, that’s going to be OK, but we won’t allow any adults to fish that day.”
