The 2024 Youth Derby Award Ceremony concluded an exciting five-week fishing adventure in Wayne County. 

The Youth Fishing Derby highlights the long-standing tradition of fishing excellence in the region. A total of 75 dedicated young anglers cast their lines in Wayne County waters, successfully catching 160 fish—a testament to their perseverance and skill.

The warm, still waters of Wayne County Bays presented a challenge, as fish tend to become sluggish and hide in deeper, cooler parts of the water during hot weather. This year, perch were particularly hard to find in the bays, prompting many anglers to focus on the canal system where the perch stayed near the bottom in cooler waters, making them hard to catch from the shore.

A highlight of the event was the Merchant’s Challenge, a highly competitive division where sport anglers are tasked with catching all five species of fish. The winner is determined by the cumulative weight of their catches. Christian Forget emerged victorious in this challenge, impressively weighing in at 24 lbs.

Each year, the Wayne County Federation of Sportsman’s Clubs honors young anglers who are just beginning their fishing journeys with a special award. This honorary award is given in memory of Captain Larry LaForce, who passed away a few years ago. Larry loved teaching kids how to fish, and this award aims to inspire young anglers to continue fishing and carry on Larry’s legacy of passion and dedication. This year’s winner of the Capt’n Larry Award is Kodi Deon, age 4.

The Al Shultz Award was another exciting part of the derby, requiring anglers to catch all panfish and one Largemouth or Smallmouth bass. This year, six anglers took on the challenge, and three emerged victorious. Our talented winners are Jonah House, age 7, Jackson Flynn, age 7, and Ellie Deon, age 5.

In the Species Challenge, awards were given to youth anglers for placing 1st to 10th in various fish species categories. This year, the ladies dominated the first place all species except for walleye: Jillian Thomas, Northern Pike, 8lbs 11oz; Marie Humbert, Smallmouth Bass, 5lbs 8oz; Payton Williamson, Largemouth Bass, 4lbs 8oz; Jazzilyn Jarvis, Perch, 1lb 8oz; and Parker Williamson, Walleye, 6lbs 2oz.

The Thomas Family has been a cornerstone of the Wayne County Youth Fishing Derby for the past six years. The three young Thomas sisters, guided by their dedicated father who frequently takes them fishing, have made significant achievements. This year, Jillian Thomas took first place in the Northern Pike species challenge with an impressive 8lb 11oz catch. Cassie Thomas placed second in the Smallmouth Bass category with a 4lb 2oz fish, and their sister Natalie Thomas took second place in the Largemouth Bass species challenge with a 3lb 11oz catch. The Thomas Family’s ongoing participation and success are a testament to their passion and dedication to the sport.

Organizers adding in a statement "Congratulations to all our participants for their hard work and enthusiasm. The 2024 Youth Derby was a fantastic success, and we look forward to even greater achievements next year, continuing the proud tradition of fishing excellence in Wayne County."