Derby creates 'fishing frenzy'

The Prophetstown Park District converted its indoor pool into a fishing pond for a day of winter fun.

(Photo courtesy of the Prophetstown Park District.)

By Kim Meyers

Mix together one swimming pool, 240 eager participants, several volunteers and staff members, an untold number of spectators and 500 pounds of catfish, and what do you get? A day of fun and excitement unmatched by any special event in our park district's recent history.

Smiles were the order of the day during this Clearwater Fishing Frenzy, as people tried to catch a catfish from the pool using a cane pole. The idea for the event stemmed from two sources: a small number of fish caught at a local fishing derby on the Rock River and a prior experience of catching fish in clear Canadian water. With some Divine guidance, a decision was made to stock the pool so people could both see and catch the fish.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 18 September/October 1987

Planning the event

The Frenzy was designed to be educational as well as enjoyable. Plans were devised to give participating children and adults the experience of baiting a hook, catching the fish, seeing the fish being cleaned and, of course, eating it. After all, don't too many kids get the idea that meat is something that came from a grocer's shelf, not from a once-living creature?

The 500 pounds of channel cat-fish, purchased from a commercial "fish farmer" at $1.20 per pound, were supposed to weigh between one and two pounds each. Instead of getting 300 to 400 fish, we got 182 fish that weighed one to seven pounds each. While this delighted the fishermen, it did strain the district's budget.

Fishing spots

All of the fish were kept in the shallow end of our 42 by 75 foot indoor pool by stringing chicken wire under the rope. The pool had closed for the season on November 1. By Frenzy Day, November 22, all chlorine was gone, and the pool temperature was down.

Thirty-five fishing spaces were marked around the pool edge, with a cane pole held in place at each spot. Each participant paid 75 cents for a fishing space, and an additional 50 cents if he or she caught a fish. After receiving a brief explanation of the event's rules, the fishermen had 35 minutes to make their catch.

Corn, hot dogs, dog food, raisins, meal worms and regular worms were all tried for bait, but even after fasting for a week, our pond-raised fish weren't as hungry as we had hoped. Between biting and being "accidentally hooked," all but 14 were caught. (The rest were netted and given to volunteers.)

Volunteers were on deck to help net the fish and to do any other jobs necessary. Due to the unexpectedly large size of the fish, only one was allowed per person. A fish cleaning demonstration concluded the event, during which participants were offered help to clean their catch.

Special participants

The day before the Frenzy, various residents from the local wheel-chair facility and the nursing home came to test their luck at catching a whopper, and they all did! A local kindergarten class was on hand to watch this activity.

Common questions

The two main concerns about the Frenzy focused on the chlorine's effect on the fish and the subsequent pool cleanup procedures. We explained that the chlorine evaporated soon after we quit adding it to the water, and that fish were cleaner than humans.

We did have a bit of trouble keeping the fish from clumping together in the pool corners and under the ladder. Lounge chairs were installed as fish congregators to correct the problem, and the park director got to spend the day in a wet suit spreading the fish around.

Extra benefits

Our park district is a small one, not blessed with too much other than the indoor pool which has been open six months of the year for several years due to high costs and low winter participation. The public's image of our small park district was heightened by the Frenzy. Local radio stations carried stories and live interviews about the Frenzy, and two television stations filmed footage of the activities for their evening news.

We're in the process of working out the "bugs" for this year's Frenzy, but when you do something you love, is it really work? We look forward to another very enjoyable day.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kim Meyers has been the director of the Prophetstown Park District since 1983. He has a B.A. in physical education, speech and drama from Augustana College, and an M.S. in health education from Western Illinois University. He spent three years as health and physical director of the Freeport YMCA and 18 months as director of community recreation in Lanark before assuming his present position.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 19 September/October 1987