Bob Hart, chairman of the Moose Lodge 806 Rod and Gun Club activity group, got pretty busy after the noon siren blew, which signaled it was time for the anglers in the second annual Fishing Contest on Badger Lake at John F. Kennedy Memorial Park to bring in their catch.
The group hosted the fun tournament for a simple reason.
"It's for the kids," Hart said. "We want to help get them interested in fishing."
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-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Bob Hart, chairman of Moose Lodge 806 Rod and Gun Club, weighs a fish as Macey Krotts, 13, of Fort Dodge, who caught it, watches.
Macey Krotts, 13, of Fort Dodge, managed to hook herself a few bluegills and a bass Saturday morning while fishing with her stepfather, Dan Vinnece.
She did almost all of it herself - including putting the worms on the hook, reeling them in and casting out the line.
Now, taking them off the hook - she left that for Vinnece.
"I don't do that yet," she said. "I like the fish."
Krotts is no stranger to angling. She said her family fishes frequently and she enjoys her time next to the lake.
Makayla Lundberg, 10, of Fort Dodge, helped land a respectable five bluegill.
She fished with her siblings Cameron, 4, and Ashlyn, 7, in a boat with Laura Keenan and Jeff Sweeney.
Lundberg was a little reluctant to skewer the worms.
"She had to do that," she said, referring to Keenan.
"And take the fish off the hook," Keenan said.
After bringing in their catch to have it weighed, participants enjoyed lunch and Lodge members distributed donated fishing gear and other prizes to the winners in several categories.