Meaford’s Take A Kid Fishing Bass Derby is in its 28th year, and organizer Alan Craig says some of the youngsters who fished years ago will be making a return visit to this year’s derby.

“People really like it,” he says. “Kids that fished 28 years ago are bringing their kids back to fish now. ”

The family event encourages families to fish together, but it’s the kids who get to enter their catch in the derby and take home the prizes. (Actually, every kid goes home with a fishing related prize – last year it was a fishing pole – and there’s also T-shirts from Tim Hortons and a raffle for boys and girls bikes.)

Families fish the Bighead River in Meaford or the Beaver River in Thornbury, as well as along the Southern Georgian Bay shoreline between the two towns, vying for the biggest catch in their age groups – which range from three years old to 17. The derby encourages live release, with an extra 100 grams added onto your catch if you let it go after its weighed.

“Everybody has a pretty good time,” says Craig. “Little kids don’t mind if they only get a six-inch fish on their line. They’re just beaming when they come to the scales with it.”

Families come from all over Ontario and even further to fish together for the weekend, he says.

The Take A Kid Fishing Bass Derby is held this Saturday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 7 a.m. to noon, with registration Friday night between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. or any time during the derby. The entry fee is only $5, with tickets available at Bulk Boys Foods, Rick’s Pro Shop, Stedman’s Department Store, Suzie’s Place and U Catch ‘Em Charters.

And when the kids are done fishing, they can check out the Meaford rodeo. Yep, the rodeo. More on that tomorrow.