HARRINGTON – The three top trophy winners in the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife’s 27th Annual Youth Fishing Tournament were honored today at the Delaware State Fair, where Governor Jack Markell, DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara and U.S. EPA Region III Administrator Shawn M. Garvin presented them with their trophies. The winners from the June 9 event were:

• Andrew Wertz, 5, of Lewes, Sussex County winner, took third place statewide with 1.45 pounds of fish caught at Ingrams Pond. Andrew also caught the biggest fish of the day, a pickerel weighing 0.67 pound, and the smallest fish of the day, a 0.38-ounce bluegill.

• Sophia Gordy, age 11, of Bishopville, Md., Kent County winner, who took second place statewide with 3.35 pounds of fish caught at Wyoming Pond in Wyoming.

• Emma Griffith, 13, of Middletown, overall statewide first place winner and New Castle County winner for the third year in a row, with fish weighing in at a total of 5.49 pounds.

Other results for the 186 young anglers who participated in the tournament were:

New Castle County
Lums Pond in Bear drew 104 children and teens casting lines. The biggest fish of the day, a largemouth bass weighing 2.35 pounds, was caught in New Castle County by 12-year-old Travis Yetter of Middletown. Another interesting catch was made by Ayana Bias, age 12, of Bear, who caught a turtle weighing 4.46 pounds. New Castle County winners, by age group and total weight of fish caught, were:

Ages 4 to 7

First place – Brendon Wiley, age 5, of West Chester, Pa., 3.78 pounds
Second place – Mason Tyndall, age 7, of Bear, 2.83 pounds
Third place – Sophia Douglas, age 6, of Bear, 2.51 pounds

Ages 8 to 11

First place – Tom Harach, age 10, of Landenberg, Pa., 1.71 pounds
Second place – JR Kindbeiter, age 9, of Wilmington, 1.66 pounds
Third place – Sami Piaseneca, age 10, of New Castle, 1.51 pounds

Ages 12 to 15

First place – Laurel Hossler, age 12, of Smyrna, 4.59 pounds
Second place – Maura Hossler, age 15, of Smyrna, 3.83 pounds
Third place – Michael Baker, age 13, of Newark, 3.08 pounds

Kent County
At Wyoming Pond, 58 young anglers turned out. Winners, by age group and total weight of fish caught, were:

Ages 4 to 7

First place – Hunter Timmons, age 6, of Dover, 0.97 pounds
Second place – Ava Ruggiero, age 4, of Camden, 0.68 pounds
Third place – Peyton Timmons, age 7, of Dover, 0.62 pounds

Ages 8 to 11

First place – Kevin Turner, age 10, of Felton, 2.61 pounds
Second place – Mikayla Pewdon, age 11, of Dover, 1.91 pounds
Third place – Noelle Ruggiero, age 10, of Camden, 1.77 pounds

Ages 12 to 15

First place – Tyler Trego, age 15, of Harrington, 3.33 pounds
Second place – Nick Hennen, age 15, of Dover, 2.14 pounds
Third place – Zackery Finney, age 14, of Felton, 1.70 pounds

Sussex County
Ingrams Pond in Millsboro reeled in 24 young anglers. Interesting catches included a 3.2-ounce snapping turtle caught by Hailey Kinnikin, age 9, of Seaford. Winners, by age group and total weight of fish caught, were:

Ages 4 to 7

First place – Andrew Wertz, age 5, of Lewes, 1.45 pounds
Second place – Tiffany Andrie, age 7, of Dagsboro, 0.55 pounds
Third place – Mark Wilkins, age 6, of Georgetown, 0.51 pounds

Ages 8 to 11

First place – Morgan Freund, age 9, of Frankford, 0.76 pounds
Second place – Kelly Phillips, age 10, of Frankford, 0.69 pounds
Third place – Tommy Phillips, age 8, of Frankford, 0.54 pounds

Ages 12 to 15

First place – Will Geppert, age 13, of Rehoboth Beach, 1.36 pounds
Second place – Nicholas Acord, age 13, of Georgetown, 1.04 pounds
Third place – Adam Harkness, age 14, of Millsboro, 0.26 pounds

The Delaware Youth Fishing Tournament was established in 1986 to introduce youth to the sport of fishing and to teach the catch-and-release approach to conservation. All of the fish caught in the tournament are weighed and released. The winners receive fishing rods and tackle boxes as well as trophies, and all the participants receive prizes. The free tournament, held annually in June, is open to youth ages 4 to 15.

The Youth Fishing Tournament is part of Delaware’s Children in Nature Initiative, a statewide effort to improve environmental literacy in Delaware, create opportunities for children to participate in enriching outdoor experiences, combat childhood obesity and promote healthy lifestyles. Delaware’s multi-agency initiative, which partners state and federal agencies with community organizations, is part of the national No Child Left Inside program.

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