More than 200 youth anglers participated in the 37th annual Delaware Youth Fishing Tournament on June 3, presented by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) Police, DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife.
The event was held at three locations across the state, with young anglers casting their lines in at Ingrams Pond in Sussex County, Akridge Scout Reservation in Kent County, and Lums Pond in New Castle County.
Tournament weighmasters on-site at each pond weighed catches for participants ages 4 through 15 as they competed for each county’s top catch and age group titles, as well as the title of overall state winner. The overall champion this year was Bristol Brown (age 10) of Lewes, DE who caught 6.87 pounds of fish at Akridge Scout Reservation, including the biggest fish caught of the day, a 5.6-pound largemouth.
This year’s overall statewide winner and county winners will be invited to a special trophy ceremony on Governor’s Day at the 2023 Delaware State Fair in Harrington from July 20-29.
New Castle County Winners
At Lums Pond in New Castle County, Michael Hopkins was the day’s overall winner with a total of 3.47 pounds of fish. Other New Castle County winners were:
Ages 4 through 7:
First place – Miles Hopkins (2.77 pounds)
Second place – Fiona Awesome (2.25 pounds)
Third place – Mason Healey (2.03 pounds)
Ages 8 through 11:
First place – Mackenzie Healey (1.53 pounds)
Second place – Griffith Jordan (1.28 pounds)
Third place – Alexis Talley (0.94 pounds)
Ages 12 through 15:
First place – Theodore Perez, 2.21 pounds
Second place – Tyler Harvell, 1.81 pounds
Third place – Aiden Talley 1.19, pounds
Kent County Winners
Ages 4 through 7:
First place – Arianna Chaves Torres (5.47 pounds)
Second place – Beau Lindale (3.72 pounds)
Third place – Kohen Marvel (2.78 pounds)
Ages 8 through 11:
First place – Dominic Webb (6.36 pounds)
Second place – Carter Mast (3.37 pounds)
Third place – Collin Mesinger (3.19 pounds)
Ages 12 through 15:
First place – Evan Knutsen (3.92 pounds)
Second place – Brennan Ring (3.43 pounds)
Third place – Gianna Velazquez (2.02 pounds)
Sussex County Winners
At Ingram’s Pond in Sussex County, Brody Spencer was the day’s overall winner for the second year in a row with a total of 8.52 pounds of fish. Other Sussex County winners were:
Ages 4 through 7:
First place – Tristen Wertz (1.89 pounds)
Second place – Ella Elliott (0.55 pounds)
Third place – Piper Vannicola (0.30 pounds)
Ages 8 through 11:
First place – John Timmons V (2.96 pounds)
Second place – Caden Timmons (1.39 pounds)
Third place – Gary Shepherd (0.86 pounds)
Ages 12 through 15:
First place – Owen Laux (5.80 pounds)
Second place – Alayna Adkins (0.47 pounds)
Third place – Landon Elliott (0.08 pounds)
Learn more about the Delaware Youth Fishing Tournament and DNREC at dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov.
