Hundreds of people lined the shore of the Windmont Park lagoon Saturday to take part in the Kewanee Park District’s and Oldeen Roofing’s annual fishing rodeo. The weather forecast hadn’t looked good, but the rain stayed away and fishing enthusiasts turned out to win prizes.
Park Director Andrew Dwyer said 237 youths registered for the event. Dwyer said there may also have been other kids who took part but didn’t register.
He said of the turnout, “That is way up compared to any other rodeo I’ve been involved with.”
Again this year, Oldeen Roofing donated fish to be stocked into the lagoon prior to the fishing rodeo. Dwyer said Oldeen Roofing donated 1,500 pounds of catfish, with a value of $5,000.
It’s hard to say how many fish were caught, Dwyer said, since some kids took fish home with them and others put them back in the lagoon.
The trophy for the day’s fish went to a teen-ager who reeled in a 13-pound, 36-inches-long catfish.
