Youth Fishing Rodeo reels in households and enjoyable

The Neshoba County Youth Fishing Rodeo kicked off early Saturday morning, with households gathering to fish and bond.

The rodeo was held at Northside Park Lower Lake, the place youngsters aged 15 and beneath threw out a line and tried to reel within the greatest catfish doable, bringing households nearer with each tug of the road.

Neshoba Lake has been drained for repairs, so the rodeo needed to be moved to Northside Park Lower Lake, a synthetic lake that the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) stocked with about 1,000 catfish, even tagging some for a $50 or $100 prize for the kid who caught them.

Sherry Hazelwood, MDWFP particular initiatives officer, began the catfish rodeo program in 1999 along with her now late husband, his help dwelling on in her household as they supported her in creating and overseeing many rodeo occasions throughout the state via the years.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, although she loves each fishing occasion she oversees, the rodeo began right here.

Hazelwood holds it near her coronary heart, describing Neshoba’s as her “baby”. She spent her time on the rodeo managing and saying, smiling and celebrating when any baby introduced in a very giant or tagged fish.

It all began with only a few households attending, however it shortly turned widespread, with pre-COVID years repeatedly getting round 300 and peaking at round 500.

Attending every rodeo have been a number of native companies that sponsor the occasion, in addition to the Sheriff’s Office and the hearth departments for security. The Northside rodeo was no exception.

Miss Neshoba County Fair 2025 Ashton Luke was additionally in attendance, on stage with Hazelwood all through the occasion.

Through the rodeo’s large success, Hazelwood has seen unbelievable issues occur for the youngsters of Neshoba County. She’s seen children study to like fishing, households turn into nearer, and youth crime decrease.

As Hazelwood likes to say: “You keep kids on the bank, you keep them out of the streets.”

Neshoba’s rodeo has had many successes, previous and current. Hazelwood recounts a father reuniting with and bonding along with his daughter after years of separation, in addition to a special-needs boy going from grumpy and protesting to being glued to the financial institution and desirous to be “a fisherwoman, or a fisherman, some sort of fish person” after getting his first chew.

As for Saturday’s rodeo, it was smiles throughout. J.P. Watson, a first-time attendee who expressed enthusiasm to return subsequent yr, stated, “It was crowded, but there are a lot of people having fun, and I think that’s a very good thing.”

Scott Clark, a proud lifelong fireman, got here to the rodeo for the primary time to make sure security and safety and was glad that his fears in regards to the horrible climate from the evening earlier than did not carry over.

“It turned out to be a pretty day,” Clark stated. “I’m glad for the kids to come out and fish. I feel like they’re all having a good time, catching a bunch of fish.”

Archie Woodson, a trainer’s husband and volunteer on the rodeo for the previous 20 years, was more than pleased to speak about his involvement, working round serving to whoever wanted it, and seeing how a lot it helped the youngsters concerned.

“I’ll just say it’s amazing to see the kids’ faces light up when they catch a fish”.

The Neshoba County rodeo has been going for many years and can proceed for a few years to return, touching many extra lives, organizers stated.