Children with red runny noses and puffy jackets race up to the table holding out the fish they caught, eager to get its weight.
They scream excitedly, “I caught one” or “I caught another one!”
The scene is the Ray Roberts Lake State Park Johnson Branch Kids Trout Derby on Saturday, an annual event for all children under the age of 16.
Kids can compete for different prizes throughout the morning for catching the biggest fish or having the most fish caught.
Celia Flores, park ranger and the event coordinator, has been at Ray Roberts for three years, but it was her first time hosting the event.
Although she was nervous at first, she was glad to see how the derby brought people together.
“This is definitely a great event for our community,” she said. “... I think we have one child who’s aging out. This is his last year; he’s been here five times. So that’s extremely exciting.”
It was also great, she said, “to know that this is now a multiple-generation thing.”
Some of the folks at the event couldn’t remember when the Kids Trout Derby first began and could only give rough estimates of 20-30 years or had vague memories from the ’90s.
Throughout its existence, the Kids Fishing Derby has become an event maintained and held together by generations of families.
“Growing up, I took the kids to all the state parks around Texas,” Andy Diegel said. “We used to camp quite often. My son’s trying to keep the same traditions as he was growing up with his girls.”
Andy delicately removed the hook from the fish’s mouth that he helped his granddaughter Harper Diegel catch.
“I got three 10-inch [fish]!” Harper said.
For Harper, her favorite part is “getting fishies.”
Whether the event served as a way to connect with loved ones through a shared interest or create fond memories, for Gracie Tsai, the biggest impact fishing with her mom has had has been on her mental health.
“I have depression, so it’s helpful to come out and, you know, get some vitamin D,” Gracie said.
For the past several years, Gracie and her mom have shared this hobby to get some sunshine and natural dopamine and to get away from screens.
The overall winner for biggest fish caught was Sebastian Cortez at 12.75 inches, and the winner of most fish caught was Gracie at 38 trout.
Throughout 2026, the Ray Roberts Lake State Park will celebrate its 30th anniversary as a state park, and to celebrate, Flores said, the park will host an event each month reflecting on the history and legacy of the park, leading up to their big celebration in December.
