Families flocked to the annual Carleton's Catfish Catch-A-Thon at the Johnson Branch Unit on Saturday.
The event fulfills two of the park’s missions: to get people out in nature and to honor a beloved team member, Amanda Carleton, who was the office manager for the branch before her passing.
“This event, and the idea of it, kind of came out of that tragedy,” said Robbie Merritt, the Ray Roberts Lake State Park superintendent. “I’ve just seen so much good come out of that, and it just gives us a chance to remember her in a positive way. It’s really meaningful.”
Her husband, Eric Carleton, still serves as a TPWD State Park police officer.
The couple met at Inks Lake State Park in Burnet, Texas, and shared a lot in common, including their passion for conservation and love of fishing.
“There's something priceless about a child—the first time they catch a fish, and you see that look on their face,” Eric said. “And at Inks, we had a lot of kid fish programs, and that was something we were a part of as well and I think that's where it kind of got fostered.”
When they came to Ray Roberts, it seemed only fitting to get involved in the fishing events.
“We want people to come back here every year and be able to create those memories,” Eric said. “That's the goal, I think, of every state park— should be at the end of the day, is to provide something, a natural treasure for future generations, and that's what these parks allow us to do.”
One family, the Burks, has brought their four young children to several fishing events over the years.
The mother, Megan Burks, recalled the first time they came with their oldest son, Noah.
“We first came one winter—they did it,” Megan said. “It was like cold, cold, but he was probably just turned 4, and he fell in love with fishing. And ever since then, he's always wanted to go fishing.”
She expressed her gratitude for having the park nearby and for being able to bring her family out and participate in different activities and create memories.
“We've taken family photos out here,” Megan said. “Our tradition is at the end of the photo session; they get in the water and then get to play and goof off.”
The event was originally scheduled for June 6 but had to be rescheduled because of the weather; despite that, around 100 people showed up.
“The Johnson Branch oftentimes is overlooked [for] Isle Du Bois on the south side,” Merritt said. “People don't always remember that it's here, but we have such a treasure here at Johnson Branch. And this Kid Fish Pond in particular, and the programming staff that we have here, really just take it to another level. It's a great place for families to come and visit.”
Throughout the fourhour event, at the top of each hour, different kids would win prizes in three categories: catching the biggest fish, catching the most fish and catching the most turtles.
There were also raffles, and at the end of the event the remaining prizes were given to the kids who had been there the whole time.
Park Interpreter Celia Flores thanked the community partners for their contributions in making the event possible: Brookshire Brothers in Pilot Point for donating water, Cabela's/Bass Pro Shop for providing prizes and giveaways, the angler volunteers and angler masters for helping with the fish programs, and inland fisheries for stocking the kids' pond with 200 catfish.
“We're all kind of working together to make sure everyone has a good time,” Flores said, adding that volunteers are always welcome.
There will be more events this year for guests to participate in, such as the 4th of July Johnson Branch history walk and Dutch oven event.
Then there will be a big 30th birthday celebration in December with more details to follow.
“Come out and fish or come out and hike, come out and bike,” Eric said. “We have a number of activities you can participate in. … Find something outdoors that you can connect with that you like to do. I think people would be surprised how much that can help them in their daily lives.”
