New Fish Iowa! Games Regional Casting Competitions Held During Iowa’s Free Fishing Weekend

The first ever Fish Iowa! Games Regional Casting Competitions were held June 7 and June 9 during Iowa’s Free Fishing Weekend. The June 7 competition was held at the Storm Lake Marina and Hatchery Complex in Storm Lake, IA. The June 9 competition was held at F.W. Kent Park in Oxford, IA.

Participants competed in one of two classes, Open or Medalist. The Medalist Class was for students who had placed as a medalist in a Fish Iowa! Games casting competition at their school. The Open Class was for students who had not competed in a Fish Iowa! Games school casting competition or who participated but did not place first in their class. The Fish Iowa! Games rules and regulations applied for the regional competitions.

The Iowa Games and Iowa Department of Natural Resources sponsor Fish Iowa! Games casting competitions through Iowa schools. Students learn to cast from three distances using the flipping, pitching, and overhand techniques.  The program is unique in that it allows participants to learn the basic casting techniques then demonstrate them as part of a fun competition.

The Storm Lake regional Fish Iowa! Games winners are as follows:

Medalist Class

Gabe Kline – 1^st Place

Simon Carlson – 2^nd Place

Open Class

Chase Hurd – 1^st Place

Anna Lauritsen – 2^nd Place

Sydney Hurd – 3^rd Place (Tie)

Brandon Todd – 3^rd Place (Tie)

The Kent Park regional Fish Iowa! Games winners are as follows:

Open Class

Tim Globokar – 1^st Place

Trevor Leedom – 2^nd Place

Jordyn Bogaards – 3^rd Place

Aaron Horning – 4^th Place

The first place contestant in both the Open and Medalist Class are eligible to compete at the State Fish Iowa! Games State Casting Competition Medalist Class during the summer Iowa Games on July 20 in Ames.  The Open Class will be open to all participants. On-line registration is open until July 8.  Register at: Iowa Games (www.iowagames.org) > Sports > Summer Games > Fish Iowa Games Finals.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources would like to thank the Johnson County Conservation Board and the Buena Vista County Conservation Board for their partnership during the Regional Fish Iowa! Games Casting Competitions and Family Fishing Events.

Top photo:

Kent Park Regional Casting Contest (from left to right)

Aaron Horning – 4^th place open class

Jordyn Bogaards – 3^rd place open class

Trevor Leedom – 2^nd place open class

Tim Olobokar – 1^st place open class

Bottom photo:

Storm Lake Regional Casting Contest (from left to right)

Chase Hurd – 1^st place open class

Simon Carlson – 2^nd place medalist class

Sydney Hurd – 3^rd place open class (tie)

Anna Lauritsen – 2^nd place open class

Brandon Todd – 3^rd place open class (tie)

Gabe Kline – 1^st place medalist class