Eighth annual Reel Deal Fishing Tournament a success

The eighth annu­al Reel Deal Fishing Tournament proved to be a great success, bringing together an­glers of all ages for a day of friendly compe­tition and impressive catches.

Left to right, photos courtesy of KCWCD:

• Creeden Lathim Biggest Fish - 8.7 lbs catfish

• Brody Walker Biggest Trout - 2 lbs 10 oz

• Patrick Warner Biggest Bass 4.49 lbs.

• Conner Morgan 11 lbs., Creeden Lathim 10 lbs, Brody Walker 8.7 lbs.

• Patrick Warner 13.35 lbs, Emmie Warner 13.11 lbs, Larry Warren 13.1 lbs

In the Adult Divi­sion, Patrick Warner took first place with a total weight of 13.35 pounds. Close behind was his daughter, Emmie Warner, who secured second place with 13.11 pounds. The competition was tight, with Larry Warren finishing third at 13.10 pounds.

The Youth Division also showcased strong performances. Conner Morgan claimed first place with a total of 11 pounds, followed by Creeden Lathim in second with 10 pounds and Brody Walker in third with 8.7 pounds.

Several standout catches highlighted the event. Patrick Warner earned recognition for both the biggest bass at 4.49 pounds and the smallest fish at one pound. Creeden Lathim caught the largest fish of the tour­nament, an impressive 8.7-pound catfish. Ear­ly in the competition, Brody Walker set the tone by landing one of the largest trout seen at the reservoir, weigh­ing in at two pounds 10 ounces.

Overall, the tourna­ment was a memo­rable event filled with camaraderie, sports­manship and excite­ment Organizers and participants alike are already looking for­ward to next year’s competition.

Anglers still have more opportunities for excitement at the reservoir. There are tagged fish currently in the water, and any­one who catches one between now and July 7, 2026 is eligible for a prize. Participants are asked to take a time-stamped photo of the fish to verify it was caught recently at the reservoir, then bring both the photo and the tag to the Kane County Water Conservancy District office to claim the prize associated with that tag number.

The success of the event would not have been possible without the generous support of sponsors. Organizers would like to extend a sincere thank you to Kane County Water Conservancy District and staff, Kane County Recreation & Trans­portation, Kane Coun­ty Office of Tourism (Kanab Base Camp), Utah Division of Natu­ral Resources, Hayden Ballard with Ozark Hills Drought Insur­ance, Dusty Trails, Glazier’s Market, Iron Rock Group, Honey’s Marketplace, Kaibab Processing, Garkane Energy Cooperative, Stix Liquor & Sport­ing Goods, Kanab Tour Company, Kanaba­zon, Cedar Post Pawn, Brown Box Café, Bal­lard Horseshoeing and Lumber Plus for their contributions and con­tinued support of this community event.