According to the Kane County Water Conservancy District (KCWCD), their annual Reel Deal fishing derby had a great turnout this year. Fishers came from all around to compete in a few different categories trying to snag one of the Jackson Flat Reservoir’s trout or bass.
Left to right, photos by KCWCD:
Junior division winners (l-r): Tanzi Henderson, Heber Zitting, Ryker Giacoletto.
Adult category winners( l-r) Travis Huff, James Jessop, Shane Van Ausdal.
Biggest bass, smallest fish, biggest fish (l-r): Sally Langnese, Tavin Glazier, Judd Colson.
One of last year’s winners called the reservoir’s fish population “one of fishing’s best kept secrets.” The KCWCD works to keep the reservoir’s population healthy and growing - efforts that resulted in the prize specimens we saw on the winners’ hooks at this year’s competition.
There were two divisions in this year’s tourney - adult and junior - along with a few miscellaneous awards for Biggest Overall Fish, Biggest Bass and Smallest Fish. Competitors for the two general divisions chose a few of their best catches to submit for their overall score. In the adult division, Shayne Van Ausdal took third with 7.5 pounds, James Jessop took second at 8.5 pounds and Travis Huff took first with 10.6 pounds.
In the Junior Division, Tanzi Henderson took third with 1.8 pounds, Heber Zitting at second with 3.5 pounds and Ryker Giacoletto at first with 7.6 pounds. For the miscellaneous awards, Sally Langnese took Biggest Bass with a 3.3-pound catch, Biggest Fish went to Judd Colson with a 3.6-pound trout and Tavin Glazier won Smallest Fish with a Bass that barely measured a tenth of an ounce.
The KCWCD offered their gratitude to the sponsors, organizers and participants that made this event happen, as well as to the families of the participants that attended the reservoir during the event just for fun’s sake.
