Fort Polk Families lined both sides of Catfish Cove during the annual Operation Earth Friendly Youth Catfish derby April 27.

Fort Polk celebrates Operation Earth Friendly Youth Catfish Derby

By Angie Thorne
Guardian Staff Writer

May 3, 2019

Fort Polk's Earth Day at Operation Earth Derby, hosted by the Environmental and Natural Resources Management Division, took place at Catfish Cove April 27, 2019. Parents and children had fun catching fish and learning about the environment and conservation.

Ervin Gatson watches proudly as his daughter Sasha, 11, reels in a large catfish.

Harper Bross, 6, picks out the best worm to put on her hook.

Jenna Wood, water resource analyst, Environmental Natural Resource Management Division, (left) explaines to Jacob Champagne, 11, (center) and Maysn Williams, 10, about water conservation as they look at pond life through microscopes April 27 at the Operation Earth Friendly Youth Catfish derby. Fort Polk's conservation branch had booths set to teach kids about water resources, recycling and more. Those attending also enjoyed winning raffles, freebies and fish fillet demonstration.

Joel Burnett (left) helps Kathryn Burnes and her son Garrett, 7, reel in a catfish April 27.

Kids attending the Operation Earth Friendly Youth Catfish derby watch a fillet demonstration April 27 at Fort Polk's Catfish Cove.

After reeling in a pinecone, Kelly Lowman shows that you can't catch a catfish every time you cast.

Clara Belle Jeane, 7, waits patiently as her mom, Meghan, gets the fish she just caught off the hook so she can cast again.