LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — The rain was no match for a fishing competition at Frances Slocum State Park in Kingston Township.
It made for some soggy conditions but that didn't stand in the way of the pride of anglers on the lake's shoreline.
"I caught a fish, and is this a sunny? It's a trout!" said Nora Meade, Dallas.
"We're having our 14th annual kids fishing day after a two-year hiatus because of COVID. And we have a record number of kids that were signed up, 215 children. The weather has kept some away, but we have a great crowd here today, and they're catching fish like crazy," said Ross Piazza, Back Mountain Police Association.
"I think this is great to have this back because the kids are getting to interact with their peers, and they're getting an experience that some kids have never had before. I know most of these kids, and a lot of the girls have never been around fish. And I know when they see me up there cleaning the fish they're amazed," said Emily Baranowski, Volunteer.
The netted area was stocked just for the event, making way for a lot of fun.
"Exciting and you're happy when you catch a fish and you could win a bike," said Gabby Yanchulis, Dupont.
That's right, bikes were among the prizes for the biggest fish in different age groups. But some were more focused on the catch.
"I'm thinking I'm gonna eat this for dinner," said Nora.
The overarching goal of the event is more than fish, and more than bikes.
"The goal is to have children interact with uniformed police officers so that they know that they don't have to be afraid of them, they're there to help them. And we also want kids and their families to get into the hobby of fishing because it's a nice thing to do besides be on computers and iPads, and it doesn't cost that much you could do it all year long," said Ross.
"And I know with us volunteering here too the Education Club. It's helping us interact with kids outside of a school environment and helping them interact with us outside of school environments. So it's a learning experience for both," said Emily.
After their turn on the reel, children could take time to enjoy a hot dog, make crafts, or learn about fire safety.
Check out WNEP’s YouTube page.