A new fishing tradition causes a splash in Autauga County
A new fishing tradition started Saturday in Autauga County.
The inaugural Fishing Rodeo allowed children from the Field of Dreams program at the Prattville YMCA to cast their lines in and try to catch some big fish.
Camp Hobbs – the Boy Scout camp in Prattville – was the perfect setting for the young people to get outside and connect with nature. Camp Hobbs is on the site of the old Camp Tukabatchee.
The Autauga County Sheriff’s Office made sure to stock the ponds with several types of fish, and there was even a horse that the kids could pet and visit.
June Dorough is the Director of the Field of Dreams program, and she says, “The sheriffs do so much for us here in Autauga County and for the Field of Dreams program. We love that they come out and help with our baseball games, kickball games, and for them to do this for these families is amazing, because some of these kids have never fished before or even had the opportunity.”
Autauga County Sheriff Mark Harrell says he is excited about making this an annual tradition.
“It’s just near and dear to my heart, and once I became sheriff I just thought that this would be a good thing to do,” said Sheriff Harrell. “I saw what other agencies and other sheriffs’ offices were doing for their communities, and this is just something I wanted to do up here in Autauga County.”
Sheriff Harrell says the inspiration for the day of fishing came from Sheriff Derrick Cunningham, whose Montgomery County fishing rodeo is a 21 year tradition. It will take place in a few weeks on June 8th.
