Twelve-year-old Kendra Latter felt a tug, then saw her pole bend sharply as something big grabbed her baited hook.
After a brief tussle, Latter pulled a freshwater drum, or sheepshead, from the Saginaw River to the amazement of other children fishing Sunday on the break water at Veterans Memorial Park. “This is excellent,” said her uncle, Dennis Latter of Bay City. “The kids are getting a chance to fish and do some activities.” The Latters joined dozens of other families who turned out for the BayFest fishing festival held in conjunction with the Anglers Insight Marketing Saginaw Bay Walleye Tournament.<</p> While the pros were out competing on the waters of Saginaw Bay, the BayFest festival kept the fishing action alive downtown as children tried their luck from Vets Park. Many were catching sheepshead, bass, gobis, bluegill and other fish from the river. “I think it’s a neat idea. Some kids don’t even get to go fishing,” said Sherry Monsees, of Vassar, who brought her 8-year-old granddaughter, Raven Shelters, to the event. Shelters had just caught a gobi that dangled from the end of her pole and wasn’t sure what to make of it. The free fishing was one of several activities set up for children at BayFest. Other events included minnow “racing,” making fish flags and making fishing lures.
Casimer Gorney, of Bay City, a member of the Saginaw Bay Walleye Club, was helping children to put together the spinning lures.