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Fishin' for a Legacy

Lake Corpus Christi celebrates decades of Kid Fish.

By Josie Gunter

January | February 2025 Issue

new angler with catch, Kid Fish: Lake Corpus Christi
Photo by Maegan Lanham

The Alamo. Barbecue. Bluebonnets. Football. Kid Fish?

What do these things have in common? They all have a great Texas legacy. You may know some of these, but what is Kid Fish? This legacy started on the shores of Lake Corpus Christi more than 30 years ago. With time and dedication from countless Texas Parks and Wildlife Department staff and volunteers, thousands of children and their families have fallen — hook, line and sinker — in love with the sport of fishing.

The Hook

The Civilian Conservation Corps built Lake Corpus Christi State Park as a recreational oasis for South Texas. Families spent time picnicking, camping and swimming. From the very beginning, the lake was known as a great fishing spot. It is no surprise that special events popped up to help people hook a tasty catch.

Thanks to an old, yellowed office memo, park staff now know that their annual Kid Fish event is 33 years in the making. Over those years, what started out as a kid's fishing derby, where volunteers and staff taught the basics to small groups of children and then helped them catch a fish, morphed into a “lunker” of an event for all ages.

new anglers, Kid Fish: Lake Corpus Christi
Photo by Maegan Lanham

The Line

Every year on the last Saturday in January, park staff and volunteers arrive at sunrise to set up for the biggest event of the year at the park (weather and water levels permitting). They put out tables, chairs, fishing poles, games and crafts, often before many of the park campers wake for the day. After a busy five hours, 500 children ages 5-12 receive a free fishing rod and — hopefully — catch some tasty rainbow trout stocked by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Some even catch whoppers, like 6-year-old new angler Aurora did in 2024. She caught the largest rainbow trout at the event, weighing in at 15 ounces and measuring 15 inches long.

This past year families also experienced activities such as aquatic animal touch tanks, fish printing crafts, fish cooking demonstrations, and touchable furs, bones and other nature items. The most exciting part of Kid Fish, though, is the fishing.

Each year hundreds of children fish for the very first time, like new angler Adiliah. Despite just joining the sport, the 6-year-old already hooked three rainbow trout! When asked how it felt to throw out a line, she simply replied with, “Good.” She says she absolutely plans to keep fishing.

The Sinker

The spirit of Kid Fish — catching a fish for the first time, fishing with family, finding a new hobby or even a future profession — lives on despite the passing of time. The dedication of staff and volunteers makes it happen.

A great example of that dedication is Gary and Joyce Logan, Kid Fish volunteers for at least seven years. “Kid Fish is the most important thing here,” Gary said. “We're fishermen ourselves, so we just like to pass on the tradition and help out any way we can.”

If you want to join the fun, Lake Corpus Christi State Park will host its 33rd Kid Fish event on Saturday, Jan. 25. Maybe you, too, can go fishin' for a legacy.


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