While a lot of kids were touched Sunday by their first fishing experience, it was the 750 or so bluegills planted in a future county park that were touched over and over again.

Six-year-old Eric Haun

Most bluegills caught were released by the young fisher people, only to be caught again by another youngster.

Not so in the cases of Trevor Petroskey and D.J. Petroskey, cousins from Suttons Bay. They found a corner of the winding, stocked pond at the former Veronica Golf Course, and several hours later walked away from the third annual Kids Fishing Day with a stringer full of bluegills.

“We went to the same place we went last year,” said a smiling Trevor Petroskey, while D.J. held up the stringer containing what he estimated to be about 35 bluegills.

“I think it was an absolutely perfect day, and a perfect turnout,” said Pete Taylor. He’s chair of the Lake Leelanau Lake Association Fish Committee, one of the sponsors of Kids Fishing Day. “I’m going to estimate 600 people were there, probably divided equally between kids and adults.”

Wings of Wonder

A few lucky kids also caught rainbow trout stocked in the pond.

Volunteers from other groups helped pull off the event, which also was sponsored by the Leelanau Enterprise, Cedar Rod & Gun Club, Michigan DNR, Grant Traverse Band, Sheriff’s Youth League, County Parks and Recreation Commission, “CHUCK,” and Bill and Diane Grant, who still own the property.

DNR fish biologist Todd Kalish teamed with Rod and Gun Club volunteers Rob Orent and Bob Steiner to pull weeds from the pond, and Dave Newman weed-whipped the edges to get kids closer to the action. Also credit Jim Kacin for entertaining the youngsters with his frog and turtle display, while Rebecca Lessard from Wings of Wonders enthralled visitors with a live raptor show.