Correspondent photo / Amanda Smith Liam Roden, 11, foreground, and his brother, Elliot Roden, 7, of Burghill, cast their first lines at the Youth Fishing Derby on Saturday at the Trumbull Rod and Gun Club in Mecca. The annual event draws more than 100 young anglers from around the area for a day of free fishing.

MECCCA — All around the pond, young anglers repeated a familiar rhythm: bait the hook, maybe with a worm, maybe a minnow, maybe a grub. Lean the pole back and snap it forward — just so — releasing the casting button at the top of the arc. Watch the bobber sail out into the pond and splash, then wait for something to nibble. Reel it in. Repeat.

More than 100 young people and their parents waited for that first bite at the Trumbull County Rod and Gun Club’s annual youth fishing derby Saturday. Paid for by the club and a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the youngsters received free fishing poles, bait and hands-on help learning how to fish.

The pond was stocked with about 450 trout for the event, with a limit of five fish per youth. Volunteers moved along the shoreline offering guidance, untangling lines and showing children how to cast.

James Hamrick, club secretary and first-year organizer of the derby, said the goal is to give kids a chance to try fishing, many for the first time.

“It’s just a good, fun event to kind of get kids that maybe they’ve never had a fishing experience before,” he said. “This is a good spot to have that first experience.”

The free event drew families from across Trumbull and neighboring counties, many finding it through social media. Registration opened at 8 a.m., with fishing starting at 9, and lunch and supplies provided for participants.

Along the bank, children compared fishing spots and past catches, casting again and again while waiting for a bite.

Suddenly, a young voice shouted, “I got one! I got a fish!”

A round of applause went up around the pond as 6-year-old Skylar Parsons of Southington reeled in the first trout of the day. Her father, Joshua Parsons, helped guide the line as she brought it in.

“We’re keeping this one,” he said, giving his daughter a hug.

Hamrick said events like the derby help introduce children to outdoor activities that can be easy to overlook.

“I think it’s getting lost in today’s world,” he said. “The more kids that we can get out and expose them to this, that’s a good thing.”

The club hosts similar youth-focused events throughout the year, including a fall pheasant hunt where participants are also provided with equipment, instruction and support.

By late morning, buckets held a mix of trout, catfish and other gamefish, and even those without a catch stayed at the water’s edge, casting into the pond and watching their bobbers for the slightest movement.

For more information, visit trumbullcountyrodandgun.com or contact the club at 6565 Phillips Rice Road in Mecca Township.