Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's Outdoor Fund reels fishing derby fun

Anglers hoping to make a big splash at the annual Hidden Lakes Trout Farm fishing derbies will get some help reeling in the big one thanks to The Nature Foundation with funds received from Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund.

Hidden Lakes will host three derbies this year: the Adult Fishing Derby on May 17, the Kids Fishing Derby on June 28 and the all-ages Summer Sendoff Fishing Derby on Sept. 20.

Funds will be used to stock the ponds with several hundred pounds of fish before each of the three derbies, which helps ensure a successful event with plenty of satisfied anglers, said Angie Trobaugh, the facility supervisor for the Forest Preserve District’s Hidden Oaks Nature Center.

“Hidden Lakes is unique in that we stock from a private source for the derbies,” she said. “It wouldn’t be recommended to have the derbies without stocking because that would just simply be too much pressure on the tiny little ponds.”

The financial support from Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund helps make the popular events a success. Since 2022, The Nature Foundation has received nearly $15,000 from the Outdoor Fund to support the Hidden Lakes fishing derbies.

“They provide the opportunity for all of this to happen,” Trobaugh said. “Without them, we would have to find additional resources to ensure the stocking for the derbies.”

The Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund invests in programs and initiatives that conserve wildlife and habitat and connect new audience to the outdoors. The funding comes from rounding up at registers when making a purchase.

“It’s people making an investment in their community,” said Tara Neff, executive director of The Nature Foundation. “It’s a way to help make the community better and support what they care about, which is outdoor recreation and spending time outside. That’s exactly what The Nature Foundation and the Forest Preserve try to do.”

The fishing derbies at Hidden Lakes are a holdover from when the Bolingbrook Park District owned the facility, but they are a perfect fit with the Forest Preserve’s mission to connect people and nature.

“The Forest Preserve has always held fishing derbies, and they’ve always been well-received by everyone — kids and adults, experts and novices,” Trobaugh said.

The staff enjoys the fishing derbies as much as the anglers, she said. “We love how fun they are. We have goodies, we have prizes. There’s usually ice cream involved.”

Everyone loves checking out the sizes of the fish being reeled in, but the Hidden Lakes staff also love connecting with people who are just learning how to fish and seeing the camaraderie among participants.

“The dynamic is really great because everyone tends to socialize and talk with each other and learn from each other,” Trobaugh said.

At each derby, hundreds of dollars in prizes are awarded for biggest catch, with first, second and third place awarded. Not everyone can be a big winner, but Trobaugh hopes all the participants come away feeling like they gained something from the experience.

“Just like with all of our programs, all we’re trying to do is ignite a spark in people, creating a reverence for nature,” Trobaugh said. “And we simply do that by creating a comfortable, fun, inviting environment for them.”