Reeling in the Excitement: 2nd Annual Carpe Diem Fishing Derby Recap

It's been almost two years since the Rosewood Nature Study Area opened to the public. In that time two ¼ mile loop trails and the Nature Center have been opened for community use and acres of wetlands have been restored. Last year, to celebrate one year of being open, we held our inaugural Carpe Diem Fishing Derby and this year we continued the tradition.

Excitement was in the air as anglers gathered at Rosewood this past Saturday, June 24th for the highly anticipated derby. Families, friends, and fishing enthusiasts from near and far came together to showcase their skills, support Rosewood, and compete for the coveted titles of this year's winners. There were some unforgettable fishing moments.

At 8am, participants began to eagerly cast their lines into the Boynton Slough and its ponds at Rosewood. The serene surroundings created the perfect backdrop to enjoy an exciting day of fishing with a large turnout. In fact, we had 25% more registrants than for our 2022 event. The atmosphere was filled with friendly banter, as each angler hoped to catch the biggest, or the most fish throughout the derby.

Within the first hour, a large carp was caught by Cesar Vega who knew right away his fish was 10lbs. The Wetland Restoration Techs from Rosewood weighed his fish and confirmed the weight. A short time later, youth participant Jackson caught a good sized carp off of a long cast out to the middle of the front pond on his “Pyramid Lake rod.”

In 2022, participants seemed to be pulling carp out every 10 minutes but, this year, the carp seemed more elusive. The carp/catch rate was slower and the carp that were caught were hooked far out in the ponds; sometimes even slipping off hooks or rolling out of nets. Many participants reported that the carp were biting but evading the anglers. This is in line with what we have heard from fishing regulars at Rosewood recently, the carp seem to be a bit harder to catch with the record breaking snow and rainfall this year. On the plus side, more and more diverse fish are being caught at Rosewood, including bass and catfish earlier this year and a rainbow trout at the derby!

After hours of patience, determination, and expert angling, the time arrived to announce the winners of each category. The Youth Categories were dominated by Hudson with the "Heaviest Catch" at 8.66lb and “Longest Catch'' at 27 inches. For “Most Caught.” Hudson also emerged victorious, reeling in an impressive total of 5 carp that represented the most fish caught by a single person. The crowd erupted in applause, but Hudson says he will not be sharing his secret carp bait recipe just yet.

In the adult "Most Caught" category, it was Patrick Urban who secured the top spot, astonishing everyone with an incredible feat of catching both the first fish of the derby and the last catch of the day. His relentless pursuit and unwavering focus paid off with a whopping total of 2 crafty carp caught. In the adult "Heaviest Fish" and “Longest Fish” categories, Cesar Vega shone brightly, displaying exceptional skills with a 10.2oz measuring 26.75 inches in length.

While the fishing derby celebrated the achievements of the winners, it was not solely about claiming victory. The event provided an opportunity for participants to connect with fellow fishing enthusiasts and to visit and learn about the Rosewood Nature Study Area. This community event is a great opportunity for citizens to get to know the area and to see the work that is being done to improve this wetland habitat for the community. Carpe Diem is a celebration of the great outdoors and a great opportunity for local businesses and non-profits to connect with the community. This year we had support from the Nevada Department of Wildlife, the Help Save the Bees Foundation, Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care and local Eagle Scout Lauren J. All of the proceeds from the event go towards wetland restoration at Rosewood Nature Study Area and the future fishing dock proposed for the area.

The 2nd Annual Carpe Diem was a great success, uniting anglers of all ages and skill levels in a celebration of the beloved sport. Congratulations to all the winners, whose achievements added to the excitement of the day. Plus, thank you to Sprinkle Donuts Reno, Orvis Reno and Grassroots Books who supported our event and our winners! As the sun set on another memorable fishing derby, participants and spectators left with exciting plans and strategies for returning next year.

Meanwhile, you can visit the Rosewood Nature Study Area for fishing or to walk the trails any time during park hours. Plus, as a bonus, the City of Reno Adaptive Cycling Center and Southeast Connector Bike Trail can be accessed from Rosewood. See you out there!

Rosewood Nature Study Area

Fishing and Trails: 8:00am to 4:00pm, Monday

8:00am to 7:00pm, Tuesday through Saturday, Closed Sunday

Visitor Center: 9:00am to 6:00pm, Tuesday through Saturday

Adaptive Cycling: Tuesday 12pm-6pm, Saturday 9am-6pm