REIGN Youth Fishing Day at Ratcliff Lake — Event Recap

A day of fishing. A lifetime of memories.

October 25, 2026 · Ratcliff Lake · East Texas

What a day by the water. REIGN Youth Fishing Day brought kids and families together at Ratcliff Lake for fishing, hands-on learning, creative activities, and time outdoors.

From casting practice and fish identification to designing their own lures, young anglers had plenty of ways to learn, try something new, and make memories together.

Thank you to every family, volunteer, and community partner who helped make this free event possible.

VIEW EVENT PHOTOS
Three children gather on the grassy lakeshore beneath pine trees at REIGN Fishing’s Ratcliff Lake event.

Community Partners

 

Texas Parks and Wildlife Proud Partner logo.
Red circular Brookshire Brothers logo.
Academy Sports and Outdoors logo.

More than a day of fishing

Young anglers explored the water, practiced new skills, and learned by doing. Activities throughout the day included:

Fishing: Time on the pier with family, friends, and guidance along the way.

Casting practice: Building confidence and working on casting accuracy before heading to the water.

Hooks, safety, and rigging: Talking through safe handling, personal space, and the basics of setting up to fish.

Fish identification: Exploring the fish young anglers might encounter and learning how to tell them apart.

Fish habitat exploration: A learning activity about where fish live and what makes a habitat suitable for them.

Design your own lure: A creative activity that let kids put their own ideas and colors on a fishing lure design.

There were snacks, conversations, and plenty of time together outdoors, too. Whether a child was just getting started or already loved to fish, there was room to learn and enjoy the day.

A community effort, from start to finish

Free events like this happen because people and organizations choose to show up for kids. We are grateful to our community partners and everyone who contributed time, equipment, supplies, and encouragement.

Texas Parks & Wildlife: First-fish certificates, fish identification cards, pins, and angler education materials.

Brookshire Brothers: Snacks and drinks to keep young anglers and families going throughout the day.

Academy Sports + Outdoors: Tackle and bait, including hooks, bobbers, weights, and nightcrawlers.

Bo Satcher: A special thank-you for donating 30 rod-and-reel combos for participating youth.

Thank you as well to the Davy Crockett Ranger District and staff for their incredible helpfulness and willingness to support our event throughout planning ad execution. In addition, we are beyond grateful for our volunteers and the families who spent the day with us.

Moments from Ratcliff Lake

Fishing, learning, creativity, and a whole lot of smiles. Explore the photos from REIGN Youth Fishing Day on October 25, 2026.

Children spread their arms apart during a casting safety lesson at REIGN Fishing’s Ratcliff Lake event.
A smiling young angler wearing a REIGN Fishing cap holds a panfish beside Ratcliff Lake.
Families fish from the wooden pier at Ratcliff Lake beneath a cloudy sky during REIGN Youth Fishing Day.
Three smiling children display their colorful fishing lure drawings in the sunlit Ratcliff Lake pavilion.
Children show their fishing lure drawings at a picnic table during REIGN Fishing’s Ratcliff Lake event.
An adult helps a young child at the pier railing while other children fish at Ratcliff Lake.
A smiling child holds a fishing rod beside other young anglers on the Ratcliff Lake pier.
A black REIGN Fishing feather flag stands beside pine trees at Ratcliff Lake.
A smiling child in a red shirt holds up a blue fishing lure drawing in the Ratcliff Lake pavilion.
Two smiling children stand beside the outdoor snack station at REIGN Fishing’s Ratcliff Lake event.
An instructor helps children practice casting toward bucket targets on the grass beside Ratcliff Lake.
Three children gather on the grassy lakeshore beneath pine trees at REIGN Fishing’s Ratcliff Lake event.
Children and adults fish along the wooden Ratcliff Lake pier with chairs and a wagon nearby.
A smiling young angler in a red shirt holds a small fish on the Ratcliff Lake fishing pier.
Children and an adult gather around a picnic table with colorful fishing lure drawings in the Ratcliff Lake pavilion.
Children hold colorful fishing lure drawings beside a family coloring together at a pavilion picnic table.
Black REIGN Fishing participant bags with printed materials are arranged across an outdoor table.
A REIGN Fishing feather flag stands beside the park road beneath tall trees at Ratcliff Lake.
Rows of red and blue fishing rods with bobbers lean against the wooden Ratcliff Lake pavilion.
REIGN Fishing bags and branded table coverings are set up outside the pavilion with fishing rods in the background.
A television reporter interviews REIGN Fishing founder Kory Bard beside the Ratcliff Lake pavilion.
Fishing rods with red bobbers line the pavilion railing as children and adults gather inside at Ratcliff Lake.
A television reporter interviews REIGN Fishing founder Kory Bard beside the Ratcliff Lake pavilion.

IN THE NEWS · OCTOBER 25, 2026

KLTV joined us at Ratcliff Lake

KLTV shared the story behind REIGN Fishing and joined families at the lake to capture the learning, fishing, and excitement of the day.

The coverage by reporter Mellie Valencia includes the inspiration behind REIGN and a look at what it means to give more kids a chance to experience fishing.

Watch the KLTV story and video →

Building confidence, with safety first

Learning to fish includes learning how to do it safely. Hook handling, casting space, and basic rigging were part of the day’s conversations and practice.

REIGN Fishing is a Texas Parks & Wildlife Proud Partner for Angler Education. Founder Kory Bard is a TPWD-certified Angler Education Instructor and has completed FEMA IS-100 training.

Our goal is to help kids and families feel more confident, prepared, and connected to the outdoors.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Proud Partner logo.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Angler Education Instructor badge.

Help make the next memory possible

Want to volunteer, become a community partner, or help more kids discover fishing? We would love to hear from you.

Visit our events page and follow REIGN Fishing for future event announcements.

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