Welcome to the Official Site for the Douglas County
Kids' Fishing Derby
Got Trout? We do!
Each year our crew plants approximately 4,000 rainbow trout into Willow Creek at Lampe Park. in Gardnerville, Nevada. These farm raised trout are sourced from two hatcheries - with the bulk of our population coming from Mason Valley Fish Hatchery in Yerington, NV, while our larger, trophy trout are transported from Desert Springs Fish Farm in Summerville, OR.
Any uncaught fish that remain in the creek after the Derby are then netted by our volunteers, put back onto a hatchery truck, and are transferred to either Gilman or Mitch Pond - water temperatures depending.
See below to discover how we at the KFD work alongside the Nevada Department of Wildlife and learn more about our rainbow trout.
Our Fish Planting is OPEN to the Public for Viewing!
Join us Thursday, June 5th, 2025 at Lampe Park
Frequently Asked Fish Questions
WHO provides the fish for the Derby?
The Kids' Fishing Derby, Inc. purchases its population of rainbow trout from two hatcheries. The bulk of the population comes from Mason Valley Fish Hatchery in Yerington, Nevada, while our larger trophy trout are transported from Desert Springs Trout Farm in Summerville, Oregon. The purchase of fish is made possible due to generous donations from our Derby sponsors.
WHERE do the fish go after the Derby?
The Nevada Department of Wildlife instructs the KFD to remove the remaining fish from Willow Creek and replant them in one of two urban ponds in Douglas County - Gilman, or Mitch Ponds. Volunteers are welcome to join this operation on Sunday, June 8th starting at 2:30PM. Prepare to get splashed!
WHAT is "fish tagging" ?
Additional prizes are awarded for each tagged fish caught during the Derby. Follow this link to read more about how our crew travels to Mason Valley Fish Hatchery to tag about 300 randomly selected trout in preparation for Derby weekend.
Catching one of our 300 tagged fish will earn you an extra prize!
