9-year-old takes top prize at Delaware Youth Fishing Tournament

Smyrna’s Kohen Marvel has won this year’s Delaware Youth Fishing Tournament. (Photo from DNREC)

Despite soggy skies, more than 150 young anglers turned out on Saturday, June 7, for the 39th Annual Delaware Youth Fishing Tournament, hosted by the Delaware Natural Resources Police.

The event, held at three locations across the state, crowned 9-year-old Kohen Marvel of Smyrna as the overall champion after he reeled in 9.53 pounds of fish at the Akridge Scout Reservation in Kent County.

Sponsored by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), the annual tournament aims to introduce children to fishing while promoting conservation and catch-and-release practices.

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Participants, ages 4 to 15, competed in age groups at Lums Pond in New Castle County, Akridge Scout Reservation in Kent County, and Blockhouse Pond in Sussex County.

New Castle County

At Lums Pond, 7-year-old Caleb Polite landed both the overall county title and the largest fish of the day—a 3.3-pound largemouth bass. In stark contrast, Mikey Hopkins caught the tiniest fish, a bluegill weighing just 6 grams (0.211 ounces).

Other age group winners included:

Ages 4–7: Miles Hopkins (1.54 pounds)
Ages 8–11: Nathan Johnson (3.09 pounds)
Ages 12–15: Brooks Wilke (2.56 pounds)

Kent County

Marvel not only won the county competition in Kent but also took home the state championship trophy with the day’s heaviest total catch.

Other notable performances at Akridge included Beau Lindale, who won the 4–7 age group with a 7.85-pound catch, and Matthew DeCarlo, who led the 8–11 group with 6.30 pounds.

Lucas Seeley caught the largest fish in Kent County—a 2.3-pound largemouth bass—while the smallest, a 124-gram bass, was caught by Devyn Thompson.

Sussex County

In Sussex County, 8-year-old Webb Ciavarra topped the field at Blockhouse Pond with a 4.15-pound haul, including the county’s biggest fish, a 1.6-pound largemouth bass. The smallest catch was a 16-gram bluegill by Jissac Heath.

Other winners included:

Ages 4–7: Manny Ortiz (1.46 pounds)
Ages 8–11: Jissac Heath (1.44 pounds), second to Ciavarra
Ages 12–15: Austin Rowlands (1.72 pounds)

The Delaware Youth Fishing Tournament was established in 1986 by the Delaware Natural Resources Police as a fun, educational way to engage kids in the outdoors and conservation.