Burlington’s Kids Fishing Derby

Burlington’s Kids Fishing Derby Fishing teaches patience, perseverance, and confidence — skills kids carry for life.

Celebrate 10 years of the Burlington’s Kids Fishing Derby and join us at the lake for memories, community, and fun.

🎣🔥 10th Anniversary Burlington Kids Fishing Derby — Final Derby of 2026266 Fish • 132 Excited Kids • A Tradition Still G...
09/22/2026

🎣🔥 10th Anniversary Burlington Kids Fishing Derby — Final Derby of 2026

266 Fish • 132 Excited Kids • A Tradition Still Growing Strong

What a morning at Sylvan Lake for our final derby of the 2026 season.
Perfect weather, kids racing to the shoreline, families cheering, and a community that continues to show up year after year.

For 10 years, this derby has been driven by two people who bring their own strengths to the lake — Dawn, the organizer who puts every detail in place, and me, the guy with the fishing skills who keeps the kids reeling. And yes… Dawn DOES fish too — she just pretends she doesn’t so I don’t get jealous.🤣
Together, we’ve built a tradition that brings joy to our kids, families, and our community year after year.

🧒 Catch Count
• Red Armbands: 207
• Blue Armbands: 59
• Total: 266
• Biggest Catch: 23‑inch catfish — the star of the day

❤️ Township Leaders, Volunteers & Community Support

Burlington Township showed up strong from sunrise to finish:
• Mayor Pete Green — who has been taking photos since the very beginning, capturing a decade of memories
• Burlington Township Council — supporting our mission to bring kids outdoors from day one and showing up every single derby
• Township & City Police Departments
• Township Public Works
• Endeavor Emergency Squad
•Burlington County Sheriff’s Department
• Our incredible Volunteers
•United States Air Force 87th Logistics Readiness Squadron

City of Burlington, Mayor Conaway joined us to help close out the final derby of the season.

🌭 Breakfast Hotdogs, Donuts & Snacks — 288 Served!
Township Police cooked the best breakfast HOTDOGS, and council helped deliver 288 hotdogs, donuts, and snacks right to the kids.
And in true Burlington style — Township Police delivered hotdogs to the kids at the lake, making sure every child got a meal with a smile.

🛠️ Public Works Appreciation
Township Public Works had the lake ready before dawn — clean, safe, and perfect for the kids.

🚑 Endeavor EMTs
Steady, calm, and always appreciated.

🤝 Major Sponsors
Township & City of Burlington
Township FOP #84 • City FOP #63
Burlington Chevrolet
Zebco Poles
Eagle Claw Hooks & Split Shots
Comal Bobbers
Bass Pro Shops
New Vision Pioneers – Downstate Chapter 81
Colonial Burlington Foundation / Wood Street Fair
US Air Force 87th Logistics Readiness Squadron
Chick‑fil‑A — meals for all the kids
JB Bakery — fresh donuts that disappeared instantly

🎣 A Milestone We’re Proud Of
Over 1,400 rods and reels given to our kids
A decade of putting fishing gear directly into the hands of Burlington’s youth — building confidence, creating memories, and opening the door to the outdoors.

🎉 A Day That Matters
A day of first fish.
A day of big catches and bigger smiles.
A day of community, tradition, and pride.
A day built by sponsors, volunteers, officers, leaders —
and by two people who love this town: James & Dawn.

📅 See You Next Year
The final derby of 2026 closed out our 10th anniversary season with heart, joy, and community pride.
We can’t wait to do it all again.







****More pictures coming too
Pictures taken by Pete Green

What a turnout, and what a day for our young anglers. Everyone’s a winner at our Derby — future Bassmasters all around.🐟...
09/22/2026

What a turnout, and what a day for our young anglers. Everyone’s a winner at our Derby — future Bassmasters all around.🐟🎣❤️


Follow us more pictures coming!

🎣🔥 What. A. DAY. at the Lake!Yesterday was absolutely electric — perfect weather, 132 kids bursting with excitement, and...
09/20/2026

🎣🔥 What. A. DAY. at the Lake!

Yesterday was absolutely electric — perfect weather, 132 kids bursting with excitement, and fish practically racing to the shoreline. From the first cast to the last cheer, the energy never slowed.

266 fish caught!
• Red armbands: 207 (on fire!)
• Blue armbands: 59 (strong and steady!)
• And the catch that had the whole lake erupting — a 23‑inch catfish that instantly became legend.

We didn’t just fish — we celebrated 10 amazing years of this tradition AND honored 250 years of our country with two special anniversary prizes.

A huge THANK YOU to our volunteers, Mayor Pete Green, Officer Fontana and the rest of the Township Police Department, Public Works, Endeavor Emergency Squad, Mayor Barry Conaway, United State Air Force 87th Logistics Readiness Squadron and everyone who helped make the day unforgettable.
Thank‑you all for supporting this milestone celebration.

Major sponsors who make this possible: Township & City FOP, Burlington Chevrolet, Zebco, Eagle Claw, Comal Tackle, New Vision Pioneers-Downstate Chapter 81— your support puts rods in hands, smiles on faces, and memories in the hearts of every kid.

The Township Police didn’t just show up — they cooked the best breakfast DOGS, and Burlington Township Council jumped in to help. Together, they delivered 288 hotdogs, fresh donuts, and more snacks than the kids could carry. Every bite gone. Every smile real.

A lot More photos coming soon. ❤️🎣🔥
Please share your favorite photos with us.







🚨 THE GRAND FINALE IS HERE! 🎣💥This is it, folks—the FINAL DERBY of our milestone 10th Anniversary Season! 🔟✨Ten incredib...
09/19/2026

🚨 THE GRAND FINALE IS HERE! 🎣💥
This is it, folks—the FINAL DERBY of our milestone 10th Anniversary Season!
🔟✨Ten incredible years of memories, big catches, and community spirit all lead up to this huge day at Sylvan Lakes. You do NOT want to miss out on the ultimate fishing showdown!

THE GRAND FINALE DETAILS
* 📍 Where: Sylvan Lakes (24 17th Street, Township of Burlington)
* 📅 When: Saturday, September 19, 2026
* ⏰ Registration: 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM | Fishing Starts: 8:00 AM

WHY YOU NEED TO BE THERE
* 🏆 FINALE PRIZES: Prizes for the BIGGEST FISH and MOST FISH CAUGHT!
* 🌟 10 YEARS OF MEMORIES: Help us cap off a decade of teaching perseverance, conservation, and life skills to the next generation of anglers.
* 👶 ALL KIDS WELCOME: Open to youth ages 15 and under (adult supervision required).
⚠️ PRO TIP: Stay until the very end to qualify for prizes! Kids must set the hook and reel in the fish themselves to take home the gold. 🥇

Let's make our 10th anniversary finale the biggest and best one yet!

19th Burlington’s Kids Fishing Derby
SEE YOU AT THE LAKE!









🎣🔥 TODAY IS THE DAY, BURLINGTON!Derby morning is HERE and Sylvan Lake is about to turn into pure kid‑powered chaos — the...
09/19/2026

🎣🔥 TODAY IS THE DAY, BURLINGTON!
Derby morning is HERE and Sylvan Lake is about to turn into pure kid‑powered chaos — the good kind.

Registration hits at 7:30 AM, and you already know how this goes:
Kids racing to the water.
Parents cheering like it’s the Super Bowl.
Volunteers buzzing.
Poles snapping open.
Energy through the roof.

This isn’t just a derby — it’s Burlington showing up for its kids, its traditions, and its community pride.
Big catches. Bigger smiles. Memories that last all year.

Let’s make this morning LEGENDARY.
🎣❤️

Denise and Dawn went shopping for the BEST Breakfast DOGS and snacks to keep our young anglers Fueled and Smiling.Fun fa...
09/18/2026

Denise and Dawn went shopping for the BEST Breakfast DOGS and snacks to keep our young anglers Fueled and Smiling.

Fun fact: Dawn and Denise are both retired Verizon IBEW & CWA Union employees, and they continue to bring that same dedication and teamwork to our community events.

We Extend our Deepest Gratitude to the New Vision Pioneers - Downstate Chapter 81, whose support has been with us since the very beginning.
Your dedication has strengthened the Burlington Youth Fishing Association and helped our Kids Fishing Derby grow year after year.

Thank you for your donations, your time, and your endless willingness to help.
Our community is better because of you.

09/18/2026

🐛✈️ Derby Meal Prep: Worm Edition

Caught on video: me shaking the worms like I’m seasoning a gourmet dish.
Little dirt. Little wiggle. Chef’s kiss.

Since they were flown in from PA (first‑class, obviously), I had to give them their special Derby food.
Can’t have out‑of‑state worms showing up hungry.
They’ve got a big weekend ahead.

Burlington Derby worms:
Fed.
Fluffed.
Ready for greatness.

🎣🐛🍩❤️

On this day in 2023 at Sylvan Lake…this is why we do it.Priceless smiles.Lasting memories.Moments these kids will carry ...
09/17/2026

On this day in 2023 at Sylvan Lake…
this is why we do it.

Priceless smiles.
Lasting memories.
Moments these kids will carry long after the fish stories fade.
🎣❤️

Grateful for Burlington’s Chick‑fil‑A’s steady support from the very beginning. Their kindness toward our kids has been ...
09/15/2026

Grateful for Burlington’s Chick‑fil‑A’s steady support from the very beginning. Their kindness toward our kids has been a constant part of our events, and we truly appreciate their commitment to the Burlington community.


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Burlington, NJ
08016

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+16094588634

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