Go Fish! The Mayor’s Fishing Derby celebrates 20 years of family fun.

The winners will boast of their accomplishments. Other competitors will lament the ones that got away, but more than 100 K-12 students agreed that there was something fishy about the 20th Mayor's Fishing Derby in Hurd Park – and they loved every minute of it.

“I first launched it in 2006 to bring families and neighbors together for a fun, free, and friendly outdoor competition,” Dover Mayor James P. Dodd says. “It was important to me to create an annual tradition that connected our residents to one of Dover’s natural treasures, the beauty of Hurd Park, where the event has always taken place.”

“While I used to be an avid fisherman myself, these days I’m more on the sidelines — but I still enjoy seeing the excitement on the faces of the kids and families each year. It’s one of my favorite events.”

Here are the 2025 winners:

• Winner: Isaiah Gonzalez (24-inch, 5.8-lb. trout)

• Second Place: Richard Sagan (18-inch, 2.02-lb. trout)

• Third Place: Braden Port with (16-inch, 1.69-lb. trout)

• Most Fish Caught: Joshua Paredes (12 catches)

“This derby isn’t just about catching fish,” Mayor Dodd says. “It’s about creating memories. Year after year, families come together at Hurd Park. That’s what makes this tradition so special to me.”