St. Tammany Parish will formally mark the reopening of its public fishing pier over Lake Pontchartrain with a June 7 grand reopening celebration and family fishing rodeo. Sign-in for the fishing rodeo starts at 6 a.m. with final weigh-in at 1:45 p.m.
The pier, south of Slidell, opens at 6 a.m.
The event celebrates the January reopening of the pier which had been closed for more than a year due to damage inflicted by Hurricane Isaac. The repairs cost nearly $390,000.
The pier debuted in 2012 and quickly became a big hit with St. Tammany citizens.
Registration fees for the fishing rodeo are $10 for adults and children 12 and over, and $5 for children under 12. Fees include a T-shirt and a lanyard. Fishing pier fees are $3 for everyone over the age of 12 who plans to fish and $1 for everyone over 12 who plans to sight-see. There is no charge for children under 12.
Visitors are encouraged to bring ice chests and picnic lunches and join the fishing, fun and kids’ arts activities, the parish government said in a news release.
First- and second-place prizes will be awarded in the following rodeo categories: speckled trout, catfish, black drum, croaker, redfish, flounder, sheepshead, largest crab, and the weigh master’s top pick. Winners of the rodeo will be announced at 2 p.m.
For information, visit www.stpgov.org/gofishing or call 985-649-1922.
