SPANISH FORK — Fiesta Day planners are creating a bigger fish story this year than last.
For their second year, Pioneer Day planners will have a foot-deep pool on Main Street stocked with trout for young people to capture barehanded.
For $5 patrons from 4 and up can jump in and try their luck. (The event is Saturday at about 11 a.m. following the children's parade.)
"It was wildly successful last year," Fiesta Days chairwoman Alicia Norris said, "but we learned a few things."
"It was a madhouse," said fish rodeo chairman Kathy Johnston. "So we've had to revise it a little bit."
Last year adults got into the pool with their children. The fish were tagged for cash prizes, and it didn't take long for mom and dad to figure which were the big-money fish.
As the result of the ensuing free-for-all many of the fish, which are sensitive to their environment, died in the water.
"That won't happen this year," Norris said.
The committee has come up with five categories based on age and won't allow everyone to mingle with all 800 fish at the same time. Last year 700 trout were released into the pool at once. This year they'll be rationed. Also, parents can't help.
Only 20 people will be allowed in the pond at a time and in age groups.
"It will take a little longer," Johnston said.
Cash prizes from ticket sales for the 10- to 18-inch trout range from $10-$30, she said.
The fish come from the Cold Springs Trout Farm in Ogden, which supplies fish for numerous fish scrambles around Utah, said owner Neal Barker. Spanish Fork calls it a fish rodeo, which is unique, he said.
Barker also supplies fish for family reunions and church parties where the fish are cleaned and cooked as part of the scramble.
Fiesta Days also includes a traditional rodeo, which begins today and runs through Monday starting at 7 p.m. The rodeo features professional cowboys riding bucking horses and one-ton bulls in a series of classic events and mutton bustin' with youngsters riding sheep. For details see www.spanishfork.org.
E-mail: rodger@desnews.com