Kids’ Fishing Derbies at Lake Fairfax Park

Lake Fairfax Park, at 1400 Lake Fairfax Drive in Reston, Virginia, manages something rare in the suburban Washington corridor: a 20-acre lake entirely within a county park, close enough to the capital’s professional class to draw families who have never seriously considered fishing, and stocked and maintained well enough to make those families’ first experiences with the sport reliably productive. The NHBA Youth Foundation’s Kids’ Fishing Derbies run on the first Saturday of June and the third Saturday of July 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to noon, with the June event falling on or around June 6–7 and the July event confirmed for July 19. Anglers ages 1 to 15 are eligible; fishing gear including poles, hooks, and bobbers is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at no charge. Every participant receives a “Goody Bag” of fishing tackle to take home.

The event’s catch, record, and release format provides the competitive framework: children document their catches for prize consideration while returning the fish to the lake, which sustains the fishery for the July derby and for the general public through the remainder of the summer. Prizes are awarded across multiple age-based categories, ensuring that the youngest participants compete against peers rather than against teenagers with measurably more developed technique. The NHBA Youth Foundation’s organizing philosophy behind this event prioritizes access: every child who registers can fish, regardless of prior experience, and the gear provision policy removes the economic barrier that the sport sometimes presents to families encountering it for the first time.

Lake Fairfax Park Beyond the Derby

Lake Fairfax Park covers 476 acres of Fairfax County park land with picnic areas, hiking trails, a water park (The Watermine), a campground, and the lake itself as its organizing water feature. The park’s location in Reston places it within the broader trail network connecting to the W&OD Trail, the 45-mile paved rail-trail that runs from Shirlington in Arlington County to Purcellville in Loudoun County and passes through Reston’s commercial and residential corridors. For families spending the full morning at the derby, the park’s picnic facilities and the Watermine’s adjacent operation provide natural afternoon extensions without requiring a vehicle.

Good to Know
Registration for each derby should be confirmed through the NHBA Youth Foundation or Lake Fairfax Park directly before the event date, as capacity may be limited by available gear. Lake Fairfax Park charges vehicle admission on a per-car basis for non-Fairfax County residents; confirm current fee schedules through the Fairfax County Park Authority at fairfaxcounty.gov/parks before arrival.