Phillips County fishing rodeo set for June 6 at Storm Creek

Families looking for a low-cost Saturday outing will find one at the Storm Creek swimming area, where the 2026 Phillips County Fishing Rodeo is set for June 6 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Registration begins at 7 a.m., only poles are allowed and every child will get a prize. Visit Helena says the event is aimed at children ages 4 to 12 and is free and family-friendly, with prizes and refreshments often provided.

The rodeo already has a place on the City of Helena-West Helena calendar, underscoring its countywide draw for parents in Helena-West Helena and the smaller towns around Phillips County. Visit Helena describes it as a longtime youth fishing event held each summer at Storm Creek Lake near Helena-West Helena, built around a simple formula that works for beginners and seasoned families alike: show up early, bring poles only, fish for a few hours and leave with something in hand.

That beginner-first setup lines up with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s fishing derby program, which is meant to give newcomers of all ages a positive fishing experience. The commission says derby sponsors recruit volunteers and provide a public derby site, a structure that fits the Phillips County rodeo’s open, community event feel. Instead of a private tournament, the June 6 gathering will use a familiar public setting and a format that lowers the barrier for children trying fishing for the first time.

Storm Creek Lake gives the event a deeper local anchor. The lake is part of the Mississippi River State Park and St. Francis National Forest recreation area in Phillips County, and AGFC says it has been stocked with bass, bream, crappie, catfish and hybrid striped bass. Tourism and historical sources say the lake was constructed in 1938, tying the rodeo to a recreation site that has served the county for generations.

For local families, that matters because the rodeo is built around access as much as competition. A free morning at Storm Creek, a guaranteed prize for every child and a short list of rules make it one of the easier summer outings on the Phillips County calendar, and one that keeps the focus on kids, the lake and the county’s shared outdoor spaces.