The 5-year-old caught his first fish at the Take a Kid Fishing day, held on Saturday at Dunedin’s Southern Reservoir.
He reeled in a 1.4kg rainbow trout, with some help from his father.
Patrick said he was excited when he caught the fish and could not wait to go fishing again.
After getting it cleaned and gutted he was planning to fry and eat it at home.
Fish & Game fish hatchery manager Steve Dixon said about 130 children attended the event, all angling for about 600 fish in the reservoir above Kaikorai Valley.
Some of the fish released weighed up to 3kg.
They came from Fish & Game’s brood stock, raised at its hatchery at OceanaGold’s Macraes site, west of Dunback, Mr Dixon said.
He was pleased by the turnout at the event, which was held in fine conditions.
The children were each allowed to take one fish home with them.
People with valid fishing licences and tackle can try their hand in the Southern Reservoir throughout the year, excluding September when Fish & Game hold events such as Take a Kid Fishing days.
Otago Fish & Game officer Bruce Quirey encouraged families consider a fishing expedition to the reservoir from this Wednesday.
"There are still hundreds of trout in there," Mr Quirey said.
