Crosseyed Cricket to Host Final Fishing Rodeo to Benefit Loudon County Habitat for Humanity

While the fishing ponds have not been regularly open to the public for a few years, The Crosseyed Cricket has hosted an annual fishing rodeo to benefit Loudon County Habitat for Humanity. The rodeo has provided an annual opportunity for the East Tennessee community, and visitors from all over, to re-create childhood memories on the banks of the stocked ponds.

This year’s Annual Crosseyed Cricket Fishing Rodeo will be held Saturday, June 19th from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. This year marks the 4th time “the Cricket” has opened the trout pond to help raise funds to build a house in partnership with Loudon County Habitat, and a deserving family.

However, this year’s fishing rodeo also marks another important milestone. This will be the final time the fishing ponds will be open to the public, as the owners have decided to close their trout farming operation.

Opening in 1970, Jim and Jean Lockwood operated an East Tennessee institution. The 30-acre site featured a campground, swimming pool, gristmill, fish hatchery, and restaurant, serving fresh-caught catfish and trout. Two generations of East Tennesseans (and beyond!) grew up spending many days on the banks of the stocked ponds with a cane pole, fighting large rainbow trout and catfish in the stocked ponds.

However, in 2003, the Lockwoods decided to close everything but the fish hatchery and campground and enjoy “semi-retirement”.

“For over 30 years we made a lot of people happy,” owner Jim Lockwood said. “We finally realized that the only way to reduce our hours and stress was to close everything but the campground and raising the rainbow trout. We decided we’d rather keep the place partially running than watch it die.”