My name is Delana Oaks of Dayton, Ohio. I have fished my entire life, and one of my fondest memories is of my grandparents, Clayton and America Oaks, taking me to their favorite pond. We fished with cane poles using red worms dug up out of their garden. There was only one stipulation to fishing with my grandparents, I had to bait grandma’s pole, probably why grandpa liked taking me Ha! 
Anyway, it was a small price that I’d pay “all day long” for such a huge return on investment. I just never got enough of my own fishing, on days when the fish were really biting.
I spent my teenage years living on a 48-acre farm in Preble Co., Ohio. Our house was a beautiful two-story brick designed by my mother and built by my father. Our driveway was 1/4 mile off the main road, and the house sat on the edge of eight wooded acres. Depending on the season, the views to the front and left offered fields of corn, soybeans, wheat, or hay. The view to the right was of the red barn and ½-acre pond we stocked ourselves.
I am a family member of five: my father Harry, my mother Betty, an older brother Clayton, and twin sister Denisha. I credit my father for teaching me “the basics”, how to look for fish in specific habitats, and how to find the right depth. I truly appreciate his patience for He spent so much time attending to tangled lines and 
arguments over seating arrangements. Our family fished mostly for Crappies in such places as Caesars Creek, Brookville Lake, Rush Run, and several multi-family trips to Canada.
My working career has been primarily of technical positions for companies specializing in water pumps, injection molds, and plastic containers. I am currently a full time student at Sinclair Community College finishing this fall with an ATS (associate of technical studies). I am a Miami Valley Conservation Volunteer for Five Rivers Metro Parks. I participate in Lake and Stream Team programs, and have recently gained new experience in testing water quality, collecting fish and micro-invertebrate samples, conducting electro-shock surveys in lakes, ponds, and streams. I am a BASS member who for years fished local ponds and rivers in an inflatable raft. I went “electric” in 2002, with a “Bass Hunter” equipped with two swivel seats, trolling motor ready on either end.
Delana S. Oaks
