Colchester Lions Club fishing derby is open to children

bigoutdoors

Colchester, Conn. — The Colchester Lions Club will hold its 15th annual fishing derby from 9 a.m. to noon May 3, rain or shine, at Lions Pond on Halls Hill Road.

The derby is open to all Colchester residents ages 6 through 13. Adults will not be permitted to fish during derby hours. There is no charge to enter. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. and all children must register before the derby starts.

bigoutdoors · Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 6:11 am Post subject:

Colchester, Conn. — Young anglers started staking out their spots at the Lions Club fishing pond in Colchester Sunday more than an hour before the annual fishing derby began. When the countdown began, the poles went reeling back and the bobbers went forward, finding their places in the murky water.

The derby is free and is open to Colchester children ages 6 through 13.

Each year, the Lions Club stocks the pond. “The trout were here Friday at 4:30,” event chairman Norman Dupuis said. He helped stock the pond with 140 brook trout and brown trout.
Joe Cocchiarella brought his brother, Tim Clarke, to the event.

“Tim wanted to use his pole for the first time, so we thought it would be a good day,” said Cocchiarella, who patiently showed his brother how to use the fishing gear.

Scott Ashley was there with two of his sons, David, 6, and Timothy, 13.

“We got three dozen earthworms last night and put them in a can,” Ashley said.

Alaysia Bunn caught the first fish of the day. “It’s a sunny,” Dupuis announced as she brought her fish up to be measured. Minutes later, her brother, Andrew, caught a trout.

As Tyler Tupper reeled in a fish 12 minutes into the event, he announced, “That’s the second fish I caught.”

Cooper Rhodes sat nearby, gently tugging his bobber closer to the shore. “Oh, come on, you stupid fish,” Rhodes said as he saw the bobber rise and fall above the surface.

When Kaitlin Gadomski arrived at the judging table with her catch, a 13 1/2-inch pickerel, she learned her fish was native to the pond. “It kept pulling back into the water,” Gadomski said of her battle with the fish.

Meanwhile, Scott Ashley continued to watch his son David, who caught a catfish. Reeling in his line, David noticed the worm had disappeared. “That worm lasted a long time,” David said.

The winners:
1st Bullhead Caught Brianna Weikel
1st Trout 8”-10” for ages 6-9 Ashley Varjenski
1st Trout 10”-12” for ages 6-9 Justin Tupper
1st Trout 8”-10” for ages 10-13 Andrew Bunn
1st Trout 10”-12” for ages 10-13 Dennis Tupper
1st Trout 12”-14” for ages 10-13 Michael Patch
Shortest fish other than trout Brittany Berube
Longest fish other than trout Kaitlin Gadomski