Those who attended the Sackville Rod & Gun Club’s fish derby, which was held on June 5, found the fish not quite as cooperative as many would have liked, yet the weather was more so, with the rain holding off until well after the event was over. Over 200 trout had been stocked in the private pond at Rockport prior to the event, some more than 12 inches in length.
After registration, fishing started at 10 a.m. with anglers between the ages of 5 and 15 using everything from worms to corn to entice the trout into biting. This was a family affair, with most all having parents or other relatives on hand. Truth to tell, many of the adults were just as excited, if not more so, as the youngster when a fish was hooked.
Fishing ceased at noon, at which point fish were measured and prizes were awarded.
Members of the New Brunswick Conservation Officers Association also put on a barbeque. The Association is made up of enforcement officers from the provincial Department of Natural Resources and officers from federal government agencies located in the province, including the Canadian Wildlife Service. This provided an opportunity for all who attended the Derby to get to know the officers and appreciate that they are in the front lines when it comes to enforcing the laws that protect our environment and our wildlife. Members of the Rod & Gun Club were very appreciative of the association putting on the barbeque, and are very much on the same page in matters of mutual concern.
The limit per angler was five fish in total, with first place for the longest string of fish going to Dustin Johnson with a total fish length of 86.7 cm. Second place went to Jason Johnson while Kyle Farrell took third place. Kyle took first place for the longest individual fish with one that measured 33.9 cm, while Alyre Sears took second and Dustin Johnson third.
At seven years of age, Eme Estabrooks was the youngest girl angler at the event, while Jayden Kelly, 5, was the youngest boy. A special thanks to all who contributed prizes for the event, especially since every youngster that attended went home with a prize.
It’s likely that the derby will be held again next year, with the pond stocked with additional trout. Those trout in the pond that were not caught this year will have by then grown to a size of between 12 and 15 inches in length.
