Catching memories at fishing derby

Catching memories at fishing derby

James Martindale, 6, of Pittsfield, Mass., lands a 10-inch bluegill.

John Coston

NORTH CANAAN — “I heard somebody caught a turtle.”

That was the mood on Sunday, May 19 at the annual fishing derby held by the Connecticut Rod and Gun Club.

Holly Hunt, who ran the event with many club volunteers who were busy cooking burgers and dogs, hauling ice and taking measurements of the day’s catch of bass, trout and bluegill.

Hunt said 65 anglers signed up for this year’s event, which she has personally run for almost 20 years at the club’s pond off Route 7 South.

Parents, grandparents and uncles and aunts all showed up with newbie anglers who ranged in age up to 15.

James Martindale, 6, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, reeled in a 10-inch bluegill, and held his beaming smile for as long at it took Eleiana Morel to dash over to measure his prize.

Families drove from all over the Northwest Corner and beyond to enjoy a pondside morning with worms and minnows provided by Jim’s Bait & Tackle in East Canaan.

Tristan Landry, 5, of Southington, Conn., managed to keep his line untangled –mostly.John Coston

The water’s edge was lined with small-fry competitors outfitted with rods, reels, bobbers, nets and tackle boxes as families parked in folding chairs right behind them.

A significant contingent spent energy on catching frogs and running around.

Tristan Landry, 5, of Southington, received guidance from his grandmother.An even younger Benjamin Walley, 4, of North Canaan, was comfortably seated in a pint-sized lawn chair, eyes fixed on the water for any sign of movement.

Seven-year old Holden Belmonte of Milton and his sister, Sawyer, 4, cast their lines in sequence as their father watched, while holding a babe in arms.

Emmett Lozier, 11, of Bristol, looked like a pro as he surgically added weights to his line with a pair of needle-nose pliers.

“Yeah,” was his answer for any question posed about how it was going.

Harper Nivolo, 5, of North Canaan, landed a 14 1/2 inch largemouth bass with one minute to go before all lines had to be pulled from the pond under derby rules.

Everyone got a prize in the end, but six competitors who caught the biggest fish in their age group won a bicycle. All others got to choose prizes as their tickets were drawn from a bucket by Hunter.

The six who went home with bicycles were: Harper Nivolo, Finn Lyon, Ava Cole, Jaxon Romanchick, Emma Sprague and Mason Torrent.

It was a ‘catch and release’ event. So all the fish returned to the pond, after dining all morning on worms and minnows.

Dominik Romanchick, 4, of North Haven, caught four fish Saturday. As his grandfather helped him undo the hook and pose for a photo, Dominik thoughtfully inserted the minnow back into the gaping mouth of the 14 3/4 inch bass.

Dominic Romanchick, 4, of North Haven, Conn. with a 14 3/4 inch large mouth bass caught on a minnow.John Coston

Latest News

Summer Nights of Canaan

Wednesday, July 16

Cobbler n’ Cream
5 to 7 p.m.
Freund’s Farm Market & Bakery | 324 Norfolk Rd.

Canaan Carnival
6 to 10 p.m.
Bunny McGuire Park

Keep ReadingShow less
When the guide gets it wrong

Rosa setigera is a native climbing rose whose simple flowers allow bees to easily collect pollen.

Dee Salomon

After moving to West Cornwall in 2012, we were given a thoughtful housewarming gift: the 1997 edition of “Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs.” We were told the encyclopedic volume was the definitive gardener’s reference guide — a fact I already knew, having purchased one several months earlier at the recommendation of a gardener I admire.

At the time, we were in the thick of winter invasive removal, and I enjoyed reading and dreaming about the trees and shrubs I could plant to fill in the bare spots where the bittersweet, barberry, multiflora rose and other invasive plants had been.Years later, I purchased the 2011 edition, updated and inclusive of plants for warm climates.

Keep ReadingShow less
A few highlights from Upstate Art Weekend 2025

Foxtrot Farm & Flowers’ historic barn space during UAW’s 2024 exhibition entitled “Unruly Edges.”

Brian Gersten

Art lovers, mark your calendars. The sixth edition of Upstate Art Weekend (UAW) returns July 17 to 21, with an exciting lineup of exhibitions and events celebrating the cultural vibrancy of the region. Spanning eight counties and over 130 venues, UAW invites residents and visitors alike to explore the Hudson Valley’s thriving creative communities.

Here’s a preview of four must-see exhibitions in the area:

Keep ReadingShow less