Come Sunday morning, June 16, there will be a whole whack of kids down at the end of the Salmon Arm wharf trying to catch the ‘big one’ at the 23rd Annual Salmon Arm Kids’ Fishing Derby.
The derby is open to all angler 12 years of age and under. There is no cost to enter. Registration is at 6 a.m. at the wharf and the derby runs from 7 to 11, with an awards ceremony held immediately afterwards.
As in previous years, there will be trophies and prizes handed out in a variety of categories. The derby is a coarse fish only derby, which means only coarse fish are eligible for prizes, and there are any number of species of coarse fish swimming near the docks. Carp, suckers, peamouth chub and pike minnows are but a few.
Coarse fish have certain preferences when it comes to eating, but they also have an amazing ability to adapt. They will hang around beneath structures such as wharves and docks for prolonged periods waiting for food to fall into the water. The tremendous variety of angling “methods” used by all the participants in the Kids Fishing Derby only goes to show how varied the diet and feeding habits of carp and other coarse fish can be. Everything from worms to dough balls to pieces of cheese can be used to attract coarse fish. Species such as pike minnows tend to be predatory, non-selective feeders, while suckers and chub, which have smaller mouths, will tend to take worms over food sources such as bait fish. Carp, on the other hand, are both aggressive and opportunistic feeders which will feed on everything from micro-ivertebrates to insect larvae and pupae to baitfish.
Coarse fish can quickly become accustomed to food designed for human consumption. It is common for coarse fish to feed on bread, chips, fries, crackers, pop corn and other types of junk food. Once coarse fish in a particular area get accustomed to being fed, they will quickly learn to congregate where such food sources are abundant.
Cast a line into pretty well any river or lake in B.C. and you will most likely encounter northern pikeminnows. They are often regarded as a pest by most anglers because they feed on trout and salmon fry and eggs. However, they can grow to a very large size and have tremendous fighting power on light tackle which can provide some exciting fishing. Pikeminnows are scavengers. Their diet varies from small insects to large shiners.
White suckers are another fish that can be found in the waters around the Salmon Arm wharf. They feed on worms, insect larvae and occasionally fish eggs. They are a bottom-feeding fish with a downturned snout characteristic of other suckers. Their mouth is round and rimmed with thick lips. They can grow to about 50 centimetres in length and 2 kilograms in weight.
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Carp are members of the Cyprinidae family and inhabit freshwaters from the Gulf of Mexico to northern Russia. The common carp, which inhabit our Interior waters, is easily distinguished from other cypinids by the heavy and strongly serrated spines in the anterior portion of its dorsal and anal fins, and by the presence of two rather long, fleshy barbels on each side of its upper jaw. They are not a pretty fish by any stretch. Carp can live to be well over 20 years old and can grow to reach lengths of up to 120 cm. They are omnivorous feeders, with a preference for subaquatic insect forms, as well as other aquatic invertebrates, plankton and macro algae. Having said that, carp can sometimes be enticed into taking a worm and, as a consequence, are often the winner in the Largest Fish category.
Jigging or using a worm and bobber are probably the two best methods for catching coarse fish off the docks. Worms are the most effective bait but anything goes when it comes to catching coarse fish.
Any way you look at it, kids and fishing for coarse fish are a surefire way to have fun – and you never know, some young angler might just happen to catch the ‘big one’ down at the docks at the 23rd Annual Salmon Arm Kids’ Fishing Derby.
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