The water level in the lake is on the rise, the carp are in the bay and, last weekend, I saw a couple of kids down at the end of the wharf with their fishing rods. All good signs for the upcoming 16th Annual Salmon Arm Kid’s Fishing Derby, to be held Father’s Day, June 17 down at the wharf.
Over the next few weeks I’m sure there will be more young anglers down there on the docks testing the waters, so to speak. There always some of the more ardent anglers who head down there ahead of time and try out different spots along the dock, using different types of lures at different depths. They’re the ones who are the most competitive.
The Annual Salmon Arm Kid’s Fishing Derby is open to all children 12 years of age and under. There is no cost to enter the derby. Registration takes place Sunday morning, beginning at 6 a.m., at the end of the wharf. And the only restrictions are that each child must be accompanied by an adult, and each child must wear a life-jacket or PFD. Six certified lifeguards are on duty throughout the event. Some life jackets are available for children who do not have one. Only coarse fish are eligible for trophies and prizes, and fish must be caught and played by the child. An adult, however, may assist in netting.
An awards ceremony will take place immediately following the derby at the end of the wharf where the trophies and major prizes will be handed out.
The winner of the annual Kids Fishing Derby will receive the Salmon Arm Savings and Credit Union - W. J. (Bill) Murray Memorial Trophy, an IM-6 graphite rod and reel outfit, a $200 RESP Education Bond, and they will get to take their whole family on an all-expenses-paid, weekend fishing trip to Beaver Lake Lodge. This includes accommodation, boat and motor and $100 worth of groceries. Second- and third-place winners will receive rod and reel outfits and RESP Education Bonds.
The lucky angler who lands the first fish of the derby will receive the Piccadilly Place Mall Trophy, a rod and reel outfit and a $100 Rotary Club-sponsored RESP Education Bond.
Two anglers who catch fish closest to predetermined “secret weights” will have their names scribed onto the Canadian Tire Trophy, and, will each win a brand new shiny mountain bike.
The angler who manages to catch the most fish will receive the City of Salmon Arm Trophy, a rod and reel outfit, a $100 Rotary Club-sponsored RESP education bond, as well as a one-year pass to the swimming pool.
There is also a whole whack of other great prizes given out throughout the derby.
As in previous years, there will also be the special Parent Appreciation draw prize. Adults receive one draw ticket for each child they register. At the awards ceremony, one lucky person will win a fully decked-out barbecue with all the accessories, as well as $100 worth of groceries.
And don’t forget the School District #83 Fishing Story Contest, sponsored by the Salmar Theatre, that is held in conjunction with the derby. Students from elementary schools in the area can submit an original fishing story – true or as far-fetched as they can make up – to their teacher.
The winner of the best fishing story receives a $100 R.E.S.P. Education Bond, a one-year pass to the show – yes, they get to go to the show any time they want, for free, for a full year. As well, everyone in their class at school also gets a one-time pass to the show.
However, long after all the trophies and prizes have been handed out and subsequently are forgotten over time, the kids will still remember the time spent with their parents at the end of the wharf.