There was a white board announcing the leaders at the 10th annual Father’s Day Fishing Derby at Jewel Lake Resort this past weekend.
At 11:40 a.m. the largest fish caught was still under a pound.
But Ed Ward from Midway wasn’t done fishing yet. He’d gone out for one more try and when the competition finished at noon, he had taken first place with a one-pound, two oz. fish.
Second place in the men’s category went to Bob Vanderby (14 pounds and 7/8 oz.) and third to Jason Greaves (14 1/2 oz.).
In the kids division, Kody Babakaiff (12 3/8 oz.) took first place, Austin Shreives (12 1/4 oz.) came in second and third went to Jessica Siemens (11 oz.).
The top women’s prize went to Micki Priest (14 1/4 oz.).
The BC Family Fishing Weekend event was sponsored locally by the Grand Forks Wildlife Association (GFWA) and took place from Friday evening until noon on Sunday, (June 14 to 16).
“You can’t beat the weather this year,” said Grand Forks conservation officer Dave Webster, who was there trying to get people hooked on fishing and selling raffle tickets, with proceeds going to the BC Conservation Officer Service.
Each year for the GFWA invites the Conservation Service to join in the derby too.
Webster was assisted over the weekend by two other conservation officers – Josh Lockwood from Vernon and Terry Myroniuk from Kelowna.
The conservation officer service organized a pancake breakfast that was sponsored by Overwaitea, with all proceeds going to BC Children’s Hospital.
Father’s Day weekend does not require a fishing licence by law.
The Jewel Lake derby was one of many events around the province sponsored by community groups, businesses and volunteers.
Craig Kiselbach, who organizes the event for the GFWA, reported there were 50 kids and 100 adults registered this year. He said that every kid went home with some equipment, such as a rod or a box with some tackle. He said that Grand Forks resident Mel Carrol donates rods for the kids who need one each year.
The family fishing weekend continues to give back to the community after the event too.
After the awards were handed out and people were packing their vehicles to head back, resort owner Jim Harrison was driving an ATV, collecting all the empty beverage containers.
Proceeds will go to The Boundary Dog Sled Association, which he said would be holding a day of sprint races and ski-joring at the resort in 2014.
– Pat Kelly, Boundary Creek Times