A fin-tastic fishing derby at Tihonet Pond
John Murphy, left, and Lilly Alexander, right with a fish. Photos by Nick Mossman
Owen Murphy and Lilly Alexander having a reel-ly good time. Photo source: John Murphy
John and Kaidyn Murphy with a good catch. Photo source: John Murphy
Tihonet Pond.
The a-fish-ionados on the shore.
John Krystofolski, left, helps Kyla Stecchi, 5, to hold a fish.
Kyla Stecchi, a fishermen in the making.
The fishermen tackling the derby.
A gaggle of anglers.
The fishing leaderboard.
John Murphy, left, and Lilly Alexander, right with a fish. Photos by Nick Mossman
Owen Murphy and Lilly Alexander having a reel-ly good time. Photo source: John Murphy
John and Kaidyn Murphy with a good catch. Photo source: John Murphy
Tihonet Pond.
The a-fish-ionados on the shore.
John Krystofolski, left, helps Kyla Stecchi, 5, to hold a fish.
Kyla Stecchi, a fishermen in the making.
The fishermen tackling the derby.
A gaggle of anglers.
The fishing leaderboard.
Many fishermen of all ages and experience levels scattered around the shores of Tihonet Pond to cast their lines and get the heaviest catch Sunday, May 31.
The derby was hosted by the Wankinquoah Rod and Gun Club, which, according to Charlie Murphy, Director of the junior associates of the club, generates money for the club’s junior associate program, where kids can become members of the rod and gun club.
The club gave out awards for the most panfish caught and for catching the heaviest fish. And as of 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, a 4.33-pound fish was the heaviest fish caught during the derby.
Richard Barbieri said he’s volunteered for the fishing derby for the last three years, and that compared to last year’s derby, people didn’t catch as many fish.
“There’s a couple of good size ones,” Barbieri said. “It’s not as many fish being brought in this year as last year and I think it’s because of the storm we had yesterday.”
The derby’s organizers started weighing in fish as early as 6 a.m. Though according to Barbieri, there’s no perfect time of day to catch the most fish.
“When the fish is hungry and he sees it, he bites,” Barbieri said. “...You could say 12 o’clock is not the time to catch a fish, and some world record could get caught.”
The derby gives residents a unique opportunity to fish on Tihonet Pond, which is owned by A.D. Makepeace and not normally accessible to the public, Murphy said.
Lilly Alexander, 7, was one of the young fishermen taking advantage of the opportunity to reel in fish at the pond. She said that the fishing derby was “good.”
“I catched one fish,” she said. Lily added that she “loved it.”
