ISLAND FALLS, Maine — The Island Falls Lakes Association will have a fishing derby Saturday, July 10, from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Headquarters for the derby will be the snowmobile club on U.S. Route 2 in Island Falls. The bodies of water for this derby are Pleasant Pond, Mattawamkeag Lake and the west branch of the Mattawamkeag River from the lake to the Route 2 bridge in town. Fish must be taken by rod and reel either on land or from a boat all according to Maine Fish and Wildlife rules.
At the end of the day cash and raffle prizes will be awarded, along with a meal of fresh-caught fish (either fried or grilled) with all of the fixings. The fish will be cleaned on sight with no bones encountered by the dinner. The meal is also open to the public with serving starting at 5 p.m. and will close when either food is run out or no one is left to feed.
Cash prizes will be rewarded in two divisions — adult and youth. Adults are those age 16 or older and youth is considered those under 16. Cash prizes for top three heaviest salmon, brook trout, smallmouth bass, pickerel and white perch.
For adults, the cash prizes will be $100 for first; $50 for second; and $35 for third for each of the five species of fish. For youth, the cash prizes are $40 for first; $25 for second; and $15 for third for each of the five species. All youths who turn in a fish will receive a lure of their own choosing.
There are also $50 cash prizes for the biggest fish caught by a male and $50 cash prizes for the biggest fish caught by a female.
The cost for entering the fishing derby is $25 for adults, $20 for seniors over 70, and $10 for youths under 16 years old.
Some of the items to be raffled include a $100 gift certificate to LL Bean; $50 gift certificate to Richardson Hardware; Vacationland Estates Sept. 3-7 gift certificate; a fish finder; game camera with a Trail Pad SD Card View; and many other items.
Participants do not have to be in the derby to buy raffle tickets. The price for the raffle tickets are three for $10 or 10 for $20. Raffle tickets can be bought at Jerry’s Thursday, July 8 and Friday, July 9, from 4 p.m. to closing and at the Snowmobile Club house from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 10.
Participants can enter the derby up until 8 a.m. July 10 either online at www.islandfallslakesassociation.com.
