Down Home Fishing Derby this weekend

The Down Home Derby and the Kids’ Down Home Derby, the first ice fishing competitions of the season will be held this weekend in a new and revised format.

“We have made several changes this year including the date, headquarters location, allowable fishing waters, number of days and prizes,” said Tom Bartholomew, one of the event’s organizers.

Contrary to past derbies, which were held over the course of a weekend, this year’s event will be held on a single day, Saturday, Jan. 26.

The event, which is organized by the Benson Fish and Game Club, has also expanded its scope and won’t limit anglers only to Lake Champlain but will instead allow participants to fish on all Vermont waters.

The adult derby will begin at 5 a.m. and all fish need to be at the scales, which will be located at the Benson Town Offices on Stage Road, by 6 p.m.

This year’s allowable categories are Northern Pike, Walleye, Yellow Perch (the combined weight of three fish) and other, which will include Bass, Salmon and Trout among others.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three in all four categories. There will be cash prizes for those who finish fourth in the pike and perch categories. Additional drawings will be given away as well.

The total cash prizes will be dependent on the number of derby tickets sold.

Tickets will cost $20 and are available until Jan. 26 at Ed’s Bait, Tom’s Bait and Tackle, G&L General Store, Buxton’s Store and Derby Headquarters.

The kids’ derby will also begin at 5 a.m. but fish must be at the scales by 4 p.m.

The categories for the kids’ derby will be the same as their adult counterparts but prizes will be different. A trophy will be presented to the first place winner in each category and there will be four grand prizes of $100, $50, and two $25 prizes.

Tickets for the kids’ derby will cost $5.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the fish and game club.

For more information call 537-2468 or 265-9730. You can also email Tom Bartholomew at [email protected].

 

Spartan Derby

The inaugural Castleton Spartans Football Ice Fishing Derby will be held from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Jan. 26 on Lake Bomoseen.

The derby will include four categories: trout, perch, bass and Northern Pike, and cash prizes will be awarded to the winners in both adult and kids’ divisions.

The cost to enter is $30 for adults and $10 for kids.

Derby headquarters will be located at Fishtails in Bomoseen.

For more information, contact Colleen Klatt at 468-1218 (day) or 763-670-0065 (evenings).