Blue skies and windy conditions prevailed for the 29 annual Tweedsmuir Recreation Committee's Ootsa Lake fishing derby on Labour Day weekend, and committee secretary Nancy Plesko said the boats were bouncing.
“It was pretty rough out there for the first couple of days so there were a few people loosing their cookies over the side and feeding the fish,” she laughed, “but nonetheless, they persevered and we came up with four solid winners in the end. “The number one and number four winners were a father and four year old daughter,” she said.
The first place prize of $1,000 went to Colin Lutick for a very respectable 7lbs. 5.5oz rainbow trout. The $500 second prize was captured by Jake Petkau with a fish weighing just an ounce less than the winner, 7lbs. 4.5oz. Third place went to Tamara Switzer who won $300 with a 6lbs. 7oz entry, and finally Ali Lutick took home a BBQ donated by Rio Tinto Alcan for her 6lbs 4.5oz trout.
Plesko said that there was a good turn out and the money raised will be going to improve the historic Wisteria community hall. “That's the whole point of it, to keep our old hall going.”
She said they had lots of supporters with 124 people entered in the derby. People came from as far away as Prince George and Smithers for the event as well as the local people from Burns Lake and area. And of course the numerous local volunteers and the recreation club executive who worked hard to make the derby a success.
“It's been going for 29 years and a couple of the driving forces behind it were Abe and Eva Fehr. This is the first year they have retired from the running of the derby and we just really appreciate all they have contributed to the community over the years and through the fishing derby,” said Plesko.