Who wants to get up at 4 am on a Saturday morning?
Simple answer: The child who wants to put a worm on his hook and catch the biggest fish during the 51st trout children’s trout tournament of the MV Rod and Gun Club.
When I arrived at the Duarte pond around 4:45 a.m. last Saturday, the sun was not yet lifted, but the light was abundant. Frontal lamps and portable lanterns bordered the pond while families took place and installed their equipment.
Whispered conversations suggested growing excitement. Moms and dads, brothers and sisters and grandparents were preparing the next generation of tournament winners with the secrets learned from years, even decades before.
His big brother, Jackson Munson, was carrying a 5 -liter pool, equipped with an aerator and filled with swimmers, for his little arayah sister. Several parents and grandparents had brought Power Bait jars, while others used good old verse, that Cooper Gilkes, Coop’s Bait and Tackle, supplied in abundance.
Coop, who launched the tournament in 1973 with his wife Lela, sounded the megaphone at 5:30 a.m. to kick off the event. The lines were put in the water and the wait started. All eyes were riveted on the water, especially those of Coop, who had sown the pond with hundreds of trout given a few days before.
After what seemed to last an hour, but which was probably only ten minutes, the float of Connor Giegler floated, then floated again, before disappearing. Connor began to go up and caught the first trout of the day. Connor caught a few additional fish throughout the morning and won the victory in his age category for his last year of eligibility.
Connor participated in the tournament for the first time at the age of five. Over the past nine years, he has won his age category four times. “It’s his last victory,” said his father.
When I asked Connor what was the secret of his success, he simply replied: “I just wait for. Like a real fisherman.
The bite was slow, but the hot chocolate, the chitches and the hot dogs left quickly. If the children did not head towards the tent of weighing with a fish, they stopped to take another or prepare their own hot chocolate with the keurig.
When Coop sounded the end of the competition shortly after 8 am, the children rushed to the tent, gathering in front of the trophies and the bikes, wondering who had won. The children had weighed fario, golden trout, rainbow trout, large mouths, fountain shades, sun crapets and even a turtle, but no one knew who left with trophies and all-terrain bikes.
The division winners were announced first, under cheers, smiles and an artistic vagueness. Finally, two large trophies and two bikes were given. With a smile that expressed her joy, Nora Arieta won the Grand Prix of the biggest fish other than a trout.
Nora had only caught one fish, an Achigan with a large mouth of 16 cm. “I almost caught another, but the horn sounded,” said Nora, 7 years old.
Nora does not consider herself as a fisherman, except when she says. “I sometimes fish, but I participate in the trout fishing competition each year. I like everything in this sport, ”said Nora, who won first place. its age category last yearthe 50th annual tournament.
The final price – the Grand Prix of the biggest trout – was awarded to David Pothier, passionate fisherman. David, eight years old, has three favorite activities: “Fishing, Dirt Bike and Football”.
-David grew up fishing with his father, DJ Pothier. He has participated in the trout fishing tournament since the age of three. “This year, I caught six fish, that rainbow trout,” said David, who said the tuna was his favorite fish.
For someone who has an all-terrain motorcycle and who likes to run everywhere he can, David was delighted to win an all-terrain motorcycle.
“I really wanted a speed bike because we are going to take a tour of the beach at school,” said David, who is in third year at the Oak Bluffs elementary school.
While I was walking from the pond to my truck, without fishing rod in my hands, I could not help feeling lucky to have spent the first hours surrounded by children catching fish and enjoying a perfect morning in the vineyard.
Children are not the only ones to fish. If you are looking to catch fish for dinner, a friend has caught a migratory striped bar. I saw photos of tautogues caught locally, and the calmars and mackerels arrived. It is not the feast of the seven fish, but it is fresh, it’s local, and you will have pleasure in bringing dinner home.
I hope to see you finally on the beach!
Trite fishing tournament results
General Grand Prix for the biggest trout-David Pothier, 8 years old, rainbow trout of 14.25 inches
Grand Prix of the biggest fish (other species) – Nora Arieta, 8 years old, Achigan with large mouths 16 7/8 inches
1st place 12-14 years old-Connor Giegler, 14 years old, omble of 14 inch fountain
1st place 9-11 years old-Sloane Rossi, 10, rainbow trout 13.25 inches
2nd place 9-11 years old-Colby Vought, 11 years old, 13-inch rainbow trout
1st place age 3-8 = Ryder Moore, 8 years old, omble of 14 inch fountain
2nd place age 3-8 = Jack Rossi, 7 years old, omble of fountain 13.75 inches
3rd place age 3-8 = Silas Hammond, 5 years old, Ombl of Fountain 13 1/8 inches
