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News Feature

Orland
Originally published in Island Ad-Vantages, January 31, 2013 and The Weekly Packet, January 31, 2013
Cold weather bodes well for ice fishing derby

Slim’s Fishing Derby

Kids gather around an ice fishing hole on a pond in 2010 for Slim's Fishing Derby. This year, all legal waters in Hancock County will be open for the derby, with a weigh-in station in Orland. The derby will be held February 16 and 17.

Photo courtesy Georgia Morey

Matt Perez and his son Skylar in 2010 at Slim’s Fishing Derby. Skylar proudly shows off his fish. This year’s derby will be held February 16 and 17.

Photo courtesy Bonnie Billings

by Jessica Brophy

Last year, the organizers of Slim’s Fishing Derby canceled the event due to a long stretch of unseasonably warm weather and poor ice conditions.

This year, the weather seems more cooperative, and organizers are hopeful the event, scheduled for Saturday, February 16, and Sunday, February 17, will go on as planned.

“We’re keeping our fingers crossed for decent ice,” said co-organizer Jesse Larrabee.

The fishing derby will be open to all waters of Hancock County, and the weigh station will be located at Toddy Pond Public Landing in Orland from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

More than $2,800 worth of prizes will be awarded, including cash prizes for bass, togue, salmon, brown trout and splake. The grand prize, won by drawing from all entrants, is a complete ice fishing package, including a propane ice auger, a portable ice shack, traps, a pack basket, ice scoop, bait bucket and a propane heater. Door prizes include traps, jigging poles, chisels, heaters, gift certificates and more.

The derby benefits the Jimmy Douglass Memorial Scholarship fund. Jimmy “Slim” Douglass was a volunteer firefighter and avid outdoorsman who died in 2008 in a snowmobile accident. Scholarships are awarded to eligible Deer Isle-Stonington and Blue Hill Peninsula area high school students who have been accepted into a two-year program at a community college or trade school.

Larrabee said the money is for a great cause, though the scholarship committee would like to see more high school students apply for the scholarships.

Preregistration (and entrance to grand prize drawing) available online until February 15 at slimsfishingderby.com, in person at Island Fishing Gear/NAPA in Stonington, Eggemoggin Country Store in Sedgwick, Willey’s Sport Center in Ellsworth and Marlintini’s in Blue Hill. For more information, visit slimsfishingderby.com or email info@slimsfishingderby.com.

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