Birds had a lot of company at sunrise Saturday on Duarte’s Pond as early bird boys and girls circled the pond for the 47th Kids Trout Derby.
Birds had a lot of company at sunrise Saturday on Duarte’s Pond as early bird boys and girls circled the pond for the 47th Kids Trout Derby.
People set up shop as early as 4:30 a.m., organizer Lela Gilkes said. By sunrise roughly 40 kids between the ages of four and 14 sat around the perimeter of the pond, patiently waiting for a bite.
Owen Emin, age 4, wins for the under eight-year-old division.
Owen Emin, age 4, wins for the under eight-year-old division.
“The fish bite more readily at first light,” Ms. Gilkes said.
Cooper and Lela Gilkes held the first derby in 1973 through the Martha’s Vineyard Fishing Club. It started at Mill Pond in West Tisbury then moved to Wiggy’s Pond in Oak Bluffs before settling at Duarte’s Pond to accommodate the amount of kids who wanted to take part, Ms. Gilkes said.
The hardest part of the derby was figuring out how best to bring it back after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Mr. Gilkes said. But Islanders were more than willing to lend a helping hand.
“The Island people are so great,” Mr. Gilkes said. “I have a whole list to check off. I went through it and every single one of the people said ‘tomorrow we will have it ready for you’ or ‘yep, any time, whenever you need.’”
The winners circle!
The winners circle!
Dan Gilkes, son of Mr. and Ms. Gilkes, fished in the derby when he was a kid and now watches on as his daughter Hunter, who is six, participates.
“To have my kids come through it and now their kids is unreal,” Dan Gilkes said. “So many of the adults have been through it. It’s amazing.”
Rob Gatchell remembers looking across Wiggy’s Pond in 1987 and seeing a big commotion, he said. He saw water splashing about and knew someone had made a big catch. It turned out that someone was his son Kyle, who was six at the time. The fish was a winner that year and Mr. Gatchell has the mount to this day. Kyle is now 40 and his two kids, Jacob and Alison, have continued the tradition.
Going all in for early morning trout fishing.
Going all in for early morning trout fishing.
“It’s kind of nice, full circle,” Rob Gatchell said. “Getting to be the parent and seeing them get to do the fishing, it’s a nice feeling.”
One year a parent started having special hot dogs and buns shipped to the Island from Florida for the derby, Mr. Gilkes said. Although the hot dogs no longer come from the sunshine state, the hot dog tradition lives on. At about 7:30 a.m. volunteer Chris Greene started up the grill and within 30 minutes served up 60 hot dogs.
“You get that initial rush and you try to get as many hot dogs into as many smiling mouths as you can, as quickly as possible,” Mr. Greene said. “It’s fun, anything for the kids.”
Hot dogs for breakfast!
Hot dogs for breakfast!
But not everyone was in the mood for a hot dog.
“Do you have a sausage?” a child asked.
“No sausage, boss,” Mr. Greene said.
A hot dog would have to do.
The derby used to adhere to a rigid start and end time, but Mr. and Ms. Gilkes learned it was best to let the kids decide when to call it quits, Ms. Gilkes said.
“Youngsters lose their attention and we decide it’s time to wrap it up,” she said.
This year interest started to wane at around 9:20 a.m., at which point kids who caught the longest fishes were awarded trophies and new poles.
Jax Trott, overall winner, and Wesley Wlodyka, largest trout.
Jax Trott, overall winner, and Wesley Wlodyka, largest trout.
Christian Fisher, winner of the nine through 11-year-old category, was straightforward when asked how he felt about reeling in a winner.
“Happy because it was the only fish I caught,” Christian said.
Owen Emin took home first prize in the eight and under category, a division he may dominate for years to come — Owen is only four years old.
Jax Trott won the grand prize for largest fish overall, a 17-inch chain pickerel, while his brother, Francis Vincent, won first place for the 12 through 14-year-old division.
Francis Vincent noted that it was a good thing they both won because there probably would have been a fight at home if one did not.
“Home life would have been a lot harder [for Jax] if I didn’t get first place,” Francis Vincent said.
Winner’s Circle
Largest fish of any size: Jax Trott, 17-inch chain pickerel.
Largest trout: Wesley Wlodyka 16-inch rainbow trout.
8 years old and under: Owen Emin, Hunter Peters, Ryder Seaton.
9 to 11 years old: Christian Fischer, Connor Giegler, Finn Cotting.
12 to 14 years old: Francis Vincent Trott, Brady Vought.
Comments
Such a great event and
Tom Rosenberg AquinnahSuch a great event and tradition, thanks to the organizers and volunteers and especially all the future Anglers!!
Our favorite family tradition
Rita Bartolomeu Medford, MAOur favorite family tradition since my kids were little… now my grandkids love it and look forward to it. So sorry we missed it this year. Can’t wait for next year… we have a new little one to share in this awesome event with!! You guys are amazing to keep this going. Many thanks!!
Most underrated attraction of
George Stein OBMost underrated attraction of the Island
Never too old, either.
Andrew T BostonNever too old, either.
It's a shame this tradition
Mary FinelliIt's a shame this tradition didn't end with the pandemic. Cruelty shouldn't be a tradition. That's what fishing is: cruelty. It's not sport, the fish are victims not willing participants.
Science has shown what sensible people intuitively know: that fish can suffer fear and pain. They are sentient beings who deserve respect and compassion not gratuitous cruelty.
"Teach your children well." Teach them to be kind not cruel.
Simply just isn’t true
Noah West tisburySimply just isn’t true
What a great tradition!
Island Mike EdgartownWhat a great tradition! Fishing is so much a part of the island and it's great to see the younger generations pick it up and keep it going!
My youngest son learned to
Dana Nunes MVMy youngest son learned to fish at the kids derby at the age of 3. The joy of rising at 3:30am, the dark drive to the pond at 4am, and the search around the pond for the “perfect” spot; these make for treasured memories. Our surprise at finding family groups who looked like they’d been there for hours, the smell of mud, and the joy of that first catch.. I wouldn’t have missed it, and my son still loves to fish, 29 years later. Thanks, folks.
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