Rainbow trout carries Maine man to derby grand prize

Grand prize winner Tim Guinard of Alfred, Maine (right); second place winner Martin Hughes of New Hampton (second from left); and third place finisher Ryan Ashley of Gilmanton (left) pose with Derby Chairman Tim Bergquist Sunday at the 38th annual Great Meredith Rotary Ice Fishing Derby. (David Carkhuff/Laconia Daily Sun)

By DAVID CARKHUFF, LACONIA DAILY SUN

MEREDITH — Tim Guinard of Alfred, Maine, posted a photo on Facebook showing him holding his rainbow trout from opening day of the 38th annual Great Meredith Rotary Ice Fishing Derby. The caption reads, "My 4.33 lb Rainbow that won Saturday. Hope it holds up today!"

On Sunday, not only did it hold up, but it won him the grand prize of $15,000.

Guinard gave out a cry of joy when his name was announced Sunday afternoon. He and the other top award winners joined Gov. Chris Sununu and Derby Chairman Tim Bergquist on the walkway. The three grand prize winners were based on the seven finalists with the heaviest fish caught over the weekend.

"I started ice fishing to be with friends and have something fun to do with my son. Never thought it would be worth $15,000," Guinard wrote. "Thank you to Scott, Rich, Aaron, Chris, Mike, Ethan and Jason!!! What a weekend, we won the Super Bowl of ice fishing derbies!"

Guinard said, "I'd also like to thank The New Hampshire Fish and Game wardens. We usually seem them every year we do the derby and they are always very nice and do such an amazing job on an extremely busy weekend."

Duane Barton of Andover came through with the heaviest fish, a lake trout weighing 10.57 pounds caught on Saturday.

The results are as follows:

Grand prize winner, for $15,000, Tim Guinard of Alfred Mills, Maine (Saturday's top rainbow trout, 4.33 pounds).

Second prize winner, for $5,000, Martin Hughes of New Hampton (Sunday top white perch, 2.72 pounds).

Third place winner, for $3,000, Ryan Ashley of Gilmanton (Saturday top cusk, 6.47 pounds).

The $500 winners on Saturday included black crappie, 2.49 pounds — Bryan Couth, Moultonborough; cusk, 6.47 pounds, Ryan Ashley, Gilmanton; lake trout, 10.57 pounds — Duane Barton, Andover; pickerel, 5.23 pounds — Jessica Lievens, Belmont; rainbow trout, 4.33 pounds – Tim Guinard, Alfred, Maine; white perch, 2.67 pounds, James Symonds, Barnstead; yellow perch, 2.16 pounds — Tyler Dascoulias, Conway.

The $500 winners on Sunday included black crappie, 2.63 pounds — David Young of Boylston, Massachusetts; cusk, 5.88 pounds, Robert Haywood, Pittsburg; lake trout, 7.06 pounds — Lincoln Devaney, Newport; pickerel, 4.26 pounds — Tom Sharp, Deerfield, Massachusetts; rainbow trout, 3.85 pounds – Keith Laurencell, Deerfield, N.H.; white perch, 2.72 pounds, Martin Hughes, New Hampton; yellow perch, 1.59 pounds — Kevin Brown, Gilford.

The $100 drawing winners on Saturday included Winnipesaukee Area Brew Crew, Meredith; Robert Clark, Marlborough; Scott Delibac, Merrimack; Paul Gallagher III, Worcester, Massachusetts; William Conn, Rutland, Vermont; Stephen Ratte Sr., Raymond; Troy Baxter, Barrington; David McLaughlin, Hooksett; Stan Pascucci, Derry; Michelle Gray, Danville; Farren Mion, Glenville, New York; Myles Muin, Concord; Lorrie Wright, Hill; Daryll Issac, Portsmouth.

The $100 drawing winners on Sunday included Ken Young, Meredith; Tristan Smart, Moultonborough; Ben Nagy, Barrington; Ronald Allaire, Litchfield; Jon Stesienko, Lebanon, Maine; Paul Belville, Mirror Lake; Karl Lindroth, Hebron, Connecticut; Kevin Robbins, Franklin; Brian Allen, Meredith; Robert Queen III, Milford; Stephen Malagodi, Windham; Matthew Palmer, Millis, Massachusetts; Travis Jones, Northwood; Jim Schreib, Hudson; Tom Daniels Sr., Tilton; David Trudeau, Auburn; Tim McDermitt, Danvers, Massachusetts; Anthony Trevena, Lisbon; Joshua Druin, Loudon; Robert Grant, Henniker; Laurence Capiano, Melrose, Massachusetts; Monica Thiebault, Chester; Glen Clark, Goffstown; Chris Feddern, Brookfield; Kevin Perkins, Wolfeboro Falls; Scott Duquette, Fitchburg, Massachusetts; Zach Merchant, Clinton, New Jersey; Steven Reynolds, Derry; Christine Hartshory, Amherst; Kyle Cummings, Elkins; Kristopher Bean, New Hampton; Mike Baker, Arundel, Maine.

The $5,000 drawing winner on Saturday was Tyler Damon of Sandwich. The $5,000 winner on Sunday was Keith Lizotte of Rollinsford.

Bradley Roth of Alexandria won the raffle for a portable bob house donated by Northern Fabrication Solutions in Tamworth. The bob house is valued at approximately $3,400.

Dan Lago of Warren, Connecticut, admires the fish board at the 38th annual Great Meredith Rotary Ice Fishing Derby. (David Carkhuff/Laconia Daily Sun)

Tim Guinard of Alfred, Maine, celebrates upon learning he won the $15,000 grand prize at the 38th annual Great Meredith Rotary Ice Fishing Derby. (David Carkhuff/Laconia Daily Sun)

Grand prize winner Tim Guinard of Alfred, Maine, left, and second place winner Martin Hughes of New Hampton, right, pose with Gov. Chris Sununu at the end of the 38th annual Great Meredith Rotary Ice Fishing Derby. (David Carkhuff/Laconia Daily Sun)