The Alton Centennial Rotary Club — serving the communities of Alton, Barnstead, and New Durham — is inviting area children and visitors ages 15 and under to a free Kids Fishing Derby on Sunday, Feb. 17. This Alton ‘Winter Carnival’ family event will take place in Alton Bay up to Sandy Point.
Registration will begin at 9 a.m. in the town parking area at the Alton Bay bandstand. The first 50 participants will receive a souvenir fishing derby bib.
A door prize will be awarded every hour until the end of the derby at 2 p.m., at which time trophies will be awarded to girls and boys in three different age groups — 8 and under, 9-12, 13-15 — for the longest fish. Prize fish will be displayed at the bandstand. Bring your own fishing gear and bait. Participants need adult supervision and may be assisted by anyone with a fishing license, 16 and older.
Families are cautioned to be ‘safety conscious’ and keep away from any open water within the fishing area, especially along the shoreline where bubblers are circulating around docks. A ‘fishing-restricted’ ice- runway for airplanes is maintained along the east side of Alton Bay with the boundaries clearly marked with bright yellow cones.
New Hampshire Fish and Game Warden, Jim Juneau, wishes success and fun to all the kids. The likely catch might include pickerel, white perch, yellow perch, cusk and rainbow trout. Any salmon or black bass may not be taken and if hooked must be released by cutting the line. The gills of fish are very sensitive to the cold; a brief exposure out of the water will cause damage.
Volunteers with augers are needed to assist the kids by offering to drill ice-fishing holes. A limited supply of shiners and tip-ups will be available at the parking lot bandstand. Participants may come early morning, late morning or early afternoon.
The Alton Rotary Club thanks Josh Borgesson of the Belknap Sportsman Club Association in Gilford for sharing advice on organizing this family event. Kelly Troendle of Alton Parks and Recreation is pleased that this new “Kids Fishing Derby’ has been added to the Alton winter carnival celebration.
To volunteer to assist with the ‘Kids Fishing Derby’, call David Countway at 569-3648 or at 875-3128.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.