It's Youth Fishing Derby Time Again at the Snip

ELLINGTON, CT — It's time for the annual youth fishing derby at the Shenipsit Lake Reservoir.

The derby is slated for Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon. The derby is open to those ages 3 to 15 and is split into three groups — ages 3-to-6, 7-to-10, and 11-to-15.

Free coffee and doughnuts will be available in the morning, and free pizza will be available after the weigh-in and awarding of trophies at about noon.

The fishing derby is organized by the Shenipsit Lake Association and Connecticut Water opens the reservoir to recreation as permitted by the state Department of Public Health.

Shawn LaForest, president of the SLA, said of the derby, “It’s always a great thing to bring young people into the wonderful world of fishing, and there’s no better place to do it than at our beloved lake!”

In Connecticut, children under the age of 16 are not required to have fishing licenses. All children should bring their own fishing equipment.

Additional details on the fishing derby are available at SLA’s Web site: http://shenipsitlake.org/

Fishing and hiking at Shenipsit Lake Reservoir are the result of a cooperative effort between the SLA and Connecticut Water to establish and manage the Shenipsit Lake Recreation Program.

The Shenipsit Lake Reservoir is a public water source that has been open to fishing and hiking under a DPH permit for more than 20 years.

“We take great measures to protect public drinking water supplies and our watershed areas as part of our commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Cindy Gaudino, Connecticut Water’s source protection manager. “At the same time, we are committed to providing the community with recreational activities and access to this treasured natural resource.”

Photo Credit: CT Water