Trout Fishing Derby Brings Together Families and Community Members

At 8 a.m. on a Saturday morning, it’s safe to assume that most New Providence residents are still in bed, or at least still in their pajamas. But this past Saturday, more than 55 borough families were up bright and early for an event that comes just once a year.

The 2011 Trout Fishing Derby, co-sponsored by the New Providence P.B.A. and New Providence Department of Recreation, took place in Oakwood Park this weekend when kids of all ages, along with their parents and grandparents, brushed up on their fishing skills and had the opportunity to win prizes for their catches.

“It’s just to get the families out, to teach children how to fish. There are children that have no exposure to being out and fishing with their families,” said Patricia Kummer, a coordinator from the Recreation Department, of the derby and its goals. “It’s a nice time and it’s a day to kind of sit back and relax.”

To prepare for the annual event, members of the New Providence P.B.A., Department of Public Works and Recreation Department stocked the Oakwood Park pond with more than one hundred fish that were raised at Greenwalk Trout Hatchery in Bangor, PA.

By Saturday morning, 100 regular-sized trout (10-12 inches) and 6 large trout (18 inches) were swimming beneath the water’s surface, ready for the derby.

“It’s used for ice skating normally,” said P.B.A President Andrew Diamond of the water that had been frozen over during the winter months. “This is kind of like the last hurrah for the pond for the year.”

Diamond and Kummer explained that over the next weeks, community members who possess fishing licenses are encouraged to continue fishing in the local pond before it’s drained at the end of the month. At that time, any remaining trout will be released into the Passaic River.

At Saturday’s derby, fishers younger than 15 years old were eligible to win prizes for catching one of the six “big lunkers.” The award items were selected and donated by the P.B.A. and included a highly desired iPod Touch and gift cards from Toys ‘R’ Us, iTunes, and Target stores.

For adults and fishers who didn’t find a big one at the ends of their hooks, the Recreation Department offered information about how to cook and prepare the trout for dinner. In addition, all participants were welcome to a table of refreshments arranged by the P.B.A. that included coffee, juice and donuts.

“The P.B.A. is really happy to be able to support this because it’s for the kids,” said Diamond of the fishing derby that has been taking place for more than 20 years.

Present at Saturday’s event were eight police officers, all of whom were there as volunteers.

“It’s good to have [the kids] come out and be able to interact with members of the P.B.A.,” Diamond said. “Some of us are in uniform [but] we’re just regular people and it’s good to show them that we care and we want to do something for them.”

Shortly after 8 a.m., P.B.A. state delegate Chad Wilson announced the official opening of the 2011 Trout Fishing Derby. Poles were cast and novice fishermen waited anxiously for the trout to bite, but it wasn’t until close to 8:45 a.m. that cheers rose from the north side of the pond. Caroline Apicella had caught the first fish!

Diamond speculated that the cool morning weather may have contributed to the fact that the fishing was off to a slow start. Because of the cold water, he said, the fish may have moved toward the center of the pond, making them more difficult to catch.

Two hours after the start of the derby, the trout were still keeping low profiles so Kummer made the executive decision to raffle off the first of the prizes for the kids, instead of distributing them as awards for catching the fish.

Kaitlyn Cumiskey and Braden Fitzsimmons were the happy recipients of iTunes gift cards.

Despite the evasiveness of the trout, families were still able to enjoy a peaceful, sunny morning together.

”It’s a family event,” Kummer said. “It’s a relaxing day, a family day, that’s the idea.”

New Providence mom Maddie Delmonte brought her family on Saturday for their first local fishing derby, although she said that she herself attended others as a child. She was inspired to come out this weekend after having won a fishing-themed basket at a Tricky Tray in town.

“It gets the kids out, it teaches them about fishing, and it’s a nice day,” said Delmonte said of the Trout Fishing Derby.

The comment was echoed throughout the morning, proving that the Trout Fishing Derby’s success depends on much more than the number of fish that were caught.