Sebago Lake fishing derby marks twenty fifth 12 months, helps meals pantries

SEBAGO LAKE, Maine (WGME) — A weekend of fishing and enjoyable.

Families, buddies, and ice fishers from throughout New England made their method to Sebago Lake for the twenty fifth Sebago Lake Rotary Club’s Ice Fishing Derby.

“It really encourages families to get out there and enjoy nature, get some fresh air, and get away from electronics,” Mark Morrison with the Sebago Lake Rotary Club stated.

The occasion falls on Free Fishing Weekend in Maine, permitting anybody to hit the frozen lake to catch some fish.

“We have seen a lot of out-of-staters coming up here, trying their hand at fishing Sebago Lake because they don’t have to buy their fishing license, so it’s actually a great weekend to have the derby,” District Game Warden Peter Herring stated.

James Lizotte got here up from Southern Maine to take part within the derby.

Lizotte says that is his first time fishing on Sebago.

“I’ve been here since 5:15 this morning and caught this [fish] at 10 a.m.,” Lizotte stated.

Lizotte says the clear skies and sunshine made for good fishing circumstances.

“It’s not snowing, it’s not brutally cold, the mornings were a little chilly, and now it’s beautiful out, and the sun’s shining,” Lizotte went on.

The cash raised will assist serve 12 native meals pantries and different Rotary charities.

Also, fish meat left over from the occasion might be despatched to native meals shelters.

“A couple years ago, the most we were able to net for meat was about 900 pounds, which went to the Portland soup kitchen, and that’s a lot of fish chowder,” Morrison stated.

There’s additionally pleasant competitors concerned.

Organizers gave out a number of prizes for the weekend’s finest catches.

That consists of heaviest lake trout, perch, and pickerel caught, and for essentially the most pike caught.

“This all started in cooperation with the inland fishery, and so the whole idea is to get the invasive species out and the rest of the species out, lake trout being one and pike being another because they are detrimental to our salmon,” Morrison continued.

This 12 months, one winner caught a 17.4-pound fish, which is barely a pound lower than the heaviest Sebago Lake trout caught on file.

The match had a tough cease at 4 p.m. Sunday, however many people say they are going to be again subsequent 12 months.