It was a beautiful, sunny day on May 30 when 96 kids participated in the Andover Fish and Game Club’s (AF&G) 20th annual Kids Spring Trout Fishing Derby. The Derby took place along the Highland Lake Channel by the AF&G Clubhouse. Free hot dogs and refreshments were enjoyed by the kids and their families while they fished.

The Channel was stocked the night before with 500 trout, half of which were provided by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. The public stocking was attended by an eager crowd of kids and their parents. Each kid, equipped with a bucket of fish, helped Fish and Game Officer Josiah Towne release the slippery beasts into the water. Thank you to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.

Despite the stocking, only 12 of the 75 fish caught at the Derby were trout. Due to the unseasonably warm week leading up to the Derby, it is likely that the trout swam out of the channel into deeper, cooler waters.

Forty hornpout, eight bass, and 15 other types of fish were also reeled in. After the big event, raffle prizes, lucky prizes, and trophies were awarded to lucky participants. Every kid received a participation ribbon.

The winners this year were:

Trout: Matt Hebbert, 17″; Garrett Brabant, 16.5″; Elizabeth McDonald, 12.75″

Other: Joey Upton, 12.75″ hornpout

Total length of fish caught: Dylan Heller, 47.4″

The Andover Fish and Game Club thanks everyone who donated their time and supplies to make this event a successful and fun learning experience for the kids. The Club’s biggest fundraiser of the year, the Beef Barbecue and Chinese Auction, will take place on Saturday, August 22, from 5 to 6:30 PM at the Proctor Academy Field House.