Derby togue bigger, fewer in Windham

Sunday, March 6, 2005

OUTDOORS: Deirdre Fleming

The Windham Rotary Club's Derby Fest brought in a record crowd with an estimated 5,000 spectators and 6,000 fishermen, but it oddly resulted in fewer lake trout caught this year.

However, those lake trout, or togue, caught were generally bigger than catches of the last three years, said derby director Tom Noonan. Some of the fishermen who competed in the $30,000 derby said as much.

This winter, biologists with the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will analyze the data gathered at the derby to get an idea of the health and size of the togue population.

Derby winner Steven Emerson of Addison said togue fishing this year compared to last year was vastly different.

Last year, Emerson said he and his family caught 29 togue; this year, with three registered fishermen in his family using 15 traps among them, they caught just two in two days.

Luckily for Emerson, one was a derby record-setting 22.34 pound trout that trumped the previous record of 18.4-pounds.

Second-place finisher Roger Reed of South Portland also beat the previous record with his 21.6-pound trout.

Emerson, who won a 17-foot center console fishing boat for his monster togue, said it was like "a big log on the end of the line. He was pretty heavy."

Despite breaking the tournament record, Emerson said that as he fished the rest of Saturday and all of Sunday, he was nervous that someone else would catch a big fish - because he came close to catching another himself.

Where he and his family fished off Frye Island in the middle of the lake, they caught a fish that took the line and ran in 50 feet of water.

They also lost a lot of fish, he said, including that one.

Last year, Emerson said, the 29 togue he and his family caught were just 3- or 4-pounders.

The data gathered from the derby - fish length and weight - were recorded and given to state biologists to help determine the health of the fishery.

Noonan said when the derby began four years ago, its directors worked with the department to tailor the rules to fit the needs of the lake.

With the lake's once-famous salmon population in decline because of the loss of smelts to the voracious togue, fishing regulations encouraging the taking of togue became more liberal.

Last winter, the ice fishing regulations on Sebago Lake were changed to allow five lines, up from two.

State biologists wanted to help fishermen fill the daily bag limit of six togue to help bring Sebago's salmon back by providing more forage fish for the salmon.

Noonan said the various charities that benefit from the derby and its festival-style activities are a big reason the event grows each year.

Last year $100,000 went to charities such as the Maine Children's Cancer Program, Camp Sunshine and Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. This year as much as $120,000 will be given to many charities, as yet unnamed.

The key to increasing revenue, Noonan said, is in brining in new spectator events, such as this year's car race that drew more than 1,000, and the air show that featured 40 aircraft and drew a crowd of more than 5,000.

But Noonan said the derby is chiefly about helping the fishery.

Last year, it was ranked among the five best in the country by Field & Stream magazine for being a winter festival offering activities and entertainment for many.

It is "one of the most colorful festivals in New England with a number of distinguishing characteristics like the ice dip, ice fisherman of the year contest and . . . snow sculptures," said Kim Hiss, associate editor of Field & Stream.

Staff Writer Deirdre Fleming can be contacted at 791-6452 or at:

dfleming@pressherald.com

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