Town makes changes in annual July 4th event
FARMINGTON – Paul Flagg has taken his kids to the annual Fourth of July fishing derby for about 15 years.
At first, the self-professed fishing-obsessed father brought his daughter and two sons to the event so they could fish. But now, all grown up, his middle son and daughter come back year after year to volunteer.
“They wouldn’t do anything else on the fourth of July but,” Flagg said.
His eldest son, who lives in Washington state, participates in derbies on the West Coast, he said.
What keeps the Flaggs coming back isn’t the prizes, or even the fishing, Flagg said.
‘It’s watching the joy on a kid’s face. it just lights up when they first catch a fish,” he said.
One of the most wonderful thing about fishing, Flagg said, especially for kids, is that everybody’s equal.
“You don’t have to be the strongest in the group. You don’t have to be the smartest in the group. Everybody is equal,” he said. “When they catch the fish themselves, it’s see what I’ve done.'”
The derby is a great way for parents to spend time with their kids, he added.
Nick Flagg, 22, home from college for the summer, said fishing for him means spending quality time with his dad. “He learned it from his dad, and I learned from him,” he said. “I hope to keep carrying it on.”
Parks and Recreation Director Steve Shible announced Friday that there will be some changes in the derby this year. Whereas in the past there were two distinct derbies, an early-bird special and an after-parade event, this year there will be only one. It’s set to begin at 8 a.m., Shible said.
Due to budget cuts, participation this year is going to be limited to kids from ages 3 to 10, and the bag limit will be two, instead of three fish.
That is because there will be fewer trout put into Willow Pond this year. “With the budget cuts, we reduced the amount of money we could use to buy fish,” Shible said.
“Instead of having 250 fish” brought to the pond, which is too shallow for trout to live in for long, “we’ll have about 115 rainbow trout” in addition to the chubs and crayfish that live in the pond naturally.
Four trophies will be awarded this year, Shible said, and each kid is only allowed one trophy. If a child lands a huge fish first and then a big one a few minutes later, a combination that could easily win him or her all four trophies, that child will have to pick one of the four.
Trophies will be given for first fish (trout), first limit, trophy fish and biggest meal, Shible said.
But, according to Paul Flagg, while getting awards at the derby can be fun, the best part is “as my daughter said the other day, just watching the little faces shine.'”
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