RUMFORD – Despite morning rain and brisk afternoon winds, Saturday’s first-ever Rumford Grange Fishing Derby for children 12 and under, was a hit.

Held at Joe Martin’s new 500,000-gallon fire pond off Route 5, the six-hour event attracted about 75 adults and children.

“That’s not too bad for the first time,” Martin said. “There wasn’t one sour face that left the fish pond. We gave out $100 to $30 in cash prizes and; we passed out $700 worth of fishing gear. This is a building year,” he added.

After the 24 children entered in the derby had each caught two fish, Martin let them each reel in a third. Prior to the event, he’d stocked the pond with 300 to 400 brook trout, and two 24-inch-long brookies donated by Gary Picard of Mountain Springs Trout Farm in Frenchville.

“That’s the only place where you can get brook trout (for ponds) now in Maine,” Martin said.

Worms and nightcrawlers seemed to attract more fish to hooks than skillfully cast fly rod lines and flies. Although, at least one small maple tree branch snagged a treble hook. Clothing claimed another.

“I’m hooked! I’m hooked!” shouted Kelsey Martin of Boston after she accidentally caught her hook in her sock while chasing after her father who brought her 12-and-1/8th-inch-long brookie up to be measured. The fish took second place and won her a cash prize.

“I caught a fish! I caught one!” yelled Kelsey’s younger cousin, Peter Martin, who was fishing the brook-end of the pond with his dad, Barney Martin of Scarborough. The boy took third place with a foot-long brookie.

Four-year-old Charlie Danis of Rumford had the biggest catch – a 12-incher that won him first place and $100 cash.

“His fish was so big it wouldn’t fit into the plastic (gallon) bags we had, so we put it in the box that the bags came in,” Joe Martin said.

The catch surprised Charlie’s parents, David and Chrissie Danis, and wowed his brothers, with whom, mom said, Charlie has been fishing since he could walk.

Several youngsters attempted to go after the lunkers, which they thought would be in the pond’s deepest and coldest section, casting for the 18-foot-deep hole.

“I put two worms on one hook, because I wanted to get the 2-footer, but that didn’t work. We lost the worms,” said Dan Anatra, 11, of Sanford, who was visiting his grandparents, Gary and Dawn Adley of Dixfield.

Still, he was happy to catch two fish that were each about 10 inches long

“This is only the third fish I’ve ever caught in my life,” Anatra said of a 9-inch brookie. His first was a 14- to 15-inch bass caught with his dad.

“He was begging to go fishing, so we brought him here,” Dawn Adley said.

Besides Joe Martin, eight volunteers from Rumford Grange No. 115 helped out, raising $75 from sales of food.

“Hopefully, Joe will do this again next year and people here today will get out the word. The kids had a ball,” grange Community Service Chairwoman Vicki Clark of Rumford said.

Likewise, said Barney Martin.

“These kids are going to remember this forever. I hope Joe keeps it up,” he added while watching son Peter reel in line for another cast from dad’s lap.