BETHEL — As part of this weekend’s Bethel Harvest Festival celebration, the Upper Andro Anglers Alliance is hosting a Two-Fly Contest and Northeast Drift Boat Competition that tests fishing and boating prowess.
The drift boat championship will be held from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Friday on the Androscoggin River at Bethel Outdoor Adventure and Campground beside Route 2.
It tests the skills of oarsmen ferrying, navigating buoys and speed rowing while a passenger stands in the bow throughout the contest, alliance spokeswoman Wende Gray said.
She said the contest begins at Bethel Outdoor Adventures, where there is good viewing from the pedestrian bridge, and ends a quarter-mile away at Davis Park beside Route 26.
“They go really fast,” Gray said of the 2008 winning time, which was less than four minutes. That winner was Michael Jones of Harpswell, who will be defending his title on Friday. The event wasn’t held last year.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Gray said there were from five to eight entries.
The first-, second- and third-place oarsman will receive plaques and a cash prize of $150 for first place, $100 for second, and $50 for third.
The Two-Fly Contest is scheduled from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, rain or shine.
According to the rules, anglers will be fishing for three species of trout — brown, brook and rainbow — using only the two registered flies. Smallmouth bass, fall fish (chub), or any other species will not be accepted. All fish caught must be released alive.
For a fish to be counted, it must be brought to a net and logged on fish cards by species. Fish larger than 14 inches must have pictures and measurements taken. For a fish to be counted for the largest fish, it must have a photo taken alongside a tape measure.
Each team consists of two anglers and an oarsman, with fishing from drift boats only, and not wade fishing.
The fishing area will be from the Shelburne, N. H., Dam downriver to Rumford Center. No more than 25 yards up any tributary can be fished.
Awards will be presented to the angler with the biggest fish, greatest number of fish caught, and for the team catching the greatest number of fish. The oarsman can fish for pleasure only.
The oarsman’s name and team will be engraved on The Rocky Freda Turtle Water Perpetual trophy for the team with the greatest catch.
For more information, contact Gray at 824-3694 or [email protected].
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