Syracuse.com - Seneca Lake fishing derby a holiday tradition

[HuntingNY-News]

The 48th annual National Lake Trout Derby on Seneca Lake begins at 6 a.m. Saturday and finishes Monday afternoon. The fishing contest features $21,225 in cash prizes and a grand prize of $5,000 for the biggest fish. Organizers are expecting a mad rush today as anglers sign up for the biggest fishing derby in the Finger Lakes this Memorial Day weekend.It’s the 48th annual National Lake Trout Derby on Seneca Lake. The event begins at 6 a.m. Saturday and finishes Monday afternoon. The fishing contest features $21,225 in cash prizes and a grand prize of $5,000 for the biggest fish. There are lake trout, brown trout, rainbow trout and landlocked salmon categories.Colin Moorehouse, of Geneva, who’s helped run the derby for more than 40 years said last year a total of 1,263 anglers participated. Only 550 anglers had signed up by late Wednesday afternoon.“Yep, Thursday and Friday area going to be the big sign-up days,” he said. He noted the tournament doesn’t take registrations online because it won’t accept credit cards. For locations to sign up, go to the event's Web site or call 781-2195.Last year’s biggest fish was a 13.44-pound, lake trout caught by Jeffrey Toombs, of Oneonta. The majority of the time, the tournament’s biggest fish is a laker. Moorehead noted back in 2004, an 11.21-pound brown trout took the big fish prize.Moorehouse said each year the tournament sees anglers from all over the country. For many, it’s a Memorial Day tradition.“Starting in the early winter, I send out applications by mail to fishermen in 26 different states,” he said.The final weigh-in is at 3 p.m. Monday at the northern end of the lake at the Chamber of Commerce building.

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