Organized by the municipality, the event served as an opportunity for parents to bring their kids to the park to do some trout fishing on a beautiful summer day.

According to one of the event’s organizers Helena Hadley, the event is an ideal opportunity for parents to enjoy the day with their children.

“It’s a great event for the kids,” she said. “They come out fishing. It’s a free derby. They get their three fish, they take it home. It’s a proud moment too. I know I loved fishing as a kid.”

Taking place every year for the last decade, the event draws people from all over the Pontiac and beyond with many from the Ottawa Valley and Gatineau making the trip to Mill Dam for the festivities.

“The weather’s perfect for it,” she said. “And it’s a great event because it’s close too. Everyone can come. It’s just a 20-minute drive for people that are in Otter Lake or Campbell’s Bay. Everyone kind of gets together and it’s a free event. It’s not only the community here. It’s all the outside communities as well.”

With a huge crowd on hand, groups of kids with their parents surrounded the park’s trout-infested creek with fishing rods and bait hoping to catch the longest fish and win the grand prize. “We ordered big ones this year,” she said. “There were lots of good ones to pull out of the water.

A free prize table for registered kids was set-up on site, along with a barbecue station to satisfy the participant’s appetites.

In the morning, a mini fishing course was held where kids learned how to use their rods to give themselves the best shot of getting at least a few nibbles, if not more.

Results were measured by combining the lengths of all three fish caught by each participant and the winners were each awarded with trophies purchased from Pontiac Printshop.

Taking home first place was Ethan Lemay with a total of 34 and a half inches, while Hannah Richardson and Chloe Trudeau tied for second place with 32 inches of trout.

With such a huge crowd on hand and participants flowing into the park with their fishing gear throughout the day, Hadley was very happy with the level of participation to this year’s event.

“Last year was a great turnout as well,” she said. “And it helps when the weather’s this nice.”

Gabriel Paquette reels in a nice looking trout during the fishing derby at Mill Dam Park on Saturday.

Pictured, local resident Kyle Fraser poses for a photo with his daughter Hadleigh alongside the creek during the derby.

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