Special catch

Family fun at heart of annual Youth Fishing Derby

REELING ’EM IN: Winsor Hill Elementary third-grader Robert Graham, 9, gets a little help holding his catch from Glen Marcotte during Sunday’s Youth Fishing Derby in Johnston.

(Sun Rise photos by Pete Fontaine)

BASSMASTERS: The Ocean State Bassmasters came from all over the state to help Johnston recreation staffers weigh each and every catch. The group includes, front from left, Bob Biczacca, Bob Susi, and Jake Neves; and standing from left, Dan Pratt, Matt Valvo, Kevin Forcier, and Eddy Hebert.

(Sun Rise photos by Pete Fontaine)

PRIZE CATCH: Rosie Anderson holds her prize catch – a one-pound, nine-ounce Brook trout – and is joined by her grandmother Susan Cochran and mother Kathy Souza.

(Sun Rise photos by Pete Fontaine)

CASTING A LINE: Tyler Santilli, 7, and his mother Jenn Pate had fun during Sunday’s Youth Fishing Derby.

(Sun Rise photos by Pete Fontaine)

YOUNG ANGLERS: Lyman Musa, 14, joins Winsor Hill Elementary students Isabella Robinson, 7, and Alexandra Musa, 8, who holds her proud catch that weighed in at 1-1/2 pounds.

(Sun Rise photos by Pete Fontaine)

DERBY DAY: Nathan Bertrand, 4, and Alex Allred, 8, shared honors by bringing in a trout.

(Sun Rise photos by Pete Fontaine)

Posted Thursday, April 21, 2016 12:43 pm

By Pete Fontaine

Fishing stories are sometimes exaggerated.

This one, though, is no tall tale – and in many cases, the big one didn’t get away.

Many upstart anglers – some of whom were fresh-water fishing for the first time – cast their lines and hooked into some good-sized Brook trout on Sunday during the Johnston Parks and Recreation Department’s annual Youth Fishing Derby at Johnston War Memorial Park. Several participants went home with awards for individual achievement.

“This is a great scene. There are kids and their parents fishing everywhere around this pond,” said Kevin Forcier of the Ocean State Bassmasters, who weighed the day’s catches.

Proud parents – and in some cases grandparents and aunts and uncles – accompanied the kids who ranged in age from four to 13.

Guys like Bob Biczacca, Bob Susi, Make Neves, Dan Pratt, Matt Valvo, Eddy Hebert, and Forcier were kept busy throughout the day, as many kids hooked into and reeled in Brook trout that weighed upwards of one pound and in some cases almost two pounds.

Every time a young girl or boy brought his or her catch to be weighed underneath the fieldstone gazebo, Johnston recreation staffers like Nicole Cournoyer and Mike Bedrosian had wide smiles on their faces and were more than happy to chart the kids’ successes.

In the end, Alex Allred and Sebastian Gaul reeled in the biggest trout, as their respective catches weighed one pound and 11 ounces. While they fished in the age division for kids ages seven to nine, Arion Kennedy took top honors in the category for 10- to 13-year-olds with a one pound, seven ounce trout.

First place in the four- to six-year-old age group went to Sophia Porreca, whose Brook trout weighed one pound, three ounces.

Winners in the 10 to 13 age division were Arion Kennedy, Lyman Musa, Meagan Gray, Miah Gray, Allen Robinson, and Gianna Robinson. For ages seven to nine, the winners were Alex Allred and Sebastian Gaul, fist place; Rosie Anderson, second; and Alexandra Musa and Samson D‘Uva.

Porreca took top honors among anglers ages four to six, while Ava Bertrand and Nathan Bertrand tied for second. Enza Pistacchio placed third.