The Westford Sportsmen’s Club is busy making preparations for the annual Children’s Fishing Derby. 2015 marks the 34th year that the club is holding the event.
The fishing derby is free for area children who are 14 years old or younger. This year the derby will be held, rain or shine, on Saturday April 25th at the club’s 2 acre fishing pond. The club is located on West Street between St Catherine’s Church and Route 40.
Each year the pond is stocked with approximately 1000 trout up to 18 inches in length.
Each year the pond is stocked with approximately 1000 trout up to 18 inches in length.
The derby begins at 8:00AM and ends at 10:30AM. Registration begins at 7:30AM on the day of the event at the booth located on the edge of the pond. All participants must bring their own fishing gear, bait and lures.
Free drinks and snacks are provided for the children and adults. Prizes are awarded for both boys and girls who catch the largest fish, the first fish caught, the first tagged fish, and the first to catch a fish. Aside from the fishing fun, one of the highlights of the morning is the prize drawing for fishing gear and other accessories donated or purchased from funds raised. Each child who attends will win a prize.
Fishing derby expenses are funded through sales of raffle tickets (for three cash prizes that are drawn on the day of the derby), and receipt of merchandise and cash donations from area businesses and individuals. According to Tim Hossler, the club’s fishing derby organizer, "we feel very fortunate and thankful that area businesses and individuals continue to support this community event. It is a great opportunity for children and their families to have fun and spend time together engaged in a wholesome activity such as fishing.”
The Westford Sportsmen’s Club is a 69 year old non-profit organization situated on over 200 acres of land along West Street and boasts over 700 members.
Besides the fishing pond, the club offers its members indoor and outdoor shooting ranges, archery range, trap shooting and sporting clay courses. The Club also sponsors courses to members and to the community on firearm safety and these courses are conducted by NRA and MA State Police certified instructors. The WSC supports Boy Scout 95, offers trap shooting instruction to local schools, and has a junior club for pre teens to expose them to outdoor sports of all kinds.
More information can be obtained by accessing the club’s website at http://www.westfordsportsmensclub.org.
