Club's annual Derby will be Tuesday, Sept. 26 at Flatiron!

Flatiron Reservoir is the new home to more than 3,300 freshly stocked rainbow trout, promising strong competition at this year's annual contest to determine who's our finest angler.

The event will run from 9 a.m. to noon at the reservoir, site of the club's Senior Derby last week, followed by a celebratory picnic.

Okay, fishing kinda sucked at the club's Senior Derby. But Derby Chair Vicki Tesar says the lake never received its promised fall stocking until this week. Fishing next week should be spectacular, or at least darned good.. The contest has been a club tradition since 2007, and last year's winner was Ken Kesterke, who earned his name on the club's traveling trophy plus $50. Second place went to Dennis Kelsey, who took home $25 along with bragging rights.

There is no entry fee, but we'll be expected to measure and witness each other's catches. If possible, bring a tape measure, a notecard or two, and a pencil. There is an admission fee to the Larimer County park, so if you don't have a permit look for Bill Prater or other carpoolers at the Jax parking lot west of Wilson and U.S. 34 no later than 8:30.

Here are the rules: 

• No wading or boating (not allowed on Flatiron anyway)
• One pole
• One hook or lure or fly
• The winner will have the biggest stringer of trout, up to the legal limit of four. You can keep what you catch or catch and release. Crawdads and suckers may be caught, even bragged about, but they won't count toward your total.
• All kept or released fish meant to enter the derby must be officially measured and witnessed by another club member - who needs to legibly write the length of each fish on a card along with their initials. This is why you should bring along a tape measure. Note the time of your first catch: it may be needed in the unlikely event of a tie. 

The first prize winner will have their name engraved on the traveling trophy, and gets to keep it until the next Club Derby. Your Mama would be proud. 
This story will also appear on the Loveland Fishing Club blog, http://lovelandfishingclub.blogspot.com

 

2022 winner Ken Kesterke, left, with second-place finisher Dennis Kelsey