Arnie declared 2024 Loveland Fishing Club Derby Champion!

 Rick Golz enjoyed a very good day of fishing at Flatiron Reservoir Wednesday. But Arnie Stroschein's day went even better, hauling in a fat 17-inch rainbow trout to seal his claim to the title of 2024 Derby Champion. Rick was runner up in the event for a second time. 

The contest was determined by measuring the biggest daily limit of trout, a stringer of four. Arnie's limit measured 52 1/2 inches, followed by Rick's 49 1/2. Like the club names on the Stanley Cup, 

Arnie's moniker will be permanently enshrined on the club's handsome traveling trophy, which he'll keep until next year's derby. He also earns $50; Rick gets $25. (While your Loveland Fishing Club editor, who finished a scant quarter-inch behind Rick, got a hot dog and chips like the rest of the dozen and a half other club members who competed for the title.) 

Arnie and Rick also earned the honor of cooking next year's celebratory derby picnic. This year's cooks were 2023 first- and second-place finishers Bob McHale and Wayne Baranczyk. 

Arnie holds up the traveling trophy flanked by 2023 Champion Bob McHale, left; and Rick.

So what happened to Walt's fingers?

 Alert readers may guess what happened to Walt Graul during Cindy and Walt's late summer trip to Navajo Reservoir last week. No, it probably wasn't Cindy. It was more likely a great northern pike, also shown below. 

They didn't get a measurement on the beast before returning her to the lake. But I'd say it went at least 40 inches, besting the giant bluegill I caught this week (I can show you that one at next Tuesday's club meeting)

Anyway, way to go Walt. He reports making his catch while trying for considerably smaller smallmouth, using light spinning gear and a  6-pound fluorocarbon leader.

Sharpen your hooks! Annual Club Derby is Wednesday, Sept. 18

 It's tradition: a few days after the club holds its annual Senior Derby at Flatiron Reservoir, there will be no-holds barred day of fishing Wednesday to determine the 2024 Loveland Fishing Club Derby Champion. The winner: whomever catches the biggest string of four trout. Second place: uh, whomever catches the second biggest string.

Last year's winner was Bob McHale, with a string of four trout measuring 49 inches. Wayne Baranczyk was second, with 46 3/4".

 The Derby Champion will receive a $50 cash prize, have their name inscribed on the derby trophy,, keep the trophy for a year and earn the honor of doing the cooking at this year's celebratory picnic. Second is $25 and the chance to help with the hotdogs.

Fishing runs from 9 a.m. to noon. Colorado Parks and Wildlife stocked the lake recently with more than 3,000 fish, so surely you can catch one.

Here are the rules: 

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. 

Bob McHale, left, with Wayne Baranczyk

We had what's believed to be a record 88 assisted living center guests at Wednesday's derby at Flatiron Reservoir, all of them leaving with a smile.

Thanks go to all volunteers who helped make the day memorable, says Derby Chair Bob Dierkes.

Covering the event was Loveland Reporter-Herald reporter Austin Flaskes and photographer Jenny Sparks, who's been photographing the derby since its inception in 2011 under the guidance of the 2011 Club President, the late Ray Park.

Another special guest, who turned out to be one of our most enthusiastic volunteers for the day, was Bureau of Reclamation Public Affairs Specialist Anna Perea.

Bob Varick, shown below and with new Fishing Club member Bill Rottmann, marked his fifth Fishing Derby Wednesday. He won last year's contest for biggest fish. For more photos from the day, click here.

Time to volunteer: Senior Derby will be Wednesday, Sept. 11

The Loveland Fishing Club's annual Senior Fishing Derby, that special thing we've been doing since 2011 with Loveland area assisted living centers, will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11th at Flatiron Reservoir. Bob Dierkes, chair of this year's event, has things in good shape but he's hoping for more confirmed volunteers.

So if you plan to participate, and haven't signed up yet, please contact Bob at 970-819-2349 or rdierkes51@gmail.com. "We can always use more help as fishing guides and servers or general helpers," Bob says.

At this point about a dozen facilities plan to attend, which means we'll likely have about 50 guests along with staff assistants. The club covers the cost of fishing licenses and admission to the Larimer County Parks facility, provides the equipment and bait and finishes the day with a picnic. 

This is always a joyful event, but this will be the first year the club has held the derby without the presence of the late Ray Park, who led the creation of the derby as club President in 2011. 

To help make the event another success, Colorado Parks and Wildlife plans to make its fall trout stocking in the lake a few days before the 11th. New this year, the Bureau of Reclamation, which controls water flow into and out of Flatiron, has committed to stabilize the water level the day of the event. It promises to solve a vexing issue, a muddy shoreline as the water comes up or down during the generation of electricity from the Bureau's power plant. 

Bob and a few helpers will be at Flatiron about 6:30 a.m. to get the coffee brewing and start setting up. Others please plan on getting to the lake by 7 or 7:30 a.m. 

This is easily one of the finest things we do as a club, and always a fun, memorable experience. Join us!

Harvest Bazaar is Saturday, Sept. 14

 

Emma Hobbs, who has succeeded Gina as organizer of the Chilson annual Harvest Bazaar, is short on volunteers and hoping Loveland Fishing Club members can help as in years past.

If you'd like to help, contact her at Emma.Hobbs@cityofloveland.org or 970.962.2336. There's also a signup sheet in her office at Chilson. 

Help is needed on Saturday the 14th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the event is from 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. "If anyone is interested in a specific job then I can put them down for one," Emma says. "They can also let me know what time they are coming, and I can assign jobs as needed based on when they will be able to help."

Here's a flyer on the Harvest Bazaar, always a popular early fall event.  

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