This year’s Gord Roberts Memorial Blue Knuckle Fishing Derby was one for the records.
About 160 fishing enthusiasts from around the Kootenays, the Okanagan and even Alberta descended on Nakusp over the Jan. 21 weekend for the sixth annual derby.
The derby was started in 2004 by Gord and Tracey Roberts out of their store, Blue Jay Sport and Marine as a fun activity during the winter season. When Gord passed away suddenly six years ago, Tracey was contacted to see if it was okay to bring it back in his memory.
Many see the derby and the dance that goes with it as a great way to bring people together during the cold months in winter.
“It builds community,” said Tracey Roberts. “The dance was huge, and we all got to have that great time at night. I can’t thank the community of Nakusp enough for allowing us to come back and do this in Gord’s honour.”
Unlike last year, which featured nothing but snow and sleet, weather for the derby this year was fantastic. Though the usual winter cloud cover hung overhead, views out on the lake were clear and the fishing was great.
Weigh-ins take place at the Roberts’ former store. Only fish weighing over 10 pounds are accepted in the derby, to ensure there are plenty of fish left in the lake.
One of the youngest to take part in the derby was 13 year old Dylan Roberts, Gord’s great-nephew. This was Dylan’s second year participating in the derby. Though he didn’t catch anything large enough to be weighed, he did catch a five-pound dolly.
Most of the fish caught this year weighed between 10 and 12 pounds, with one exception.
Brent Vickery caught a 16 pound dolly on Saturday, but for him, winning the derby wasn’t everything.
“Everybody is in great competition and it’s all in good fun,”he said. “To win is an honour, especially to be able to pull a fish of that size out of this lake.”
He credited his father-in-law for his win.
“He obviously knows the lake really well and got us into some good fish. I just happened to come out with the right lure and the right rod at the right time.”
Vickery plans on dividing up the $1,800 in prize money between himself and his partners on the boat.
The derby isn’t just about fishing, it’s also a way to give back to the community. A bursary has been created for Nakusp Secondary School called the Gord Roberts Memorial Bursary. Funding for the bursary comes from the sale of derby tickets. The cost of tickets this year was raised from $20 to $25 dollars, so every $5 from ticket sales would go toward the bursary.
Eight hundred dollars was raised in total this year.
Though the 2017 Blue Knuckle Derby is over, plans are already being made for next year’s event.
