Reel in a salmon prize

Spiel · July 6, 2008

It's the biggest salmon fishing contest in North America -- and you can win

July 6, 2008

The 12th annual Great Ontario Salmon Derby kicked off yesterday, but Torontonians won't have to travel far or be pro-fishers to reel in more than $450,000 in prizes for the biggest catches.

Just ask first-time salmon fisher Donna Cansfield, minister of natural resources, who helped with the kickoff and landed a 23-pound chinook salmon in the process.

"Where else can you go in the world, sit on a body of water, catch a salmon and look at the skyline and see the CN tower," said Cansfield, after a 41/2-hour fishing expedition in Ashbridge's Bay, where she also netted a second 19-pounder.

Cansfield's catches won't put her very close to winning the weekly prizes during the 50-day Derby -- past leaderboards have been filled with salmon catches of 30 pounds or more -- but she'll at least have fresh fillets to dine on for the next few weeks.

The same goes for the 21,000 expected participants of the derby, the largest in North America.

"The fish are safe to eat," the minister stressed.

"Lake Ontario is in the best shape it's ever been in."

For those lucky enough to land a winning salmon, cash prizes, GPS systems, fish finders, rods, and boats are all up for grabs in weekly "mini-contests." The biggest salmon will land a lucky angler a new Toyota Tacoma, a fishing trip in Quebec, and a lot more.

But the Derby, National Fishing Week, which also kicked off yesterday, and the province's Family Fishing Weekend have more to them than prizes and a few hours relaxing on a lake.

"If we can go and put rods and reels in the hands of children that'll keep them away from computers," said Walter Oster, tournament chairman and the force Cansfield credits for bringing back the Derby in 1997, after a four-year hiatus.

"It'll keep them outside, and put them in a pristine environment."

fishindevil · July 7, 2008

Well im in this derby again as i have from the begginig and i have won some money too,so its great,i hope to get a big one again this year,as so far lots of salmon just none over 23lbs so far,so im hoping,and i will keep trying.....its a great derby too,with tons of prizes, :thumbsup_anim: :Gonefishing: