Peterborough Blogs
35th Annual OFAH Under the Lock Fishing Derby a Go Starting April 27
/The 35th annual OFAH Under the Lock Fishing Derby is ready for another big year as it returns from April 27 to May 5, announced on Friday.
“Back by popular demand are early bird registration prizes, goody bags, a hot dog lunch for the kids, and sponsored tagged fish with cash prizes for anglers of all ages to win,” said David Ryrie, OFAH youth education manager.
The youth derby kicks off on April 27 for children 15 and under. It includes 500 tagged trout for instant prizes and a chance to win one of four grand prizes.
The big fish prize of $1,000 cash will go to whoever catches Walter, a rainbow trout estimated to weigh between six and eight pounds.
Travis Parker and Justin Desbarbieux have caught Walter three years in a row. Desbarbieux’s stepson, Benjamin Bumstead, caught it in record time last year, less than half an hour.
The second and third-place grand prize fish ‘Rosie’ and ‘Berty’ are each worth $200 cash plus a free registration to OFAH day camp. The fourth grand prize (appropriately named ‘Kayak’) wins a sit-on kayak and paddle.
The all-ages derby will run from April 28 through May 5. For the third year, it will include tagged fish with cash prizes sponsored by local businesses.
“We still have fish in need of a local sponsor that will both challenge anglers and offset the cost of the stocked Trout for the youth derby,” said Ryrie.
Registration is required for all participants. Admission is $15 for the first child, $10 for siblings and $25 for adults. Purchase tickets online or in person at both Peterborough Canadian Tire locations.
The fish are being released into the canal on April 24 at 1 p.m.
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10-Year Old-Boy Catches "Walter" One Year After Stepfather Snags Fish At OFAH Fishing Derby
/Like father, like son, as 10-year-old Ben Bumstead has caught the top prize ‘Walter,’ at the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) Under the Lock Fishing Derby one year after his stepfather Justin Desbarbieux did it on a gloomy Saturday morning at the Peterborough Lift Lock.
Bumstead caught Walter, the prized rainbow trout that weighs roughly eight to 10 lbs. at a length of 20-24 inches. He caught it after his third cast less than 30 minutes into the event. He snagged Walter with worm bait near the train turn bridge just beside the barrier netting. Bumstead was overjoyed when he found out it was Walter.
“I felt like I could do a backflip,” he exclaimed.
“ I couldn't wait for him to run up to the stage and tell everyone how he just caught Walter,” said Desbarbieux.
The father-son duo was present at Wednesday’s fish release where all the rainbow trout were put into the canal in preparation for the event.
Bumstead gave himself an ‘extra advantage’ prior to Walter being tossed into the water.
“I touched his tail for good luck and I said to the guy, ‘I'm catching Walter this year,’” explained Bumstead.
The two have bonded well over the years as Desbarbieux came into Bumstead’s life at an early age. The two often go hunting and fishing together and call each other father and son. Desbarbieux says he had a ‘proud father’ moment, seeing Bumstead catch Walter.
“You got to love it, especially so early in the derby like that,” he said. “It’s a very proud moment for the kids for sure, you got to love it.”
The Norwood District Public School student is walking away with the grand prize of $1,000 cash and gets to keep Walter. Bumstead said he was splitting some of the money with his early childhood friend but has no plans with the remainder of the cash as of yet.
The derby began Saturday with the youth event — for children 15 and under — at 9 a.m. and the all-ages kicking off Sunday at 9 a.m. and runs until May 7. It includes 25 tagged fish, each with a $200 cash prize sponsored by local businesses.
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'Walter' Released Into Canal Ahead of the 34th Annual OFAH Under the Lock Fishing Derby
/The first school of fish arrived at the Peterborough Lift Lock as top prize rainbow trout ‘Walter’ was released into the water on Wednesday afternoon to help kick off the 34th Annual Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) Under the Lock Fishing Derby.
Walter is a rainbow trout weighing roughly eight to 10 lbs. at a length of 20-24 inches. Anyone who catches him gets the grand prize of $1,000. There are 500 tagged trout for instant prizes and a chance to win one of four grand prizes. Instant prizes include fishing nets, tackle boxes, fishing rods and other fishing gear.
This is the second consecutive year the derby has run since the COVID-19 pandemic. It took a two-year hiatus prior to its return last year.
“Fishing season for trout opened last weekend so we're near the beginning of the season and for me, it's my psychological rehabilitation over a long cold winter,” laughed Gordon Bowley, OFAH fishing derby co-chair.
The derby begins this Saturday with the youth event — for children 15 and under — at 9 a.m. and the all-ages kicking off Sunday at 9 a.m. and runs until May 7. It includes 25 tagged fish, each with a $200 cash prize sponsored by local businesses.
Registration is required for all participants, just $15 for the first child, $10 for siblings and $25 for adults.
Tickets can be purchased online at ofah.org/underthelock or in person at Peterborough Canadian Tire locations.
“This is a great opportunity to be outside,” said Bowley. “It's a great year to be doing it and we're so glad to do it again for our second year after the pandemic.
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34th Annual OFAH Under the Lock Fishing Derby Returns to Peterborough
/The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) Under the Lock Fishing Derby has returned for its 34th edition running from April 29 to May 7 at the canal near the Peterborough Lift Lock for anglers to real in fish for prizes announced on Tuesday.
The youth derby begins on April 29 for children 15 and under. There are 500 tagged trout for instant prizes and a chance to win one of four grand prizes. The top prize fish prize of $1,000 goes to whoever catches Walter, an eight-to-ten-pound rainbow trout.
“Back by popular demand are early bird registration prizes, a hot dog lunch for the kids, and sponsored tagged fish with cash prizes for anglers of all ages to win,” said David Ryrie, OFAH youth education manager.
The all-ages derby in its second includes tagged fish with cash prizes sponsored by local businesses.
“We still have fish in need of a local sponsor that will both challenge anglers and offset the cost of the stocked Trout for the youth derby,” said Ryrie.
Registration is required for all participants. $15 for the first child, $10 for siblings, and $25 for adults. Tickets can be purchased online or in person at Peterborough Canadian Tire locations.
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Norwood Man Catches Top-Prize Fish "Walter" At 33rd Annual Fishing Derby
/Norwood’s Justin Desbarbieux is $1,000 richer after catching ‘Walter’ the rainbow trout at the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters 33rd Annual Under the Lock Fishing Derby on Wednesday afternoon.
Desbarbieux caught the prized rainbow trout — weighing roughly eight to 10 lbs. — around 1:45 p.m. directly across from Liftlock Golf Club on the north side of the canal on Ashburnham Drive.
The Norwood mason said his battle with Walter was long and hard-fought.
"It was probably two or three minutes long," said Desbarbieux. "I could see him instantly belly up and he started swimming and doing circles.
Desbarbieux’s day started off on the wrong foot as he accidentally broke his fishing rod by closing the car door on it. His day was made up after catching the grand-prize fish.
"My adrenaline was pumping and I was trying to run down here and to show everyone," he explained. "I can buy another fishing pole from the money."
Desbarbieux has been participating in the fishing derby since he was a child. He has two sons that participated in the youth event that began on Saturday morning.
The Norwood local is walking away with the grand prize of $1,000 cash and gets to keep Walter.
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Hundreds of Anglers Reeling for 'Walter' In Fishing Derby's Return After Two-Year Hiatus
/After a two-year hiatus, the 33rd Annual Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) Under the Lock Fishing Derby kicked off with their youth event — for children 15 and under — on Saturday morning.
Hundreds of young anglers showed up to catch one of 3,000 fish that were released into the canal including the famed grand-prize “Walter,” a rainbow trout weighing roughly eight to 10 pounds. Anyone who caught Walter would walk away with $1,000 cash.
The all-ages derby runs from May 1 to 8 and includes 18 tagged fish, each with a $200 cash prize sponsored by local businesses.
The event was postponed for the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Registration is required for all participants: $15 for the first child, $10 for siblings and $25 for adults.
The OFAH headquarters is in Peterborough.
3,000 Fish Released Into Canal To Launch 33rd Annual OFAH Under the Lock Fishing Derby
/The Peterborough Lift Lock canal got more lively as members of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) dumped 3,000 fish into the water to launch the 33rd Annual Under the Lock Fishing Derby on Wednesday.
The derby begins this Saturday with the youth event — for children 15 and under — at 9 a.m. and the all-ages kicking off Sunday at 9 a.m. This is the first Derby in two years to run due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The OFAH is thrilled to host this showcase community event, which provides a great outdoors experience for children to create memories alongside their family and friends,” says David Ryrie, OFAH Supervisor of Outreach Programs. “After two years of the pandemic impacting our ability to host this great event, we are thrilled to be able to provide this fishing derby again and can’t wait to see kids win hundreds of prizes and have a lucky angler catch Walter.”
The 500 trout are tagged for instant prizes with a chance to win one of four grand prizes. The ’big fish’ grand prize of $1,000 goes to the angler that catches Walter, a rainbow trout estimated to weigh between 8 and 10 lbs.
The all-ages derby runs from May 1-8 and includes 18 tagged fish, each with a $200 cash prize sponsored by local businesses.
Registration is required for all participants: $15 for the first child, $10 for siblings and $25 for adults.
You can purchase tickets online at ofah.org/underthelock, at the event or in person at Peterborough Canadian Tire locations.
“It really is about a family experience whether you’ve fished for years or you want to come with your kids/grandkids and put a line out there,'“ said Ryrie. “It’s a fantastic way to start spring now that the snow, knock-on-wood, is gone.”
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33rd Annual OFAH Under the Lock Fishing Derby Is Back After A Two Year Hiatus
/The 33rd Annual OFAH Under the Lock Fishing Derby is back and bigger than ever, after a two year hiatus.
Formerly known as the Peterborough Greenwing Fishing Derby, this year’s event will feature several new elements.
“We have listened to angler feedback from past years, and added two extra days of fishing, early bird registration prizes, goody bags for participants, and sponsored tagged fish with cash prizes for anglers of all ages to win,” said David Ryrie, OFAH Youth Education Manager.
The youth derby begins on April 30, for children 15 and under. It includes 500 tagged Trout for instant prizes, and a chance to win one of four grand prizes. The big fish prize is $1000 cash and will go to whoever catches Walter, a rainbow trout estimated to weigh between 8 and 10 pounds.
The all ages derby runs May 1-8 and for the first time ever will include tagged fish with cash prizes sponsored by local businesses.
“We still have fish in need of a local sponsor that will both challenge anglers and offset the cost of the stocked Trout for the youth derby,” said Ryrie.
Registration is required for all participants.$15 for one child, $10 for siblings, and $25 for adults.
Purchase tickets online at ofah.org/underthelock or in person at Peterborough Canadian Tire locations.
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