Fishers Brave Cold for Fun at Derby

Dave Symons mans the auger, blasting a few holes in the ice for some newly arrived anglers. 

Frank Roberts poses with Robert M. Troidel and his 21-15/16” chain pickerel that weighed in at 3 pounds, 12 ounces.

In a warm (relatively) ice fishing shelter, Hannah Somers measures Owen Stevens’ pickerel (17-7/8”, 1 pound, 1 ounce) with Calia Bennett recording the details. Both young ladies are from the American Fish Society and Bass Club at SUNY Cobleskill.

Schoharie County Conservation Association Vice President Doug Handy (on the right) poses with Curt and Lauren Dutcher, and his paraplegic granddaughter Sadie — who sledded down to the pond to support her brothers, who were already on the ice fishing. 

The Schoharie County Conservation Association had a great turnout Saturday for their annual ice fishing derby on Franklinton Vly Pond. There were 33 youths and 22 adults participating in the derby. The morning's largest fish was caught by Nate Robert with a 10 and 10/16", 12 oz. perch along with Robert Troidl's 22", 2 lb., 3 oz. pickerel. There were 3 perch and 11 pickerel caught in the morning. For the afternoon, there were no perch caught, vehicle Frank Robert had the largest pickerel, at 21 15/16" and 2 lbs. 12 oz. There were 18 pickerel caught in the afternoon. Among the adults largest category, Brayden Brown had a 285 mm, 11 oz. perch while Adam Lawyer caught a 25", 3 lb 14 oz. pickerel. For this category, there were one perch and 12 pickerel caught. Information courtesy Deb Work.

Frank Roberts and Robert M. Troidel take a break from fishing for an improvised sword fight on the ice.

Robert M. Troidel, Frank Roberts and Henry Roberts hold pickerel they caught, posing next to a line-up of fish caught by a group of anglers Saturday morning.