Fort Kent has hopes for derby

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Over the past several years, some folks around Fort Kent have begun billing the northern Maine college burgh as “The Little Town That Could.”

The reason: Despite its location at the northern tip of Maine and its harsh winters, residents have pitched in to stage memorably successful events like the Can-Am Crown sled dog races and the IBU World Cup biathlon competitions.

Now Fort Kent is turning its eye toward fishing, and don’t for a minute doubt that the friendly little town nestled in the St. John River Valley won’t turn its derby into a popular annual happening.

That event – the Fort Kent International Muskie Fishing Derby – will return for its second year on Aug. 13-14. And this year, organizers have put together a weekend full of activities.

“This year we’ve had much more time to plan,” said Darlene Kelly Dumond, a member of the derby organizing committee. “Last year they had 80 participants and they started planning for the muskie derby two weeks prior to the [event].”

That turnout was impressive not only because of the lack of advance planning, but because of the weekend’s weather. High water levels and torrential downpours were the norm, but the anglers who showed up fished nonetheless.

This time around, things will be different. The prize pool has doubled, from $2,500 to an estimated $5,000. The largest muskie will earn the winning angler $2,500, and the youth first prize has been raised to $1,000 (in the form of a savings bond).

Dumond said organizers also wanted to turn the derby into an event everyone could enjoy, whether they actually fish or not.

“We’re having a big barbecue on Saturday night, live music at the weigh-in station, and there’s going to be a big barbecue at the end of the tournament on Sunday,” she said.

In addition, Rock’s Diner will host a breakfast buffet on Saturday morning before the fishing begins.

Dumond said the weigh-in site – “Derby Central” – has been relocated from a town park to Main Street to add visibility and make it easier for anglers and spectators to find.

Also up for grabs will be plenty of raffle prizes, including a gun donated by Bushmaster.

Fishing will take place on the St. John River and its tributaries, the Fish River and the St. Francis River.

Muskies migrated into Maine after a Quebec biologist introduced them into Lac Frontiere in 1970. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife was not informed of the plan, according to published reports, but in time, that introduction began to affect the state.

Dumond said she remembers early reports of odd fish showing up in local rivers.

“It has to be 15 years ago, my cousin said to my dad, ‘I just caught this weird fish on the St. John. I’ve never seen the likes of it,'” Dumond said.

Nowadays, muskies are scattered throughout the river, and most locals know exactly what they are. They have also begun to promote the fishery for some of the largest fresh water game fish northern anglers are likely to find.

Dumond said derby sponsorships are still available, and interested anglers can find out more at www.fortkent-muskie.com.

“We’re hoping it will be as big an event as the Can-Am [dog sled races],” Dumond said.

Given Fort Kent’s track record, don’t bet against that happening.

Deep Sea contest back on tap

Take your Dramamine! Put on your life jacket! It’s time for a couple of lucky readers (and their guests) to win a trip on the high seas.

This will mark the third year for our “Win a Deep-Sea Fishing Trip,” which we’ll run in conjunction with the 58th annual Maine Lobster Festival in Rockland.

And despite the fact that our weather over the past two years has been a bit sub-par (Capt. John Dittmar blames me for the first year’s rough seas and second year’s fog and torrential rain), I’m sure that we’ll have all kinds of fun.

Honest.

During last year’s contest our entrants hailed from 12 different states, including Alabama and Oklahoma.

We’ll have a booth at the Lobster Festival again this year and you’re welcome to sign up there. Our contest coupon will appear in the BDN regularly as well.

The Maine Lobster Festival runs from Aug. 3-7, and I’ll be in Rockland on Aug. 6 to say “hello,” and to try to convince you that I’m not as much of a jinx as Capt. Dittmar thinks I am.

And on Aug. 20, six of us will head to Southwest Harbor, board the Vagabond, and head onto the Atlantic for a wonderful day of fishing.

That’s the plan, anyway.

But as our good captain will likely point out several times during our journey, that’s been the plan all along.

Honestly, though, Dittmar and his crew provide us a great opportunity each year, and not even a bit of typically unpredictable Maine weather has stood in the way of our fun over the past two years.

I’m sure it won’t this year, either.

John Holyoke can be reached at jholyoke@bangordailynews.net or by calling 990-8214 or 1-800-310-8600.