Derby fishers reel in giant jacks
Annual derby sees 75 people, organizers credit
winter road to mine across lake for high turnout
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, March 31, 2016
ACHO DENE KOE/FORT LIARD
Fishers who took part in Acho Dene Koe First Nation's annual fishing derby in March hauled in some big ones on the shores of Fisherman's Lake over two separate derby weekends.
Louie Betthale won first place in the adult competition for this 22-pound jackfish. He took home a prize of a Fort McPherson canvas tent as well as a wood stove and pipe. - photo courtesy of Hillary Deneron
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The derby ran March 5 and picked up again over the Easter weekend.
Hillary Deneron, who helped to co-ordinate the fishing competition, said around 75 people came out over Easter, while more than 100 turned out to Fisherman's Lake on March 5 due to a road being plowed down to the lake.
"We had such a good turnout because this year, Apache (Corporation) had a clean-up at Pointed Mountain, so they had a winter access road going right into the lake," Deneron said.
"People who didn't have quads or Ski-Doos were able to drive right directly to the lake ... Elders were able to come and drive in."
The derby normally takes place over the Easter weekend. Deneron said co-ordinators decided to extend the derby to the first weekend in March in order to take advantage of the winter road access.
"This is pretty much the first and last time we'll have a road there, because (Apache) was just doing a cleanup. But the derby went pretty well," she said.
"What made this whole thing such a success was the road being open. Having that winter access road was amazing."
During the opening weekend, Acho Dene Koe First Nation Chief Harry Deneron built a fireplace with some of his friends. People driving to the lake could warm up at the fireplace and enjoy hotdogs, hot chocolate and tea as well as snacks.
"They had a bunch of holes drilled right at the boat launch where people parked their vehicles, so it was really nice," Deneron said.
The derby handed out prizes for six categories: adult, youth and child pickerel as well as jack.
In the adult category, Anthony Duntra took home a chainsaw for his first place five-pound pickerel, while Louie Betthale pulled in a 22-pound jackfish. Betthale went home with a Fort McPherson canvas tent as well as a stove.
In the youth category, Scott Kotchea won an iPad Mini for his 2.5-pound pickerel, and Tyler Bertrand reeled in a 14.7-pound jackfish. Bertrand took home an iPod Touch as well as an iTunes card.
In the children's category, Summer Klondike won first-place for her 1.4-pound pickerel.
Meanwhile, Damien Klondike, 11, hauled in a 20.3-pound whopper and took first-place in the jackfish category. He went home with a tablet and a DVD player.
"His mum just said, 'Run with it!', because he couldn't lift it out of the hole," Deneron recalled with a laugh.
