Here is the article and pic from Belleville Intelligencer newspaper.
Fishing derby winner doesn’t waste time
Photo by Luke Hendry
Kevin Arsenault, winner of the Kiwanis derby’s senior pike class, shows off his new boat and trophy with derby chairman Clay Jacobson. It was the lifelong angler’s first fishing tournament.
By Luke Hendry
Monday, May 03, 2004 - 10:00
Local News - TRENTON — The fish were bigger and attendance was up at the 24th annual Kiwanis fishing derby.
What the more than 4,000 entrants didn’t know, though, was that the grand prize had been won within half an hour of the derby’s start.
The two-day Kiwanis Walleye World Live Release Fishing Weekend wrapped up here late Sunday at the Duncan McDonald Memorial Community Gardens arena, attracting anglers from as far as Pennsylvania. Organizers said they recorded the first attendance increase in three years.
Claiming the 16-foot boat, 25-horsepower motor, and trailer for heaviest walleye was John Ward, a Mississauga native currently stationed at CFB Trenton.
His 12.94-pound walleye was reeled in around 12:30 a.m. Saturday, just half an hour after the derby opened. The start time also matched that of the walleye season in the Quinte area, the earliest-opening district in the province.
Surrounded by family and friends just before receiving his trophy, Ward said he “flipped” when the fish broke the surface of the Trent River near Trenton.
“As soon as that came up, my buddy slid the net under it and I knew it was a money fish,” said Ward, who was sharing the boat with friend John Streisslberger, also of Mississauga. At the time they were doing a slow troll with a black and silver propellor lure.
“We did the dance of joy in a 12-foot boat,” laughed Ward, adding there was some “very colourful language” involved.
“Oh my God, I’m so excited,” the overwhelmed angler said. “My mind’s going in 15 million directions right now.
“I’m ecstatic,” he said, recalling his 18 years of fishing competitions. “This is the only big prize I’ve won.”
Taking the grand prize in the senior pike class was Kevin Arsenault, who’s been living in Belleville for only the past eight months after a move from Calgary, though he has family in the area.
Casting from shore with spoons, Arsenault caught a 13.62-pound pike in a location he would give only as “Lake Ontario” and 45 minutes from Picton.
“We thought it was only 10 pounds,” he said. “I knew I’d at least get on the board for the top 10 fish. I never thought it’d be the biggest.”
It was Arsenault’s first time in a tournament, and he left with a 14-foot boat, trailer, and 15-horsepower motor.
“For a $25 ticket, that’s a pretty good deal,” he said. “I’ll be going in every one I can now, just for the hell of it.”
He added he caught a 42-inch, 45-pound muskie, his biggest catch ever, in the Moira River last year.
“It’s been a pretty good year so far for in Ontario for fishing so far,” said Arsenault, who plans to sell his boat prize.
Derby chairman Clay Jacobson said there was a slight increase in youth entries this year. Amber Mitchell and Brandon Pounder won the junior walleye and pike classes respectively.
The Mitchell family had an incredibly successful weekend: Kaitlyn Mitchell was second behind her sister, and their father, John, was third in the senior walleye category. Kaitlyn then won a patio set in post-derby draw.
Prize coordinator Owen Kinmond said sponsorship increased significantly this year — the derby was backed by Bay Marine, Whitley Insurance, Shimano, and Trenton Glass and Window — and that prizes had also improved. A total of $80,000 in prizes was guaranteed to be won; the potential prize total was $160,000, but no specially-tagged fish were caught.
“This is by far the biggest sponsorship we’ve ever had,” Kinmond said. “The local support was better.
“We’ve got a way better prize package,” he said.
Kinmond said a new weigh category may be introduced next year, and the derby is expected to grow yet again.
“A lot of companies helped us out with donations,” said treasurer Rob Cory. “We had many financial contributions.”
“Everybody’s happy,” said treasurer Rob Cory. “There’s lots of fish.” He said this year’s fish, though not record-breakers, were generally heavier than during past derbies.
John Ward, meanwhile, said he hadn’t decided whether or not to keep his new boat.
His father, Derek Ward, was accompanying him and Streisslberger for most of the weekend, but wasn’t aboard at the time of the catch. He noted even the big winner had one that got away.
“Yesterday morning he had a bigger fish,” Derek said Sunday. “We got it right up to the boat — we saw the darn fish — and the lure came right out of its mouth. It slipped right away.”
“It kind of smiled at us,” laughed Streisslburger.
“It dwarfed the 13-pounder,” John Ward said, estimating the second catch’s weight at 15 pounds.
Still, he wasn’t complaining, even after a tense two-day wait for final results.
“We’ve been so nervous all weekend long, saying and praying it was going to hold (as the winning fish),” Streisslberger said. “Now the fun begins.”
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