Get your fishing poles ready!
The annual Terry Oulton Memorial Derby and Pig Roast is set to take place this weekend, from April 22 to 24.
“People that went had a blast,” organizer Wally Baas said, of last year’s event. “This year, hopefully we’ll have better weather and turnout.”
New to this year’s event will be a $500 top prize for the heaviest trout.
Although trout must be under 50 centimeters, Baas said that some fish are snakelike, and some are fat, making things a bit interesting.
Like last year, Friday night will see a pig roast take place at the Valley Fish and Game Club at 6:30 p.m.
The fishing derby will include fishermen at Cowichan, Bear, and Mayo Lakes.
Mayo Lake, located off of Mayo Road where the Valley Fish and Game Club is, is a specially stocked lake for children and the disabled.
“Any kids can fish Mayo Lake,” Baas said. “We’ll have kid prizes as well.”
Although all 50 of the pig-roast-only tickets have been sold, Baas said that some derby/dinner tickets are still available.
Baas can be contacted for more information at 749-4025.
The derby is held in memory of local-area outdoors enthusiast Terry Oulton, who died at age 24 after crashing his quad on Mayo Road, east of Lake Cowichan.
Last year’s event had fishermen from mainly the Cowichan Lake area, though a few came from as far away as Alberta to honour Oulton’s memory.