Annual derby has lowest yield ever

By Craig Campbell Dundas Star

The organizer of Dundas' annual Sucker Sunday fishing derby wonders what happened to cause the less than impressive results at this year's event.

While 49 kids and 34 adults had a great time at the 32nd running of the derby on Spencer Creek last Sunday, Marty Zuliniak found the fish counts a little concerning.

A record low of only three Suckers were caught during the nine hour derby. And for the first time in the event's three-decades, a Carp was caught - in fact, a total of 6 were brought in, to actually outnumber the Suckers.

"That goes to show you that the Carp are still in Cootes," Mr. Zuliniak said.

He noted this Carp majority, including one weighing 17 lbs., was found despite ongoing efforts by the Royal Botanical Gardens to keep that fish out of the Cootes Paradise watershed.

In total, 38 fish were caught in Spencer Creek last week, compared to the 79 fish caught last year.

Royal Botanical Gardens aquatic ecologist Tys Theysmeyer suggested, in response to Mr. Zuliniak's information, the Carp may have been drawn into Spencer Creek because of weather, while Suckers may have already been on their return trip to the lake.

But Mr. Zuliniak, who believes this year's record low totals came on a better day for fishing than last year's event, figures the Suckers must feel something is wrong in their Spencer Creek spawning grounds leading them to shy away from bait there.

He suggested "industrial disease" is responsible for the lower fish catch this year.

Still, the 83 anglers - more than half of which were kids, didn't let that ruin their fun.

The overall derby winner was Tom Charman for biggest fish caught, followed by Buck Callandar for the most caught, and Liam Walsh who picked up the Rick Carson Memorial with the longest fish caught..

Mr. Zuliniak thanked volunteer Marty Gilmour for handing out door prizes to the kids, all the Dundas merchants who donated prizes, and the staff at Winchester Arms for the use of their facility.