7TH ANNUAL WILD PA EXPO
I'll be at the Wild PA Expo in Wilkes Barre from March 10th-11th. Click here for more info!
2018 WALTER & MARY’S FISHING DERBY’S RESULTS
Once again and for the fourth consecutive year Walter & Mary posthumously donated to the “Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania’s” war chest with their 4th annual ice fishing derby at Lake Wallenpaupack, Wayne County, Pa. A fully prepared combined regiment totaling 41 men, women and tutored youths blanketed the bulkhead of the big lake, safely supported by 9” of solid clear ice. Donation for the renowned organization of hunting heritage surpassed previous financial totals of this benefit event heating up the subfreezing temperatures’ with a grand total of $486.00 in cash accented to a handsome grand total of $500.00 for strict measure by an anonymous supporter of the USP. Only three participants of this timely sporting event took full advantage of the derby’s “free”dom and did not financially participate in achieving our record goal. We thank them all for attending our venue; enjoying our sporting comradery and hope they somehow wander into prosperity just enough to join us next year with monetary support.
The actual resulting amount of the fish caught reduced within their respective age categories also impressed the gathering spectator crowed. 13 year old Hallie Hall traveled several interstates from Easton, Pa to flex her girl power and lit up the leader board in a big way by sweeping all three levels of cash payout in the junior division. $175 was far from enough reward for the young ladies impressive bountiful catch as the artistic ability of Mierzejewski Taxidermy once again donated their skilled services that continually reward all junior prize winners with a “free fish mount”, this time it would be her largest monumental 24” chain pickerel occupying wall space. Unbelievably the youthful encouragement didn’t stop there! New sponsor to our event but well known to countless other fishing events in the northeast One Stop Sport Shop of fishing mecca Scranton, Pa.,opened their Luzerne Street sportsmen candy store sending an ice fishing jet sled filled with winter tackle to be shared within the youth division….WOW,I think she really hit it big! The only drawback for this proud champion is that the young Miss Hall has two more years of junior eligibility before father time forces her into the upper echelon senior class thus relinquishing her intimidating crown!
Overwhelming the Senior division continued to prove its competitive nature as numerous winter wrapped anglers jockeyed for 1st place until exclusive hard water fisherman Mike Kisel bumped into the measuring board at mid-morning with a hefty 26” chain pickerel and continually shrugged off a steady barrage of the cloned saw tooth species that failed to topple his high point fish, including a late day siege of multiple threating entries moments before the finishing horn roared the derby’s check station into a close for another year. The Dickson City native and his durable fish locked a $100.00 purse and began his yearlong reign as proven champion. Lacking in bench mark length set by the Kisel fish, fractions of an inch combined 2nd & 3rd place cash prizes for two sporting challengers whom amicably agreed to an evenly split bounty of $75.00 rounded upward by the derby official to $80.00 with encouraging gratitude.
Our Grand Master division has yet to crown a tournament king after four years of vacated space on the Derby’s ice fishing plaque of honor. Local hunting & fishing legend Karl Hennings and global sportsman Joe Bartnicki cracked into the ice sending all commonwealth game fish into feared dormancy but graciously shared their outdoor wealth of knowledge with all receptive participants. They certainly set the bar of integrity extremely high at the seasonal event with their styled classic winter attire, purposeful presence and notable healthy sum of caring philanthropy.
We thank them, our sponsors and all that participated in supporting our purposeful sporting cause.
Everyone harmoniously agreed:
Build the herd to bring back the hunters and strengthen the sporting heritage of deer hunting in Pennsylvania! Go USP!