The 11th annual Model Dairy Charity Fishing Derby at Pyramid Lake

By Don Quilici

If you like to fish for trout, if you would like to be part of a wonderful charity effort and if you would also like the chance to win some very impressive money amounts, while doing so, be sure to draw a big red circle around the dates of March 12 & 13 on your calendar.

That's the weekend for the 11th Annual Model Dairy Charity Fishing Derby to be held at Pyramid Lake.

That two-day derby is sponsored by Model Dairy of Reno, who will distribute 100 percent of the proceeds from the event to local children's organizations, whose purpose is to enrich the lives of affected children in our area.

Among the recipients of the derby will be Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northern Nevada and Batten Disease Support and Research Association (BDSRA).

Make-A-Wish grants wishes of children suffering life-threatening illness.

Batten Disease Support and Research Association serves as the main support group for families and friends of children suffering from Neuronal Ceriod Lipofuscinosis (NCL), which is a rare genetic disorder which causes the young victims to lose brain cells leading to blindness, deterioration and loss of mobility. It is always fatal.

The cost to enter the two-day fishing derby is $50 per person.

All derby contestants must be registered before going fishing.

Pre-registered anglers do not need to check in before fishing.

Each person is responsible for all applicable licenses and registration fees required to fish by the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe.

Note: You do not need a Nevada fishing license or a Nevada Trout Stamp to fish at Pyramid Lake. A one-day Tribal fishing permit or boating permit is $7 or you can purchase an annual tribal fishing permit or boating permit for $50 (The annual permits are good until June 30).

Fishing teams may consist of from one person to four members.

Note: Last year there were more than 700 teams entered in the derby.

That's correct, more than 700 teams!

There will be a Fish Pool contest open to all teams. The cost to enter the pool is $10 per person.

This is an "All or None" pool which means that all team members must enter or none on the team may enter.

The prizes for the Fish Pool are: $2,000 for the heaviest fish, $1,000 for the second heaviest and $500 for the third heaviest. There will also be a $500 prize for the lightest legal fish.

Team cash prizes will consist of: $1,000 for first place, $800 for second place, and $600 for third.

Your $50 entry fee for the derby includes a complimentary Continental breakfast (Juice, fruit, breakfast pastries and coffee) and barbecue lunch (Hot dogs, hamburgers or chicken, chips, fruit, soft drinks, coffee or water, plus lots of milk and ice cream from Model Dairy), each day.

In addition, your entry fee also includes one raffle ticket for the chance to win a 2005 Polaris Ranger ATV with trailer, Sportsmen's weekend packages, plus many other sporting good items.

That raffle will be held immediately following the awards presentation ceremony for trophies and prizes on March 13, between 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Later (5-8 p.m.), there will be a barbecued steak dinner with all of the trimmings at a cost of $10 per person.

The heaviest fish in the derby will win the lucky fisherman a gold and silver with ruby Belt Buckle.

Final weigh-in will be at 2 p.m. (Sharp!) on Sunday, March 13.

Anglers must be in line at 2 p.m. to have their fish weighed. No exceptions.

A maximum of two legal fish per person will be allowed in the derby.

Note: The new legal way to measure your fish is from the tip of the nose to the fork of the tail.

As a matter of reference, last year the three heaviest fish were:

First place: Was won with a 11.59 pounder caught by David Spires.

Second place: 10.07 pounds caught by Randy Rails.

Third place: 9.09 pounds caught by Donald Foote.

You can register for the derby at the following locations:

Model Dairy (via phone): Call Penny Marsh at 788-79000, ext. 263.

Mark Fore & Strike Sporting Goods Store at 490 Keitzke Lane in Reno.

Winner's Corner Convenience Store in Spanish Springs on the Pyramid Highway (Nevada S.R. 445).

Sign-ups at Pyramid Lake will be held: 3-6 p.m. on Friday, March 11 and 5 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday March 12 and 5-10 a.m. on Sunday March 13.

Finally, by giving you this early notice about that derby to be held on March 12-13, you have a little less than two months to get out to Pyramid Lake and learn where and how to catch the big Lahontan cutthroat trout.

That should be plenty of time, and who knows, it just might pay off with you being the Grand Prize Winner in this year's Model Dairy Charity Fishing Derby.

And, even if you don't catch a prize-winning fish, you could be the lucky person going home with a brand-new ATV.

It's for a very worthy cause, so be sure to enter this year's event.

Even if you don't win, children of this area will be the real winners from your entry fee.

And, if by chance you do not fish, you can still donate money to Model Dairy for that worthwhile cause.

Mark those dates on your calendar: March 12-13.

It's the 11th Annual Model Dairy Charity Fishing Derby at Pyramid Lake.

See ya there!

• Bet Your Favorite Pigeon

Bet your favorite pigeon that he can't tell you the weight of the smallest legal fish entered in last year's derby.

If he grins and says, "It was a 1.25 pounder turned in by Richard Sublett," he could be Sublett.