The last weigh-in Saturday night saw Helena Kirschenbaum win the grand slam with her striped bass while Seb Keefe brought in a shore bonito to take over top spot on the leader board. And then it was over. The derby awards ceremony is today at Farm Neck.

The Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust will meet at the Agricultural Hall in West Tisbury on Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m.

You can stock up on lines, lures and bait, but ultimately getting a top fish at the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby takes some luck and a lot of persistence. Anglers are working overtime.

Ten veterans and their families are participating in the sixth annual American Heroes Saltwater Challenge, hosted by Bob and Sarah Nixon. The veterans spend their mornings at sea, afternoons golfing and surfcasting. The challenge is full of gestures both large and small from the Vineyard community.

Rising sun, rising tide
Rising fish, rising spirit
The birds in the sky
Start to chirp, can you hear it?

At its halfway point, the 69th Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby is going strong, with 2,793 contestants and 1,481 entries as of Thursday, including 468 in the week ending Saturday.