For those who love recreational fishing, conservation is the place where altruism and self-interest powerfully intersect. With its junior divisions, its annual Kids Derby and its scholarship programs, the annual derby reaches out to young people and supports the next generation of anglers. In this sport, it’s not about building a lead and running out the clock; it’s about being sure the game will continue so our children and grandchildren will someday enjoy it.

Spanning the generations, the fishing derby also has a well-organized fillet program that delivers fresh fish to councils on aging across the Island.

From the standpoint of time — four weeks of fishing are scheduled this year — and of human numbers — the fall derby ranks as the flagship event of its kind on the entire East Coast. For all the fishermen who have been longing for the peaceful end of a stressful summer, derby fever is the disease for which the only cure is a trip to the shore in waders or into deep water aboard a fishing boat. The pursuit of prizes certainly adds excitement to the competition, but most of all, the derby is a celebration of the simple pleasures of fishing — time well spent on the water, among friends, and almost always with a good story to tell at the day’s end.