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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Blogs Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Multimedia Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Road Cams Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Women in Business Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend March 22, 2007 Trouters Society derby set for Lost Creek Lake By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune TRAIL — Lost Creek Lake will be the destination du jour Saturday for Rogue Valley youngsters looking to spring break with some trout fishing for prizes. The Medford-based International Trouters Society will hold its fifth annual Spring Break 16 Over/Under Derby centered at Takelma Park near the southwest corner of Lost Creek dam. The free derby targets kids under 16 years old who can catch a trout over 16 inches long Saturday at the lake. Pre-registered entrants vie for prizes, with the grand prize for the first qualifying fish, followed by five more prizes as well as "little angler" prizes. The event has become organizer Dave Nadler's personal gift to the community and to the sport of angling that has devoured his interest most of his 49 years. "I know too many friends with kids who sit on the couch playing Game Boys and watching TV, but they don't know anything about fishing," says Nadler, of Medford. "I want to spark kids' interest in fishing. I really like seeing smiles on their faces." Advertisement One thing that Nadler's event won't contend with this year is state competition. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has dropped its spring break event at Whetstone Pond at the Denman Wildlife Area, where three years of trout stocking turned out to be more trouble than it was worth. The agency used to stock about 2,000 extra trout in the pond, near the ODFW office off East Gregory Road. Volunteers armed with loaner rods helped kids fish for the trout on the same Saturday as the Trouters Society event, but catches at the event were notoriously poor. Participants fished close to an average of three hours, yet the catch rate was less than one stocked trout per angler. "We just didn't get the contribution to the angler that I'd like to see," says Dan VanDyke, the ODFW's Rogue District fish biologist. "We're looking at other spots this spring (for a youth event) and we hope to have something put together soon." Nadler says it's better for the community that its 30,000 spring-breakers don't have to choose one event over the other. "It'll be good this way," Nadler says. "It'll give kids one extra opportunity to get out there and fish." Nadler hopes the kids who attended the Whetstone Pond event will drive the extra 25 miles north on Highway 62 to join the Trouters Society derby. Those who do will find trout fishing exponentially better this Saturday than last. The ODFW is scheduled to stock Lost Creek Lake with 25,000 legal-sized rainbows this week. Those fish measure 8-10 inches long, so they will contribute to a fun day's fishing but won't get participants to the prize table. Registration and sign-in are from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Participants begin fishing at 9 a.m. and stop by 4 p.m. Prizes will be awarded at the "Trout Central" tent. The Grand Prize winner — the first registered under-16 angler to catch a trout over 16 inches — will get his or her choice of prizes. "It makes it a little spicier," Nadler says. The regular fishing rules, limits and licenses apply. Anglers aged 13 and younger can fish for free. A $6.75 juvenile license is required for anglers 14-17 years old. The daily trout limit at Lost Creek Lake remains five trout at least 8 inches long, but only one of those can be more than 20 inches long. Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 776-4470, or e-mail [email protected] . Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Trunks, Footlocker Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Casinos Canada Cord Blood Banking Discount Hotel Reservations Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Men's Clothing Debt Help New Hampshire Primary