Even though I did not appreciate it so much at the time, some of my favorite childhood memories are of my dad and I fishing. One of my more vivid memories is of me standing on the bank of the Little Black. Dad was showing me how to flick my wrist just right, so that my line would sail out into the dark water. After he demonstrated the technique a few times, he handed the fishing pole to me. I flicked my wrist and heard a yell and felt a tug on my line all at the same time. I had caught something! I caught my brother. My mother had been applying the bug spray on him and when she was finished, he straggled up behind me at the exact moment I cast my line, and I hooked him behind the ear. But the rest of the fishing was fine.
Do you like to fish? Or perhaps, you have never tried fishing before. Maybe you have children or grandchildren who would like to go fishing. Your Topsham Public Library, in partnership with Topsham Parks and Recreation and the Topsham Solid Waste Facility, is hosting a fishing derby on Saturday, June 20, 2015 from 8-11 a.m. at the ponds on Townsend Way (approximately 2.5 miles down Foreside Road on the left, and once on Townsend Way, follow the fish signs to your destination). This is a free opportunity you do not want to miss! You don’t have a fishing pole, you say. Well, we do. The Topsham Public Library will have fishing poles available for our patrons to use for 30 minutes at a time! And not just on June 20. The fishing poles are a part of our permanent collection and are available anytime for checking out.
Troy Garrison, Topsham’s own professional fisherman, will be there as well, and there will be coffee and refreshments provided by the Friends of the Topsham Library, prizes for a variety of categories, and a raffle.
This event is open to all ages, and for this ONE DAY ONLY, people over the age of 16 attending THIS event, do not need a fishing license. THE FISHING DERBY WILL BE HELD RAIN OR SHINE.
And please, if you have a favorite fishing story, share it with us in the space below.