Lake McSwain trout fishing derby planned for Oct. 15

Merced Irrigation District opened registration Friday for the Lake McSwain Trout Fishing Derby. Signups will be taken until Friday, Oct. 7, or until 500 participants or 250 boats have been registered.

The annual fishing derby will begin at 7 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15, and end the following day at noon. The event includes fishing equipment prize giveaways, and the opportunity to meet representatives from tackle and bait companies.

More than 50 fish will be tagged for the contest by Calaveras Trout Farm, one of the event's sponsors. The grand prize tagged trout will pay $3,000. The second and third prize will each pay $1,000. Other tagged fish that are caught will share from a large prize pool. The largest untagged trout caught at the derby will pay $200. If the grand prize trout is not caught during the derby, a prize of $500 will still be awarded if it's caught prior to December 31, 2011.

The fee to enter the competition is $10 per individual and $25 per family. The event will be held rain or shine. All participants age 16 or older must have a valid California fishing license. To qualify for prizes, participants must be registered for the derby.

In addition to the derby registration fee, entrance to the McSwain and McClure recreation area for day use is $7 per car. Overnight campsites are $22. Sites with electric hookups for RVs and trailers are $28 per night. Reservations for camping should be made in advance by calling (800) 468-8889. Additional information about camping and recreation opportunities can be found online at www.lakemcclure.com.

Registration forms and a complete set of rules can be obtained at the following locations:

- MID’s Main Office, 744 W. 20th St. in Merced.

- MID Parks and Recreation Entrance and Headquarters, 9090 Lake McClure Road, approximately 7 miles east of Snelling.

- A-1 Bait & Tackle Shop, 6710 Merced Falls Road, east of Snelling.

The forms can also be printed from the MID website at www.lakemcclure.com.

For more information, call the parks administration headquarters at (209) 378-2521. Questions can also be directed to MID Parks and Recreation Director J Mills at (209) 354-2871, or MID Public and Government Relations Officer Mike Jensen at (209) 354-2856.

-- Posted by Brandon Bowers

This story was originally published September 23, 2011 at 11:09 AM with the headline "Lake McSwain trout fishing derby planned for Oct. 15."