The 38th annual Rose Holland Trout Derby was held at Montauk State Park on October 6th and 7th. The event raised $8,365.12 for the American Heart Association, passing last year's total of $8,022.
     Roosevelt Holland was hatchery superintendent at Montauk for almost 24 years. After his death from a heart attack in 1963, journalist Charles O. Stewart and some of Holland's fishing friends formed a committee and organized the annual derby held the first weekend in October. The derby was first held in 1964. $389 was raised that year and there were about 200 participants. About 1,150 fishermen participated in this year's event.
     Prizes, donated by businesses and individuals, were awarded for men's heaviest fish, women's heaviest fish, kids heaviest stringer (up to five fish), and heaviest brown trout. There were also prizes awarded to contestants who caught tagged fish. There were one hundred tagged fish.
     The men's heaviest fish award went to Drew Roemich of St. Louis, MO.  His rainbow trout weighed 6 pounds and 5 ounces. Second place went to Joseph Zayac from Salem, MO with a 6 pound, 3 ounce fish.
     The women's heaviest fish was a 4 pound, 14 ounce rainbow caught by Debra Moreland of Salem, MO. Barbara King from Oakridge, MO took second place with a 3 pound fish.
     The heaviest brown trout was caught by Leroy Clark of Licking, MO.  It weighed 2 pounds and 15 ounces. It was the only brown trout brought to the scales.
     Robert Hood of Licking, MO took first place in the kids heaviest stringer category with a 9 pound, 9 ounce stringer. The second place prize was awarded to Tyler Lockwood from Morehouse MO for his stringer weighing 8 pounds, 5 ounces. Michael Gurlin from Festus, MO took third place honors with his 7 pound, 7 ounce stringer.
     Weather for the derby this year was nearly ideal. Early in the morning it was chilly with temperatures around 30 degrees, but by 11:00 a.m. Saturday it had warmed into the 60's.  The sky was clear and high temperatures were near 70 degrees both days.  Trout season at Montauk ends October 31st.  The Rose Holland Derby is the last big event of the season and for many fishermen, the last time they will fish for trout until next season opens March 1st.

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