The 39th annual Rose Holland Trout Derby was held at Montauk State Park on October 5th and 6th. The event raised $7579.88 for the American Heart Association, falling short of last year's total of $8,365.12.
     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. 1,857 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 Tom Tilley of Hazelwood, MO.  His rainbow trout weighed 7 pounds and 4 ounces.
     The women's heaviest fish was a 4 pound, 5 ounce rainbow caught by Sharon Eudy of Wood River, IL.
     Three brown trout were weighed in during the derby. The heaviest brown trout was caught by Paul Brandt of Granite City, IL.  It weighed 4 pounds and 15 ounces.
     Tyler Naramore of Chafee, MO took first place in the kids heaviest stringer category with a 7 pound, 1 ounce stringer.
     Weather for the derby this year was nearly ideal. Early in the morning it was chilly with temperatures around 48 degrees, but by 11:00 a.m. Saturday it had warmed into the 70's.  The sky was clear and high temperatures were near 75 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.

Click Here To View Photos From The 2002 Derby

Rose Holland Trout Derby 2001 Report
Rose Holland Trout Derby 2001 Photos

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