Are You Ready For The 2012 Grand River Bass Derby?

Bass season is finally open in Southern Ontario and that means it’s almost time for the Grand River Bass Derby! This year’s rendition will take place July 7th & 8th, and includes the section of the Grand River from below the Shand Dam in Fergus to above the dam in Paris.

The Grand River Bass Derby was the first fishing derby I ever entered and  it is consistently the one I look forward to the most. Grand River smallmouth bass are beautiful fish and fantastic fighters, and it never fails to amaze me how many of them are actually in that river. When I started fishing the Grand, Darrell would take me to a stretch of river and tell me to start casting. I would look at the shallow spots he pointed to and see nothing but rocks, then I would look back at him and think he was crazy. Yet, every time we went, we caught bass upon bass. The Grand is a fantastic river to fish.

Last year we caught a lot of smallies, but couldn’t seem to hook into the big one. I had a ton of fun though, and even hooked into a few decent walleye. Darrell and I have been doing some scouting of the river already this year and will once again try our luck at landing the longest fish.

The Grand River Bass Derby always has excellent prizes and this year is no exception. First prize is $2,000, second is $1,000, and 3rd is $500. There’s a draw for a Quantum rod & reel combination for those who get their entries in before July 1st. And if you don’t catch a fish, you can still win one of the great draw prizes that are given away during the awards presentation.

Natural Sports in Kitchener is the derby registration headquarters. Entry fees are $20/adult and $5/youth. This is a live release derby and all fish must be taken to the measuring station in a tub or cooler containing at least 20 liters of water. It’s thanks to the great people at Natural Sports and the Optimist Club of Stanley Park that we have such a wonderful derby to attend every year.

If you’re in the mood to catch some bass, spend some time on a beautiful river, and talk to a bunch of other fishing freaks, the Grand River Bass Derby is for you!

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argosgirl

Sporadic blogger and sometimes podcaster who loves fishing, the outdoors, hanging with her animals, gardening, and reading manga.

Latest posts by argosgirl (see all)

argosgirl

Sporadic blogger and sometimes podcaster who loves fishing, the outdoors, hanging with her animals, gardening, and reading manga.

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3 Responses

  1. Deeds says:

    I’ve yet to join the tournament, but I have never had interest when you have to fish a specific date. The Grand can be running fast and can leave you battling debris when lots of rain has passed through. If the weather isn’t right, don’t waste time on the river. Check river flow before going out and be sure to have the right gear for conditions. I’ve been fishing a particular area for years now and have learned the hard way of when the river is worth the effort. Yesterday was my first time trying the Grand in November for smallies and I smashed them! The river was slightly fast, but after testing out different lures I found pumkinseed tube jigs were the way to go. I slayed 12 smallies including a nice 4lb red eye! Water was cold but the day was gorgeous. I would suggest to anyone to try the Grand in November. Wish I wasn’t alone so I could have taken some pics, but didn’t want to risk dropping my camera in the river.

    • argosgirl says:

      I agree, the weather can have a huge impact, especially on the Grand. It’s amazing how much it can change in a day and I would also agree that people should check river flow at grandriver.ca. You do not want to be caught out there when they’re letting the dam out! For some reason I’ve never fished the Grand in November. Sounds like you had a great time though. Thanks for stopping by!

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