In all the tumult of a savage easterly gale accompanied by lashing rain, the 10th annual fishing derby came to a close on Saturday, with contestants fishing, or certainly attempting to fish up to the final hour.

 

Island interest had been centered for days on the leading group, visitors and residents, but especially upon Mrs. Serge deSomov, who was holding the lead among visiting bassfishers, and a figurative, at least, sigh of satisfaction went up when she was awarded the grand prize for visitors, the first woman yet to win this award. This was the $500 U.S. Savings Bond, as put up by the derby, and the redwood hunting lodge, special award by the E. C. Young Co., which will be erected on the Island on land donated by the Cronig real estate agency of Vineyard Haven.

 

Keeping the honors in the family, Mr. deSomov, husband of the lady champ, held his place in the summary and took the third prize for visitors, for bass.

 

George J. Silva of West Tisbury took the grand prize for bass among residents, and the grand prize for blues, also a $500 bond, was won by Edwin Linvingstone Jr., of New Bedford.

Lesser prize-winners, right through the list, had maintained their places on the score sheet for days previous to the wind-up of the derby, only one change of consequence having taken place within nearly a week’s time, in the bluefish list.

 

The statistics of this derby show a decided change in the general character of the event from previous years, with more contestants, more fish, since bluefish are now credited, the total number of entrants, being 1,580, the total number of fish 1,768, of which but 294 were bass, although that was an even hundred over last year’s score. The contestant from the greatest distance was H.P. Fisher of Charlottesville, N.C., and the total number of prizes awarded was 500.

 

Twelve different fishing clubs participated in this derby, which is a larger number than average, but the significant thing about the entire event was the number of married couples who enrolled, both locally and in the visitors list. Never before have there been as many, nor has it before been apparent that so many contestants combined the derby fishing with an actual vacation. Many of the visitors regarded the fishing as secondary to the vacation pro­gram, and fished only when condi­tions were most pleasant, without particular regard for possible prizes.

 

The “Pike’s Peak or Bust” attitude so often apparent in any contest was largely absent in this event, but con­trarily, a mellow and friendly atti­tude prevailed. No report has reached the Gazette of any clash be­tween fishermen and land-owners, nor of disgruntled visitor, soured be­cause of bad weather or poor luck, all of which is novel and suggestive of fruition of the derby committee’s prime aim, to extend the Island vacation season. The reappearance of numerous visitors, also supports this belief.