Sixty-year-old Kenny Metell of Edgartown has never caught a winning fish in all his years as a participant in the Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby, but on Sunday he hit the ground running. Mr. Metell weighed in the first fish of the derby.

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Roy Langley rang the replica cowbell a moment before the 8 a.m. official opening of the month-long contest at the foot of Main street in Edgartown. A small gathering of anglers had gathered to watch the action.

Mr. Metell, a landscaper by trade, strode into headquarters with a striped bass that weighed 12.90 pounds. He said he couldn't remember how many years he has fished the derby, but it has been a long time.

The contest officially began at 12:01 Sunday morning, and Mr. Metell said he caught his fish at 1 a.m., using bait. He said he fished a favorite spot but naturally he wasn't going to spill the beans about the where of it.

"I will tell you I live in Katama and I don't have to travel too far," Mr. Metell said.

Each fall the annual derby attracts thousands of anglers from around the country. They come for a month of fishing by boat and from the shore. They chase the largest striped bass, bluefish, false albacore and bonito for prizes. This year there are over $300,000 in prizes. The top prizes include a new 19-foot Boston Whaler Nantucket, with a Mercury outboard and trailer, and a four-wheel drive Chevrolet pickup truck.

At the weigh station volunteers and staff stood behind the counter, anxiously waiting for the first fishermen. Charlie Smith, one of the weighmasters, joined Mr. Langley to preside over the start.

The second angler to approach Mr. Langley with a fish was Patrick Toomey, 33, of Edgartown. Mr. Toomey carried in two false albacore that he said he had caught an hour earlier.

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Minutes later Robert W. Thomas, 56, of Edgartown walked in with a fish he had just caught. It was a 12.48-pound false albacore, a big fish for a contest that was only hours old.

Mr. Thomas's fish could remain a derby leader for weeks. Mr. Thomas, a painter, said he fishes the dock a lot.

Some time ago, Mr. Thomas had his fishing rod stolen. His friend, Chris Scott, gave him a new rod to replace the one he lost. And it was with that rod that he caught the Sunday morning surprise.

Eddie Amaral, 69, walked into derby headquarters with his friend, Lois Kelley Stout, and another love of his life - a big striped bass weighing 20.31 pounds. It marked the first fish weighed in by a senior.

There were some opening day troubles with the computer at derby headquarters, and some of the forms were printed incorrectly, so Martha Smith, who heads the office, began to write out slips by hand. Derby chairman John Custer said the matter would be resolved soon.

A visibly weary Todd Stempien of West Tisbury carried in a 23.88-pound striped bass. Mr. Stempien said he had been up late at night with his fishing friends, John Killeen and BJ Kogut, both of Connecticut.

Kathi Pogoda of Edgartown, a property manager, walked into derby headquarters with a fish still wiggling. The 9.66-pound false albacore had been caught minutes earlier from Memorial Wharf. After weighing the fish Ms. Pagoda moved rapidly back to the wharf to catch more. "I am a member of the wharf rats," she said, looking over at the assembly of more than a dozen anglers with rods standing along the edge of the wharf.

The derby runs through Saturday, Oct. 16.

Derby organizers have changed the date of the Kids Derby, scheduled for this weekend. The event will take place Sunday morning, not Saturday as originally organized. Mr. Custer said the change was made to accommodate the schedule of the New Bedford fast ferry that runs from the Steamship Authority wharf in Oak Bluffs. The contest starts at 6 a.m. and is free to all anglers age 14 and under.

Daily Derby Winners
Sunday, Sept. 12

All Tackle Boat Bonito: 1, Edwin B. Gentle Jr., 7.51 lbs.; 2, Peter T. Maxon, 7.30; 3, Tracy M. Benware, 7.14; 4, Kevin Johnson, 7.13.

All Tackle Shore Bonito: 1, Jack Livingston, 5.57.

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All Tackle Boat Bluefish: 1, Meeghan Knapp, 12.14; 2, Sam S. Mercier, 11.80; 3, Edwin B. Gentle 3rd, 11.69; 4, John Mercier, 11.24.

All Tackle Shore Bluefish: 1, Ron Domurat, 7.36; 2, Bob Jacobs, 5.58; 3, Jonathan S. Pike, 5.30; 4, Brad K. Tanner, 5.03.

All Tackle Boat Striped Bass: 1, Meeghan Knapp, 28.32; 2, Everett L. Whorton, 27.39; 3, Bill A. Aibel, 25.69; 4, Henry Unczur, 25.68.

All Tackle Shore Striped Bass: 1, Todd S. Stempien, 23.88; 2, John Montes, 21.03; 3, Ed Amaral, 20.31; 4, Matthew P. Lyons, 16.09.

Flyrod Boat Bonito: 1, Kevin A. Ludwig, 6.36.

Flyrod Boat Bluefish: 1, Kevin A. Ludwig, 8.31; 2, Mark W. Jones, 8.02; 3, Ken P. Baracchini, 7.94.

Flyrod Shore Bluefish: 1, Thomas J. Rapone, 6.41.

Junior All Tackle Boat Bonito: 1, Sarah L. Kadison, 6.27; 2, Max A. Davies, 6.03; 3, Douglas G. Fraser, 5.97; 4, William C. Kadison, 5.76.

Junior All Tackle Boat Bluefish: 1, Kassidy R. Bettencourt, 9.94; 2, Thomas Wilkins, 9.54; 3, Zachary Coutinho, 8.69; 4, Rebecca L. Webb, 8.48.

Derby Leaders to Date

All Tackle Boat Striped Bass: 1, Meeghan Knapp, 28.32; 2, Everett L. Whorton, 27.39; 3, Bill A. Aibel, 25.69.

All Tackle Shore Striped Bass: 1, Peter J. Pate, 35.56; 2, Todd S. Stempien, 23.88; 3, John Montes, 21.03.

All Tackle Boat Bonito: 1, Edwin B. Gentle Jr., 7.51; 2, Peter T. Maxon, 7.30; 3, Tracy M. Benware, 7.14.

All Tackle Shore Bonito: 1, Jack Livingston, 5.57; 2, Daniel K. Tilton, 4.60.

All Tackle Boat Bluefish: 1, Meeghan Knapp, 12.14; 2, Sam S. Mercier, 11.80; 3, Edwin B. Gentle 3rd, 11.69.

All Tackle Shore Bluefish: 1, Jonathan S. Pike, 7.62; 2, Ron Domurat, 7.36; 3, Bob Jacobs, 5.58.

All Tackle Boat False Albacore: 1, Peter T. Maxon, 10.48; 2, Michael D. Ludwig, 10.13; 3, Nick W. Peters, 9.66.

All Tackle Shore False Albacore: 1, Robert W. Thomas, 12.48; 2, Kathi M. Pogoda, 9.66; 3, Scott Werner, 9.66.

Flyrod Boat Bonito: 1, Kevin A. Ludwig, 6.36.

Flyrod Boat Bluefish: 1, Kevin A. Ludwig, 8.31; 2, Mark W. Jones, 8.02; 3, Ken P. Baracchini, 7.94.

Flyrod Shore Bluefish: 1, Thomas J. Rapone, 6.41.

Flyrod Shore False Albacore: 1, David J. Margulis, 8.68; 2, Robert D. Morrison, 7.80.

Junior All Tackle Boat Bonito: 1, Sarah L. Kadison, 6.27; 2, Max A. Davies, 6.03; 3, Douglas G. Fraser, 5.97.

Junior All Tackle Boat Bluefish: 1, Kassidy R. Bettencourt, 9.94; 2, Thomas Wilkins, 9.54; 3, Alex W. Bendavid, 9.49.

Junior All Tackle Boat False Albacore: 1, William C. Kadison, 7.30; 2, Max A. Davies, 6.62; 3, Douglas G. Fraser, 6.57.

Junior All Tackle Boat Bonito (Mini Juniors): 1, Brian T. Fraser, 5.42.

Junior All Tackle Boat Bluefish (Mini Juniors): 1, Tony P. Canha, 7.30; 2, Brian T. Fraser, 7.30.