The hand-painted signs are all around Shelter Island. “One small step for mankind. One giant swim for snappers,” and “Stop napping and go snapping,” so join in the fun at the annual Shelter Island Lions Club Snapper Derby on Saturday, August 31.
All kids under 14 are welcome to join. It’s free and there’s no pre-registration. All you have to do is go fishing, keep track of how many you release and then bring in your largest snapper and/or bluefish,
Participating is not only a lot of fun but it helps to support the Lions Club, which in return helps many Islanders during the year. So grab a pole and go fishing.
The rules are simple: participants should keep only one fish in each category to weigh in; a snapper is less than one pound and a bluefish is greater than a pound. Prizes for first through fifth places will be awarded for the largest in each category. There will also be a prize for the most caught and released snappers based on the honor system, with the individual who catches and releases the most snappers winning.
Weigh-in will take place at 5 p.m., with awards at 5:45 p.m. on the grounds of American Legion Hall. All kids who fish will receive a free T-shirt, popcorn, pizza, burgers and hot dogs.
It’s a great time for everyone — with all donations coming from local businesses and residents. Lots of North Fork businesses contributed, according to one of the sponsors. For additional information or if you are interested in being a sponsor or would like to donate, visit shelterislandsnapperderby.org.
