Trout Unlimited to Host Fishing Tournament Fundraiser

From Trout Unlimited: The first ever Norwalk River 'One Fly' & Kids Fishing Tournament is a fun, family-friendly way to get anglers out enjoying the great spring fishing on the Norwalk River while supporting the important conservation work of the Mianus Chapter of Trout Unlimited, a local nonprofit that works to keep the Norwalk and other area streams clean and healthy.

Not just for professional anglers, this low-key and “on your honor” event is more about getting out to enjoy the great fishing with friends and family and to celebrate one of our region’s best trout streams.

The event, being held on Saturday, May 27, runs from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is followed by a BBQ celebration and awards ceremony at the Riverbrook Regional YMCA in Wilton. Participating anglers do not need to arrive at 6 a.m. to take part in the tournament, but must stop by the YMCA before they start fishing in order to pick up their official tournament tape measure and special event t-shirt.

The cost of the event is $25 per angler, or $50 per family, and includes entry into the tournament, a special event t-shirt – each family entry gets two t-shirts – and a ticket to the evening barbecue and awards ceremony.

There will be a 'One Fly' tournament for fly fishing anglers, a Kids Fishing Division open to all youth age 16 and under and an Adult All Tackle Division for ages 17 and up where all artificial tackle (no bait) can be used on either fly or spin equipment. All lures must have a single hook - no treble hooks – and it is “catch-and-release” meaning all trout caught must be measured quickly, then released back into the river.

There will be three winners declared in each division, with a special river rock plaque going to the anglers who catch the most fish, biggest fish and most total inches over the course of the day. Bragging rights as being the region’s best angler are also up for grabs!

“We all benefit from a cleaner, healthier Norwalk River,” said Tony Hill of Norwalk, Mianus Chapter president. “This event is a fun way to support Trout Unlimited’s restoration work and get kids and new anglers out on the water. Once you begin enjoying a natural resource like a river, you’re much more likely to want to help protect it.”

Full details and registration online here.

Founded in 1975, the Mianus Chapter of Trout Unlimited is a grassroots conservation organization with more than 600 members in the towns of Greenwich, Stamford, Darien, New Canaan, Norwalk, Wilton and Ridgefield. The chapter works to protect and restore local rivers resources through active restoration projects, education initiatives and public advocacy.

Anglers enjoy a spring day of fishing at a recent Mianus Chapter event on the Norwalk River. The upcoming Norwalk River ‘One Fly’ & Kids Fishing Tournament set for May 27 will pit anglers from across the region in a friendly competition to see who has the best fishing skills, while raising funds for river restoration work. – Lawrence Frank photo