Beautiful Day for Fishing Derby at Southard Park

It's an event that inspires fish tales for a long time to come — Bernards Township's annual Fishing Derby at Southard Park pond, specially stocked for the occasion — and there's always a surprise or two.

The second-biggest fish caught so far as of about 10 a.m. on Saturday was a 14-inch long trout, said Sean O'Grady, assistant director of the Bernards Township Parks and Recreation Department.

The department had stocked the pond with trout from Pennslvania beforehand, O'Grady said.

But as for the record 15-inch catfish pulled out of the murky, aerated water? "That was just in there," O'Grady said.

On Monday, O'Grady said the official biggest fish caught was a 15-inch trout.

The event was blessed with sun this year — as it had been in the previous few years — when the fishing derby wraps up the department's Youth Week that runs during the school district's spring vacation.

The pond was lined with avid fisherboys and fishergirls, and when they tired of the sport, dads also could be seen casting lines.

The recreation department awarded gift certificates from Frozen Falls yogurt off King George Road and the new Ridge Bagel and Cafe in downtown Basking Ridge.