By J.D. O’Gara

The Franklin Rod & Gun Club 2025 Fishing Derby will take place on June 7th,  from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 53 Florence Road on Uncas Pond in Franklin, with lots of prizes and raffles, a $5 all you can eat breakfast, and free pizza for lunch. The derby is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under.

“Last year, we had over 200 people, and that was 90th anniversary,” says Jim Gianotti, club president, “About 125 were 16 years and under, a lot of kids, and that’s what we want, and it was pretty much 50/50 when it comes to girls and boys taking the first, second or third prize,” he says.

Gianotti notes that the event has four prize categories: under 8; 8-12; 13-16; and adults 17+. There is a cash prize for adults who catch the largest trout, and trophies for kids 16 and under.

This year, member Tommy Marchand has taken over planning the fishing derby.

“He’s basically down there every day getting the boats ready, getting the equipment ready. What he did this year is he went around locally, and he ended up getting some sponsors,” says Gianotti. Other changes this year include more kid-oriented raffle prizes, which include starter fishing packs.

At press time, those sponsors included: MRN Diagnostics, Snook Law, Rome Restaurant, Honey Dew, Aubuchons, Daddario Hardware, and Charlie Moore, The Mad Fisherman.

Since the fishing derby will take place during free fishing weekend, participants don’t have to worry about a fishing license.

Those fishing will have a good likelihood of catching trout, as, because the Franklin Rod & Gun Club offers public access to Uncas Pond, the state has already stocked the pond a couple times with rainbow and brown trout, says Gianotti.

Membership in the Franklin Rod & Gun Club is up this year, to 255, with a lot of junior memberships, says Gianotti. “There’s been a change in demographics to more family-oriented membership, and this was kind of my goal when I became president three years ago, to get more families oriented and more kids down there.”

The club sponsors a Boy Scout troop and holds a breakfast every third Sunday of the month. Recently, it improved the beach area and got a couple new boats, he says. 

For the fishing derby, the club offers boats, rods and reels as supplies last.

The club does have a pistol range, says Gianotti, but lately, “we’re actually seeing the biggest growth and use at our archery range. People are actually going back to the old-style long bows, and we do instruction.”

To learn more about the Franklin Rod & Gun Club, visit www.franklinrodandgun.org or find them on Facebook.