Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Spring Trout Derby coming up

File photo

Oasis State Park, just outside Portales, holds an annual fishing clinic and trout derby each year. This year’s event will be all day Saturday and Sunday and will include cash prizes for tagged fish.

Staff report

It’s time for Portales residents to grab their fishing poles again for the seventh annual Spring Trout Derby to be held at Oasis State Park this weekend.

The event, which is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, is open to all ages and invites anglers to catch tagged fish that they can turn in for a cash prize.

“We’re going to have trout that are tagged with different colored tags. Prizes will range from $10 to $100,” said Valerie Russ, an Oasis employee. “There’s a five-trout limit per person per day. They’ll pay a $5 park entrance fee per vehicle and a $5 derby fee per person.”

The tags, according to an official release for the event, will be one of five colors: Green, red, blue and yellow. Green tags are worth $100, red tags are worth $50, blue are worth $25 and yellow are worth $10.

Each tag is limited to a certain number per day, said Russ, with 20 yellow tags, 12 blue tags, four red tags and two green tags waiting to be caught.

Registration will start at 7:30 a.m. both days at the park’s office with the derby beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 3 p.m. both days.

Participants 12 and older, she said, are required to have a valid New Mexico fishing license.

Russ said that while the event is held in part to promote the park, the event is hosted by the Friends of Oasis State Park.

“It’s one of their events that we just have here,” she said.

Russ added that the derby is a positive bonding experience for families, especially between parents and their children.

“Families bring their kiddos out, and they learn how to fish. It’s just a fun time for everybody,” she said, adding that the event will be a fun experience for children.