Youth fishing derby returns with 63 kids at Albion Sportsmen’s Association

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 August 2022 at 5:57 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The 26th Daniel Spierdowis Memorial Fishing Derby was held today from 9 a.m. to noon at Albion Sportsmen’s Association on Keitel Road.

The event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid pandemic. The Sportsmen’s Association brought it back this year and 63 kids tried to catch fish.

Weston Burgio of Albion holds a sunfish. He was in the 5 to 8 year old division. He won that group with a cumulative total of 7 pounds, 13 ounces. That not only was the most weight in that age group, but led all age groups.

The derby was open to kids 16 and younger.

Provided photo: Brayden Snook caught the biggest fish overall, a 20-inch largemouth bass.

Albert Allen, a member of the Sportsmen’s Association, measures a 14-inch largemouth bass caught by Adam Yanicki, 14, of Hartland.

These sisters – Chloe, Kennedy and Addison – try to catch fish in one of the former quarries at the Sportsmen’s Association.

Logan Cole, 8, of Kendall is focused on feeling a tug in his line from a fish.

Xavier Penafiel puts a worm on the hook during today’s fishing derby.

Jenna DeSmit casts out a line during today’s derby.

The derby is named in honor of Danny Spierdowis, who loved the outdoors, especially fishing in the former Peck quarries at the Sportsmen’s Association.

Spierdowis was killed in a car accident at age 19 on Jan. 20, 1990. His mother Linda remains active at the Sportsmen’s Association, tending to the flowers at the clubhouse.

Linda was at today’s derby. So was Danny’s sister, Karen Spierdowis.

Karen said she was thrilled to see so many kids fishing.

“It’s nice to be back doing it,” she said.