Bluffton Sportmen’s Club is getting ready for this year’s trout derby. In late March the Buckeye was stocked with rainbow trout. A second load of trout will arrive next week.

This year’s trout derby, the 72nd annual, is held from 2-4:30 p.m. Sunday, May 1, at the Buckeye Quarry, Main St., Bluffton.

The derby includes more than 200 tagged trout with prizes to be awarded. Additional prizes will be awarded to the person who catches the longest trout and the person catching the first trout limit of four.

Trout number one is worth thousands in cash if caught during derby hours. The jackpot is built up with $5 donations to a 50/50 drawing. If caught on derby day, one half of the cash jackpot goes to the angler who catches number one. The other half goes to the person whose raffle ticket is drawn at the end of the derby.

If number one is not caught during derby hours one half of the jackpot goes to the club for fish stocking and the other half is awarded in a raffle drawing at the end of the derby.

According to club president Tom Augsburger, tickets for the 50/50 (one for $5 or three for $10) and Spring Raffle ($1 each or eight for $5) are now available.

Raffle tickets also pays out various prizes. Winners need not be present to win during the derby.

Last year 3,000 raffle tickets were sold. The 50/50 drawing paid $1,235. Steph Motter was the drawing winner since no one caught tagged trout number 1.

Memberships

2016 memberships are available at $30 per year for age 14 and up, and $10 per year for age 13 and under.

Memberships are available at: Family True Value Hardware, Riley Creek Mercantile, Kibbee’s Carryout, Bluffton, and Ted's Market, Pandora.

Bluffton Sportsmen Club hats are available at the derby for $15 each.

A Ted and Don’s chicken barbecue will be held on derby Sunday at the Bluffton Sportsmen’s Club depot on Spring Street from 11 a.m. until sold out. Tickets are $8 each. The barbecue includes one-half chicken with green beans, potato sales and roll.

2016 Officers and Directors
President - Tom Augsburger,  
Vice President - Jerry Edinger
Treasurer - Ron Schumtz 
Secretary - Andy Herrmann

Directors: Dennis Kagy, Mark Zimmerman, Lucas Herrmann, Marvin Maag, Wilbur Bracy, Mike Zimmerman, Dale Neidemire, Jacob Maag and Paul Maag.