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80 compete in fishing derby

WANTAGE. Justin Foglia of Vernon lands the biggest catch: a catfish weighing almost 17 pounds and measuring 34 inches long.

Wantage /
| 11 Jul 2023 | 06:41
    Justin Foglia of Vernon holds a 17-pound catfish, the biggest catch during the fishing contest Saturday, July 8 at Lake Neepaulin Beach in Wantage. (Photos by Greg Smith)
    Justin Foglia of Vernon holds a 17-pound catfish, the biggest catch during the fishing contest Saturday, July 8 at Lake Neepaulin Beach in Wantage. (Photos by Greg Smith)
    Logan Cosh, 6, of Wantage holds up a sunfish he caught. He caught the most fish among the children.
    Logan Cosh, 6, of Wantage holds up a sunfish he caught. He caught the most fish among the children.
    Hudson DeWaal, 10, of Wantage shows off the largemouth bass he caught. He caught the largest fish among children age 10 and younger.
    Hudson DeWaal, 10, of Wantage shows off the largemouth bass he caught. He caught the largest fish among children age 10 and younger.
    Jaxon Babcock, 8, left, and his brother Brendon, 10, of Wantage show off the sunfish they caught.
    Jaxon Babcock, 8, left, and his brother Brendon, 10, of Wantage show off the sunfish they caught.
    Elizabeth Cerutti, 7, of Wantage and her father, Ben, pose with a sunfish. She caught the smallest fish in the children’s category.
    Elizabeth Cerutti, 7, of Wantage and her father, Ben, pose with a sunfish. She caught the smallest fish in the children’s category.
    Some people fished by boats and others from the shore.
    Some people fished by boats and others from the shore.
    Jaxon Babcock, 8, of Wantage holds up a yellow perch. His father, Curt, is at right. Jaxon caught the largest fish among children age 10 and younger.
    Jaxon Babcock, 8, of Wantage holds up a yellow perch. His father, Curt, is at right. Jaxon caught the largest fish among children age 10 and younger.
    The fishing contest, sponsored by the Wantage Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee, was Saturday, July 8 at Lake Neepaulin Beach.
    The fishing contest, sponsored by the Wantage Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee, was Saturday, July 8 at Lake Neepaulin Beach.
    Thomas Cummings, 9, of Sussex waits for the sunfish he caught to be weighed and measured by Warren Wisse, president of the Wantage Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee.
    Thomas Cummings, 9, of Sussex waits for the sunfish he caught to be weighed and measured by Warren Wisse, president of the Wantage Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee.
    Prize winners in the fishing contest pose for a photo.
    Prize winners in the fishing contest pose for a photo.
    Wantage Recreation Secretary Nicole Dunn and Warren Wisse, president of the Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee, pose by the board prepared to track the prize winners.
    Wantage Recreation Secretary Nicole Dunn and Warren Wisse, president of the Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee, pose by the board prepared to track the prize winners.
    Justin Foglia of Vernon shows off the 17-pound catfish he caught Saturday, July 8.
    Justin Foglia of Vernon shows off the 17-pound catfish he caught Saturday, July 8.

More than 80 people dropped their lines into Lake Neepaulin on Saturday, July 8, hoping to win prizes in the annual fishing derby.

The contest has been organized by the Wantage Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee since 2016.

Some fished from the shore while others waded into the water and a few fished from boats.

The biggest catch of the day was a catfish weighing almost 17 pounds and measuring 34 inches long. It was caught by Justin Foglia of Vernon.

Jaxon Babcock, 8, of Wantage caught the largest fish in the category for children age 10 and younger.

Hudson DeWaal, 10, of Wantage caught the first fish of the day and Elizabeth Cerutti, 7, of Wantage had the smallest one, both in the children’s category.

Joey Cosh, 6, of Wantage caught the most fish among the children, and Tom Cummings of Sussex won the same title among those age 11 and older.

Aiden D’Almelda had the largest catch from a boat.

All fish and two turtles caught were released back into the water.