Gary LaQuay Fishing Challenge Saturday

by Dan McClelland

On the waters of Tupper Lake, Lake Simond, Raquette Pond and Raquette River there will be anglers of all skill levels Saturday for the Ninth Annual Gary LaQuay Fishing Challenge. The family of Gary LaQuay will again present the fishing tournament in his honor to benefit High Peaks Hospice.

The fishing tournament, Tupper's only public summer derby, has raised thousands of dollars for the work of the local hospice chapter over the years- and there's big money paid too each year to the fishermen who catch the biggest Northern Pike and the biggest bass.

According to Gary's son, Cory, who is the lead organizer of the annual event, about three dozen local businesses step forward each year and donate merchandise and services that are the prizes for a host of raffles associated with it. For the price of $30 registration, participants are automatically entered into the drawings that day.

The challenge runs from 7a.m. to 3p.m. that day.

The three major event sponsors this year are Neil and Linda Pickering's Mountain Market and Redemption Center, Homenergy and the Tupper Lake Sportsman's Club (formerly the Tupper Lake Rod and Gun Club). Mountain Market is donating a trolling motor this year and the fuel company is donating 100 gallons of fuel- both big prizes.

At recent derbies organizers have donated between $2,000 and $2,500 to High Peaks Hospice from events on the water. Those totals have grown from about $1,200 the first year to as much as the higher figure in recent years, Cory noted.

Gary was an avid fisherman who died far too prematurely over a decade ago.

For more information about the event contact Cory at (518) 569-3988 or Terry at (518) 304-3748.