Sign up now for Seneca Lake trout fishing derby

Seneca Lake will once again play host to the annual National Lake Trout Derby over Memorial Day weekend.

The derby, now in its 54th year, will be held May 26-28 and is open to anyone with a valid New York state fishing license.

With the help of sponsors and an expected influx in registrants for the 2018 derby, organizers are offering a $10,000 grand prize for the largest lake trout. The total purse is expected to top $28,000 in cash prizes.

The biggest fish caught in the derby's history was a nearly 18-and-a-half-pound laker landed in 2016 by angler William Ryan Jr. of Auburn.

This year's tournament is organized by Stivers Seneca Marine in Geneva. The entry fee is $30 per angler, or $10 for junior anglers age 15 and under.

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Participants can register online if they have a Paypal account. Otherwise, anglers can register in person at Stivers Seneca Marine and several other locations along the lake.

Anglers can fish anywhere along Seneca Lake and take their catch to one of three weigh-in stations — at Stivers Seneca Marine, Sampson State Park in Romulus or Clute Park in Watkins Glen.

Fish will be judged based on weight, and in the event of a tie, total length of the fish will be the first tiebreaker.

For more information, including registration locations and derby rules, and to register online, go to laketroutderby.org. For additional information, call 315-789-5520.

Youth fishing derby

There won't be any $10,000 payout, but the Finger Lakes National Forest will hold its 23rd annual youth fishing derby from 8 to 11 a.m. May 5 at Potomac Pond, on Potomac Road in Hector.

Youth ages 2 to 12 are eligible to participate. Preregistration is required again this year, with registration limited to the first 100 kids. Prizes will be awarded and food will be available.

The registration deadline is April 27. Organizers are also looking for volunteers.

To register or to volunteer to help out at the event, call the Hector ranger district office at 607-546-4470.

Turkey hunting season

A lot of Southern Tier sportsmen and women are patterning their shotguns and checking their calls and other gear as the May 1 opening day of spring turkey season looms.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation is predicting the harvest will be down from last year, when hunters tagged an estimated 17,500 gobblers.

DEC wildlife managers blame the anticipated decline on reproductive success below the long-term average in 2016 and 2017, coupled with harsh winter conditions this year.

Nevertheless, DEC officials say there will be good turkey hunting opportunities across the state.

To get a better idea where turkey populations are thriving, check out DEC's summer turkey sighting survey at dec.ny.gov/animals/48732.html.

For general information about turkey hunting in New York, go to dec.ny.gov/outdoor/8366.html.

NRA pistol class

Lambs Creek Sportsman's Club near Mansfield will host the 8-hour National Rifle Association basic pistol class from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 12 at the club's pistol range.

Registered participants will receive a handbook when they arrive, and the course will cover topics including safety, pistol mechanisms and operation, building shooting skills, gun selection and use.

After completing a written test and shooting qualifications, participants will receive a certificate and a patch.

Shooters can bring their own pistols or revolvers or they can borrow a .22-caliber pistol for the day. They should also bring eye and ear protection.

The fee is $50. Checks should be made out to Marilyn Jones and mailed to her at 1155 Old State Road, Covington, Pa. 16917.

For more information, call 570-549-2794 or email jones_mk@yahoo.com.

Reach Jeff Murray at 271-8251 or jmurray@stargazette.com. Follow Jeff online at stargazette.com/outdoornotebook, and on Twitter @SGJeffMurray.

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