3rd annual Brewed in Canada fishing derby to return to Okanagan, Shuswap this spring

A fishing derby that raises funds for the BC Children’s hospital is set to return to a pair of Interior lakes this spring.

Brewed in Canada’s 3rd annual fishing derby is returning to Okanagan Lake on Saturday, April 22 and Shuswap Lake on Saturday, May 13. Each event runs from 6 am to 4 pm.

Registration, which is now open, is $100 per boat per lake, with an opportunity to register for both events. Participants will be going after the biggest rainbow trout they can and simply need to submit a picture of the fish on a measuring board and one of them holding their catch.

Organizers Mandy Davis and Mike Bridge say the first 50 registrants will receive a free T-shirt to show their support. This year there is a first prize of $3,500 up for grabs.

More information about registering, including the form, is available at teambrewedincanada.ca.

In addition to the fishing two derbies, there will be a Derby Day on May 13 after the event on Shuswap Lake. Participants will get a chance to unwind, find out who won and take part in a 50/50 and silent auction. This event will be hosted at Finz Bar & Grill in Blind Bay.

More details on the silent auction, including opportunities to place bets, are scheduled to be published on Brewed in Canada’s Facebook page.

The fundraising efforts have been ongoing since 2008 and began with a slow-pitch tournament called Bats for a Cause. All proceeds from that event went to the BC Children’s Hospital too.

Over the past 15 years, Davis and Bridge have organized burger and beer nights, several silent auctions, 50/50 raffles and continue the Bats for a Cause tournament. When the pandemic hit, the slow-pitch tournament turned into a fishing derby in 2021 and raised $18,000.

In 2022, the tournament made a successful return and, together with the fishing derby, raised $28,000 for the Vancouver hospital.

Registrations for the Bats for a Cause tournament are expected to open later this spring and the event will be taking place July 22 and 23. Be sure to keep an eye on Brewed in Canada’s Facebook or website for updates on that event.

Thumbnail photo credit courtesy of Brewed in Canada Facebook