Bobby Bolduc of Quebec broke the record for the biggest fish in the history of the Fort Kent International Muskie Derby, according to organizers.
This weekend’s tournament was the 22nd, and had a purse of $10,000. It featured special $200 prizes for the biggest fish each of the tournament days in honor of Erik Gardner, an Allagash man who recently died from cancer. Normally the biggest fish gets $100 each day. There were 248 entrants, which organizers say was average.
The winning muskellunge, or muskie, was 46 ¾ inches long and weighed 27.75 pounds, netting Bolduc the $2,000 grand prize.
Bobby Bolduc of Quebec broke the record for the biggest fish in the history of the Fort Kent International Muskie Derby, according to organizers.
This weekend’s tournament was the 22nd, and had a purse of $10,000. It featured special $200 prizes for the biggest fish each of the tournament days in honor of Erik Gardner, an Allagash man who recently died from cancer. Normally the biggest fish gets $100 each day. There were 248 entrants, which organizers say was average.
The winning muskellunge, or muskie, was 46 ¾ inches long and weighed 27.75 pounds, netting Bolduc the $2,000 grand prize.
Organizer Dennis Cyr of Fort Kent didn’t have the statistics on the prior record fish handy Monday, but said he knows Bolduc’s fish was an inch longer than last year’s. The winning fish at the very first derby was 28 inches long, he said.
“There were a lot of big fish this year,” he said. “They seem to get bigger every year.”
Zack Gallant-Cote of Edmundston, New Brunswick, came in second place with a 45 ⅝ -inch muskie weighing 27.51 pounds for a $1,500 prize. He also had sixth place at 43 ¼ inches and 21.84 pounds for $550.
Scott Haggerty of Presque Isle came in third place with a 43 ¾ -inch, 21.45 pound fish for a $1,000 prize. He also had ninth place at 41 ¾ inches and 19.33 pounds for $300 and 15th place at 40 ½ weighing 19.15 pounds for $100.
Jim Campbell of Fort Kent was fourth with a 43 ½ -inch, 18.05-pound muskie, for a $650 prize.
Tyler Thibeault of Fort Kent was leading at the end of Saturday with a 41 ⅜ inch long and 16.79-pound muskie. By Sunday afternoon, he was fifth on the leaderboard with a 43 ⅜ -inch, 26.47 pound fish and was in the money for $600. His Saturday catch was 11th for $200.
Felix Gautreaux of Edmundston, New Brunswick, was seventh with a 42-inch, 21.75-pound muskie, for $500.
Dave O’Brien of Vermont came in eighth with his 41 ¾ -inch, 21.45-pound fish, for $400. He also had 12th place at 41 inches and 24.55 pounds, for $175 and 14th place at 40 ¾ inches and 18.78 pounds for $125.
David Sheldrick III of New York state had the 10th place muskie, at 41 ¾ inches, 17.5 pounds, for $250.
Tucker O’Brien of Vermont was 13th with a 41-inch fish weighing 19.31 pounds, for $150.
Youth competitors Cameron Jandreau of Fort Kent placed first with a 39 ⅛ -inch, 13.71-pound muskie, winning him $500. Quinn O’Brien of Vermont placed second with a 38 ¾ -inch, 16.02-pound fish, winning him $250.
A simultaneous bass tournament ended with a big fish in first as well. Zach Haggerty of Presque Isle caught a 21-inch, 4.78-pound bass for the top prize of $1,000. He also had the second-place bass at 20 ¼ inches and 4.01 pounds for a prize of $500.
Shane Wishart of Wallagrass was third with a bass measuring 20 ⅛ inches long and weighing 4.18 for a $250 prize.
Cyr said the derby relies on sponsors for the $12,000 it takes each year to put on the derby, and he expressed thanks to them. He’s already looking forward to next year’s 23rd tournament, which will be held the second weekend of August.
In the meantime, Cyr is also in charge of the Can-Am Crown International Sled Dog Races, held in Fort Kent in March. The 2024 race had to be canceled due to lack of snow. He hopes for better luck in March 2025.
