By Reann Fournier, Special to The Record
Every year, the Wales Home Pond is stocked with trout by Bill Lyon, a local from the area, for the annual fishing derby hosted by the home. Because of the pandemic restrictions, this year’s derby was cancelled, but residents and families have continued to frequent the pond, Keith Baldwin being one of the daily visitors.
“Most years there’s the derby,” said Baldwin. “It’s such a pleasure to see everyone out on that day. I always help out and don’t fish myself that day but, because of the pandemic we still have lots of fish and they seem to be extra-large this year.”
This fall, Baldwin caught a 13-inch trout while out fly fishing on the home’s pond. Usually 9 or 10 inches, Baldwin said that the large fish was a nice surprise.
A fly fisher, Baldwin said that he usually goes out to fish during the evenings. “That’s a good time for fly-fishing,” he said. “I’ll catch a fish and it will be my lunch for the next day.”
Through this year’s fishing season, Baldwin noticed that the trout he was catching were larger than normal. Luckily, the evening that he caught the biggest trout he’d seen, Carol Ann McElrea, the activities coordinator at Wales Home, happened to snap a photo.
“For trout, 13 inches is the largest we’ll get,” said Baldwin. “Normally, the pond is stocked with 9 or 10-inch fish, maybe some 12. I’d say that this one probably grew about an inch over the summer cause the pond was stocked in early june.”
Baldwin added that, while the end of fishing season has come and gone, he still continues to take daily walks to the pond. “It really is just an enjoyable place to visit,” he said. “It’s nice paved walks in the gardens and one goes out to the pond. Right now I’m looking at the fall colours and it’s really just an enjoyable place.”
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