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The Lucky Star Casino opens Thursday with a special Tribal Night, and then to the general pubic on Friday. (Photo by Hector Lucas)
Fishing enthusiasts will be able to partake in the annual Roman Nose Trout Derby sooner than expected.
The event, which was originally set to take place in March, will now take place from Feb. 5-7.
The Trout Derby, put on by both The Friends of Roman Nose and the Watonga Chamber of Commerce, will run from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.
The three-day event gives people the chance to catch tagged trout in an attempt to win prizes.
Lake Watonga is stocked with one hundred tagged trout along with the normal trout that have been stocked by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
The event is split into senior and junior divisions, 18 years old and older and 17 years old and below respectively. Both divisions include their own cash prizes.
“The Friends of Roman Nose organization and The Watonga Chamber of Commerce invites you to join us at the annual Trout Derby held February 5-7 2021 at the Roman Nose State Park,” Dayla Luetkemeyer, director Watonga Chamber of Commerce said. “Bring the whole family, masks, and some poles to see if you will win one of the many cash prizes. Don’t forget to register at the General store for the grand prize giveaway.”
Prizes for the event include a $500 grand prize of a fishing kayak, and a Yeti cooler. This grand prize will be a drawing and those who registered for the senior division are entered for the chance to win.
Daily cash prizes of $100 and $50 will also be given out to those who catch the heaviest trout in the senior and junior divisions respectively.
Cash prizes given at the end of the three-day event include:
• $50 prize in the junior division for heaviest singleday stringer of trout.
• $100 prize in the senior division for heaviest singleday stringer of trout.
• $150 to the angler with the heaviest total catch over the three days.
• $150 cash prize from a drawing of all the tagged fish caught over the three days.
The event will include a scavenger hunt, and the Watonga Police Department community action group will be serving water, coffee, popcorn, and cotton candy on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the General Store area. On Saturday and Sunday, a fishing clinic, nature hike, and face painting will take place from 1 p.m to 3 p.m.
Pre-registration for the event has already begun and costs $20 to enter the senior division and $10 for the junior division.
You can pre-register by visiting the Watonga Chamber of Commerce office at 505 S. Clarence Nash Blvd, sending an email to cwatonga@pldi.net, or by calling 580-623-5452.
On-site registration will be available on the days of the event from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday. This can be done by visiting the General Store on the lake.
Previous events had required a trout stamp though that is no longer the case. A valid Oklahoma State fishing license is still required.
All fish must be weighed in by 3 p.m. Sunday, after which the awards ceremony will take place.