MALONE — A popular early season fly-fishing tournament is set to return to the Salmon River this weekend.
The Salmon River Preservation Club will host the 20th annual Hendrickson Hatch Fly-Fishing Tournament on the Salmon River, with fishing taking place on Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7.
The annual fly-fishing tournament began with the hopes of promoting a productive North Country trout fishery and raising funds for river preservation, conservation and maintenance projects as well as stocking larger trout in the river, according to a press release from tournament officials.
According to an email from Hendrickson Hatch Fly-Fishing Tournament board member Tim Damon, on Wednesday the Salmon River has been fishing well and hatches have been excellent with great water temps and flows. He said he is looking forward to good numbers of trout this weekend and although the forecast calls for rain, no thunderstorms are in the forecast, with the temperatures and river level remaining great and even improving a little with some rain.
According to Damon, regardless of weather he’s looking forward to seeing the tournament’s regular attendees, adding there will be food available, along with “a great speaker and great company over the weekend.”
“Bring your raincoats and catch some fish,” he wrote.
Signing up
In-person registration will be held from 8 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. on Saturday at Malone’s American Legion Post 219 on Morton Street, followed by a review of the rules and weekend event schedule, according to organizers, and all contestants should be present at the legion post for kick-off.
Fishing will begin shortly after 10 a.m. with the final check-in tally being up until 2 p.m. sharp, at the legion on Sunday, organizers said, and the registration fee is $85 and $25 for those 16 and under.
All tournament proceeds will go to the Salmon River Preservation Club for the continued enhancement and stocking of the local river.
Coffee and donuts will be available at registration courtesy of Dunkin’ and Stewart’s Shops and a full roast turkey dinner will be included, served by the American Legion on Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m., with a cash bar available and guest speaker Canadian pro tournament fly-fisher Mathieu Desbiens, who will conduct a presentation of pro tournament strategies, according to organizers. The awards ceremony will feature a barbecue at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Legion, with door prizes, raffles and potentially some fishing stories. The top three winning fly-fishers will be presented with plaques based on the total number of inches of their largest three trout, according to organizers, and there will also be a plaque for the largest trout caught during the tournament.
The fishing sites
Fishing will take place on the Salmon River between Chasm Falls Dam and State Route 37, in the town of Westville, according to the tournament’s website.
According to John Miletich, in an interview with the Telegram about the tournament’s return in 2021, the Hendrickson Hatch event in Malone dates back to 2005, and got its start as one of the events organized by Beverly Quenville around the Salmon River that year. He described the Salmon River as a great ecosystem for trout and one that offers multiple points of access and a less crowded fishing than some North Country trout fisheries, such as the Ausable River.
According to Miletich, the tournament’s name comes from an insect, explaining the Hendrickson Hatch is the first major mayfly hatch of the season.
Fishing licenses are required for all of the tournament’s anglers ages 16 and up.
Maps of the Salmon River will be available to anglers who must access the river at public and legal spots.
The Hendrickson Hatch is a catch-and-release-only, team-partnered tournament, organizers said, and interested anglers can contact Bob Giordano at 315-323-4632 to pre-register or visit www.hendricksonhatch.org for registration and additional information.
Payment at the tournament doors on Saturday will be by cash or check only.
Anglers will take to the Salmon River over the weekend in pursuit of trout during the 20th Annual Hendrickson Hatch Fly-Fishing Tournament.