Free family fishing derby at Desert Lake Resort

Feb 11, 2010

Bret Colman, the honorable Monique Smith, Sally Colman and Beth Pointer, executive director of Camping Ontario. Photo courtesy of Bret and Sally Colman

This weekend on Saturday Feb.13 from 10am-2pm the Frontenac Stewardship Council and Frontenac Stewardship Foundation will be holding their first Family Panfish Fishing Derby at the Desert Lake Resort near Verona and the event is entirely free of charge. Prizes will be awarded; there will be a free BBQ, hot beverages, free skating and a bonfire with marshmallows for roasting. It’s an excellent opportunity for new anglers and there will be free fishing gear on hand for those without. Because the event coincides with the MNR’s “Family Fishing Weekend” no fishing licenses are required.

To ensure that enough food is prepared, interested participants are encouraged to pre-register by contacting Cam McCauley of the Frontenac Stewardship Council at (613) 531-5714 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or with Bret Colman of Desert Lake Resort at (613) 374-2196.

The event promises to be fun for the whole family and participants are encouraged to dress warmly and to bring something to sit on.

Cam McCauley, coordinator of the Frontenac Stewardship Council (FSC), is thrilled to be able to offer this free first time event, which was made possible through a grant from the Ontario Stewardship Fund. He says the purpose of the event is to “raise awareness and to promote fisheries and angling in Frontenac County.”

Bret Colman, co-owner and operator of the resort, is also a council member of the FSC and he and his wife Sally offered the resort as a location for the event. Bret explained, “We really want to show people that the fun on the lake does not have to end once the ice freezes. We are also hoping to get more youth involved in fishing and angling.”

Bret and Sally purchased the 36-year-old resort from Sally’s parents years ago. The resort was presented with the 2009 Ontario Campground of the Year Award by the Ontario Private Campground Association in November. The Colmans believe it is their diverse recreation program for children and teenagers in particular that helped them to win the award.