SILVER ISLET — Seventeen-year-old Max Vinet has been casting lines in the Silver Islet Campers Association Annual Fish Derby for most of his life and this summer, he reeled in his third victory.
Vinet first entered the derby at just seven years old, fishing alongside his father, Adam Vinet.
“I always go with my dad, we always go out in our boat,” Vinet said. “We try to win, but we’re also on a team together. If one of us wins, we both win.”
His first two victories came in 2017 and 2018, when he landed 12- and 12.5-pound lake trout.
This year, he claimed the top spot again with an 11-pound, 10-ounce lake trout caught near Middleboro Island and the Sand Islands.
“It feels great,” Vinet said. “One year I caught an 18-pound trout and someone beat me with an 18.5-pound trout, so it felt nice to finally get a win back.”
The Silver Islet derby, a community tradition dating back to 1949, drew about 50 anglers this year.
While the thrill of competition is part of the draw, for Vinet the event is just as much about tradition.
“It’s about time spent on the water with my dad,” he said.
