Enter the OSA fish contest, catch a nice fish and win money

If you like to fish the waters of the State of Nevada, you might be interested in entering the 2008 Ormsby Sportsmen's Association (OSA) Fishing Contest.

Its inexpensive, it can be a lot of fun and you might even win some spending money, just before Christmas. If you are interested, here is some information:

OSA is a local sportsmen's organization for hunters and fishermen. It meets at 7:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month (January-May, plus October & November) at the Carson Nugget Convention Center. It hosts picnics for its members at Mills Park on the third Tuesday of the month for June-September at Mills Park. The first Saturday night in December is reserved for its big annual banquet.

If you are entered in the fishing contest and if your fish is the largest in its category, you will be awarded some nice cash at that banquet (You do not need to be present).

All OSA meetings, functions and activities are family-oriented, free of charge and open to all club members and to anyone else who is interested in the outdoors, hunting, fishing, camping, etc.

The annual membership dues are $5 for adults and $2 for youngsters under the age of 16. That is not a misprint, the annual membership dues are only $5. That's a heck of a deal! Geez, nowadays, a hamburger costs more than that!

The OSA fish contest rules are:

Only paid up OSA adult members, OSA junior members and OSA Lifetime Members are eligible to enter the contest.

The entry fee is $10 per person.

You must be registered in the contest before you enter a fish.

The fishing contest is currently ongoing and will end at sundown on Thanksgiving Day.

The 7 contest categories are as follows for fish caught only in the State of Nevada (with two exceptions listed below):

1. Mackinaw (Lake) Trout (Note: The California side of Lake Tahoe is also acceptable).

2. Lahontan Cutthroat Trout, Bowcutt Trout (a hybrid cross breed between a male rainbow and a female cutthroat) and Cuttbow Trout (a hybrid cross breed between a male cutthroat and a female rainbow).

3. Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout (Note: The California sides of Lake Tahoe and Topaz Lake are both acceptable).

4. All other trout, such as: Eastern Brook, Golden, etc.

5. Northern Pike (found only in Eastern Nevada) and Striped Bass.

6. Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, Walleye and Wipers, which is a hybrid cross breed between a White Bass and a Striped Bass).

7. All other warm water game fish such as: Catfish, Crappie, Bluegill, etc.

Only the first place winners in each of the 7 categories will win cash prizes. The total moneys collected from all the contestants will be pro-rated, back among all of the first place winners. For example: If there are only 4 winners in the 7 categories, then the 4 winners will receive 4 equal shares of the total entry fees. Those cash prizes will be awarded at the OSA annual banquet (Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008).

The following rules apply:

1. The fish must be taken legally.

2. The fish must be weighed before freezing.

3. The length of the fish must be measured from the tip of the nose to the fork of the tail.

4. There must be at least one witness to the catching of the fish.

5. A photograph of the fish is optional, but not mandatory.

6. Anyone found guilty of cheating will forfeit his/her winnings.

To submit an entry in the fishing contest, you must submit the required information to Bob "Slick" McCulloch at 882-6810.

To join OSA or for information about the organization, call McCulloch at 882-6810 or LaNora Clyde at 841-5758.

Finally, be advised that Elaine and I are both entered in this year's contest. I might not be a winner or even a serious contender, but you would be well advised to seriously worry about her fish catching abilities.

Sigh, that is based on my own actual experience of being outfished by her, just about every time we go out. So, don't say you were not forewarned.

• Bet Your Favorite Pigeon

Bet your favorite pigeon that he can't name last year's fishing contest winners.

If he grins and says, "Rich Bachle (a double winner with Cutthroat Trout: 24.5 inches and White Bass: 1 pound), Nom Budden (Rainbow Trout: 2-pounds, 6-ounces), Dennis Hudson (Mackinaw Trout 10-pounds, 8-ounces), and Bob McCulloch (Black Crappie: 2-pounds, 3-ounces)," he might have been at last year's OSA annual banquet.

• Don Quilici is the Outdoors editor for the Nevada Appeal.