I work with the Chantry Derby data base for any number of reasons, and something extremely odd became apparent this spring as I was working up a presentation.

The Chantry at age 29 is the second oldest and third largest Salmon/Trout Derby in Ontario. The Great Ontario Salmon Hunt is largest followed by the Owen Sound Derby.

The Chantry's Top Salmon nets $14,000 and our top Trout nets $6,000. There are over $31,000 in cash prizes available in 11 categories.

Our final donations aren't in, but we expect to top $150,000 in total prize value once the "in kind" donations are totalled in as well. Okay, it may be only $140,000.

Point is that we have 38 major prize categories plus daily prizes of downrigger rod/reel combos at each of 3 weigh stations for a total of 86 very substantial prizes. Not shabby by any reckoning.

These will be meted out to about 1200 entrants. Pretty good odds I'd say.

Now, here is the curious thing. We have a large contingent of Bruce/Grey entrants but within the city of Owen Sound itself guess how many entrants we see.

Six. Only six.

And Owen Sound I know to be fish crazy. Tracking postal codes we have a decent attendance from the surrounding rural areas, but what gives in town?

Twenty five minutes gets one from 2nd and 10th to Southampton where there is free launching and free parking. And wide open water.

Why only six individuals? You could have blown me over with a fart when I found that.

Very curious.