SENNETT - There is a lot to be said for tradition.

For 56 years, the annual children's Falcon Sportsmen Club Fishing Derby has been a cherished tradition.

Lorenzo Farnham, a member of the club's board of directors, said the derby began with one main goal that is still focused on to this day.

“It started to help give our children a sense of conservation and outdoor sports,” Farnham said. “We wanted this to help give kids a sense of nature and the outdoors and all that means and has to offer.”

This is a message that works on several levels, not only for conservation and custodianship of the outdoors, but also for a deeper, more personal meaning.

“It is all about a fun family day together,” said Dottie Wells, club president. “We have people here that are grandparents bringing their grandchildren and they brought their children when they were younger. It is all about passing along that tradition from generation to generation and having a fun day together.”

Club member Jerry Baranska, of Auburn, brought his granddaughter, Adrianna, 10, for the second straight year.

Baranska sees the derby as a chance to spend time together with his family, and also pass along a little bit of knowledge of the outdoors.

“I think it is great,” Baranska said. “I think it is a good way to get the kids out of the house and teach them a little bit about fishing and get them involved in something other than playing video games.”

And for Adrianna, the tournament has definitely been a good time even when the fish aren't biting.

“Last year, I only caught one fish,” Adrianna said. “And this year I haven't caught anything yet. But it is fun and it is nice to spend a day with my grandparents.”

Adrianna was among the more than 100 participants in this year's derby.

It's a tradition that Steve Follett, 17, of Sennett, passed along to his younger brother, Taino Bizardi, 7.

“I used to come to this when I was younger,” Follett said. “I always had fun so I thought it might be something that he would have fun. You've got to be patient, but it is a lot of fun.”

Bizardi was doing his best to wait out the fish.

“I got a bite but he got away,” Bizardi said. “But it is a lot of fun.”

Farnham and Wells said that all the competitors in the derby would be rewarded with a prize, with larger prizes such as fishing poles and tackle going to the young angler with the 20 largest fish caught for the day.

But with other events such as tug of war and food, the focus isn't so much on competition.

“It is a little competitive,” Farnham said. “You have to have a little competition, but that isn't really the major focus. But mostly we want everybody to focus on having fun, that is really what this is all about. We want the kids to have a sense of good competition, a sense of conservation and a sense of community. That is really what we want everybody to get out of the day and to have fun that is really how it should be. The best lessons are the ones you absorb without really realizing it.”