REPUBLIC — The 25th Anniversary Fishing Derby in Republic is ready to cast off on the Michigamme River this weekend.

Prizes will be given for a lot of the biggest fish, with a top prize of twenty five hundred dollars for the best walleye. One unique feature of this fishing derby is that it’s perfect for anyone of any skill level interested in fishing.

“They can stop by our booth, we have different products we can show them and little tricks and tips we can show them on how to catch some fish,” said Owner of Fat Guppy Fishing Corey Martell, “there’s going to be a lot of fishermen from all levels and I think they’ll pick up a lot of things from those guys.”

All of the folks involved encourage those who attend to bring their families along for the fun.

“The most fun I have here, is watching kids fish,” added Martell, “I get to rig up some plastic baits for them or I get to show them how to tie a hook or whatever the case is to give them a little tip. The kids over on the dock over here came up and I hooked up a couple of baits for them and it’s fun watching them fish.”

The fishing goes from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Camping, live music, parades, and fireworks will compliment the derby throughout the weekend as well.