Celebrate Father’s Day at the annual Saranac Lake Fish and Game Club’s free fishing derby. (Photo provided — Diane Chase)

There are always plenty of organized events that honor our mothers for Mother’s Day and fathers for Father’s Day. When my father passed on, I realized that I no longer seemed to fit into a traditional model for celebrating Father’s Day. I didn’t get to send a card or make a phone call. It wasn’t necessary to plan a surprise. The day became about finding a few moments to honor my father while my own children found their way to honor their dad.

For Father’s Day, my children tend to “surprise” their father with some sort of outdoor activity. They know their father well. The annual free Father’s Day Fishing Derby is always a great way to spend a few hours of fun on the Lake Colby dock, shore, or water. Organized by the Saranac Lake Fish and Game Club, the rules are simple. Participants are expected to demonstrate good sportsmanship and respect for other people. The purpose of the free event is to get people outside, to enjoy the morning and have fun together.

The Father’s Day Fishing Derby will be held from 8 am to noon on Lake Colby and is open to all children fifteen years and under, who don’t require a fishing license. Registration is at the Lake Colby Beach prior to fishing that morning. Each child receives a door prize and prizes are given for first and second place in each category. After a fun morning of fishing, the Fish and Game Club will fire up the grill for some free hotdogs.

There are five categories: bass, perch, trout/salmon, sunfish or bullhead. The event has draw anywhere from 30 to 80 children, depending on the weather. Since the event just takes place in the morning, there is plenty of time to schedule other plans to make the father/caregiver in your life feel special.

Don’t forget if you don’t have a fishing license, next weekend, June 24-25, 2017, is one of the NYS Free Fishing weekends. Take a friend fishing, a child, or just yourself. No license is required during those free fishing weekends. After a morning of watching my family fish, I’ll probably just go to the driving range and shoot a bucket of balls. My father would have liked that.

Diane Chase is the author of the Adirondack Family Activities guidebook series, Adirondack Family Time: Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities.” For more

family-friendly activities go to www.AdirondackFamily

Time.com.