By Derek Liebig

A day off from work resulted in a big pay day for one local angler.

Local resident and Wells Constable Gary Stomski took a day off from fighting crime and patrolling the streets of Wells to get in a little fishing Sunday afternoon and when the day was over he went home several hundred dollars richer.

Stomski was fishing in an undisclosed location north of the damn on Lake St. Catherine when he pulled an 8.26-pound brown trout through the ice. The fish was large enough to earn Stomski the top prize in the “other” trout category at the Greater Benson Derby.

The fish netted Stomski $600 in prize money and he took home another $250 for having one of the winning raffle tickets at the annual fishing tournament.

“It was a nice fish. I thought he’d place but I didn’t think it would win. There were several fish that were all close,” Stomski said.

Stomski attributed the catch more to luck than skill. “A lot of it is just luck, sometimes they bite and sometimes they don’t,” he said.

Stomski declined to reveal the exact location where he caught the fish, wanting to keep the spot a secret for this weekend’s Frosty Derby.

He also wanted to ensure everyone in Wells that he does have a fishing license.

“Even the constable gets to have a little fun,” he said.