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HANCOCK - Three-and-a-half-year-old Clea Ollanketo seemed more intent on fishing a stick out of the water of the Portage Canal than actually trying to pull a fish out of the water with her mother Anne's help Saturday during the Keweenaw Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Fishing Derby in Hancock's Porvoo Park.

However, Clea's father, Alan, said that wasn't Clea's first attempt at fishing.

"She reeled in two fish yesterday," he said.

Those two fish, an 8-inch-long bullhead and a 12-inch-long smallmouth bass, weren't caught during the derby, which Alan Ollanketo said was the first for his family, but not the first for him.

"I did the derby when I was a kid," he said. "I won it with a perch."

The fishing derby was one of the first events for the second day of Bridgefest. Also taking place on the Hancock side of the Portage Lake Lift Bridge, the anniversary of which was the reason for celebration, was the first antique and flea market, organized by Mike Shanahan, owner of Miller's Jewelry and Gifts.

Shanahan said the antique sale and flea market were organized specifically to take advantage of the crowds generated by Bridgefest.

"It was extremely busy (Friday during the parade)," he said.

One of the vendors taking part in the antique sale and flea market was Tony Itoney of South Range, who said buying antiques is a good and secure investment.

"It's better than the stock market," he said.

On the Houghton side of the bridge, Annette Butina, disaster director for the American Red Cross Hancock office, was preparing the course for the fourth annual Rubber Ducky Races between the Houghton dock and the south canal bank.

The first race was just for the local fire departments, 18 of which participated, Butina said.

Each of the departments bought "six quacks" for 25 "bills," she said.

All money raised from the sale of the ducks benefits the American Red Cross Hancock office, and Butina, who is also a firefighter, said firefighters appreciate the assistance the organization gives them.

"I know what it's like to be out on a scene and not have anything to drink," she said. "(Firefighters) are being supportive of us (by taking part in the race)."

At the sound of a fire truck horn, 297 ducks were dumped from a plastic garbage can into the water and they were off - sort of. Despite a constant stiff wind from the west, it took the ducks about 15 minutes to make it to the finish line about 50 feet away.

First across the finish line was one of the ducks purchased by the Adams Township Fire and First Responders, second and third places went to South Range Fire Department.

Butina said the Adams Township firefighters will get a homemade spaghetti and ravioli dinner with homemade cheesecake.

Kurt Hauglie can be reached at khauglie @mininggazette.com.