Some fishermen say rain is their friend.

Even a heavy downpour didn't keep dozens from taking part in the ninth annual Nesquehoning Conservation Club tournament, held in memory of the late Connell McCall, on Saturday. The event was held at Nesquehoning Creek.While obviously the weather was a conversation piece, the main talk topic was a 23½-inch rainbow trout pulled from the creek by 10-year-old Xander Logan of Virginia Beach.It was the largest fish ever caught in the tournament, said Greg Pecha, vice president of the conservation club.Logan is the son of Nino and Samantha Logan, both former Nesquehoning residents. Nino is living in Virginia while serving with the U.S. Navy.The tournament had 31 youngsters participating, said Sam Kitchko, the club's secretary-treasurer.Club President Don McGorry said he was happy with the turnout considering the weather conditions.The derby was sponsored by the Nesquehoning Conservation Club and the Friends of Connell McCall, a Lansford resident who passed away in 2006. He was a son of Emmett P. McCall, Carbon County Recorder of Deeds, of Lansford, and the late Mary Ellen McCall.Since it was begun in 2009, the derby has resulted in raising thousands of dollars for the conservation club, which uses the revenue for creek cleanup operations and to stock trout in the waterway.The club was founded in 2005 to promote field and stream conservation and good sportsmanship, help stimulate public awareness of fishing in the Nesquehoning Creek, make sure conservation codes are followed and promote community involvement in field and stream activities.Following the installation of the Nesquehoning Borough Sewage Treatment Plant, the club, which now numbers about 60 members, began what has been a successful voyage that has transformed the waters into a popular fishing spot for trout-starved fishermen.