Fishing report to end May:

 

This time the report is all about the terrific derby we had,  lots of fish and lots of pictures. I'll post the winners here but check for more in the the photo galleries. You may find a friend or two there.

 

 

The Bill King Memorial Rainbow Derby was held here over the long weekend, with 60 participants vying for the bragging rights, (even Bob Garding was here to defend his 2009 title ). 

What a weekend it was! The fish were cooperating

and even though the winner was not the largest taken  this spring it was still a respectable 30 7/8 inches long ( later weighed at14lbs 2oz).  We measure in inches not pounds as the fish then is not injured by weigh scales when sizing for for a keeper or a throw back .

 

 

 

Earlier in the weekend everyone thought Okanagan Jim Sutherland had lost his marbles when he threw back a fish that would has placed in the top three, but Jim had other ideas and ended up taking home all the marbles.  The decision now makes Jim look like a genius.  Congratulations Jim on 1st place Gerrard Rainbow  and thanks for making trip out.  I am sure the win will help defray some of the costs  incurred over the years.

 

Second place went to defending Champion Bob Garding with a 30 5/8 inch Gerrard (13lbs 5oz) which for awhile looked as if it would be a repeat for a back to back win; congratulation Bob.

  

Our third place winner this year was a young lad named Alex Legge from Calgary Alberta in his first derby with his parents.  Old enough to win 3rd and too young to get into the festivities at the bar Alex received his award on the patio with the doors open to the main event. Alex was the first to bring in a fish and ward off all but two other challengers to the end. the length was 30 3/8 inches but it actually weighed more than 2nd place at 13lb 11 oz.

 

Congratulations goes to this young winner not only for his third place in the derby but Alex was also the recipient of the Nascar Racing Jacket, a  special 15th derby prize donated by a sponsor , JIMMY ZEES out of Port Moody BC.

 

Looks pretty fine Alex!

 

This year we had a special award for the "1st  Loser"

                                

                               " I can't look...is it a winner?"

Not only did Hoagie need a fish stretcher,  he had  to release a fine looking seagull. ( Hoagie, we do not have a largest beak award, we think that's the Birdy Derby). We are happy to report that both Hoagie and the gull survived the ordeal.

                              

Thanks to all those who attended.  Hope you had a good time and that we will see you next year. As well we would like to thank all the sponsors that donated prizes to the event and made the windup such a good time.  Special thanks to Nathan and the servers at the Balfour Beach Inn for letting us take over the pub for the afternoon and making room for underage guests on their restaurant patio.

Our prize sponsors in no particular order are:

Seapro Distributors                                Shimano Deep Blue Sales

Tomic Lures                                           Coremark

Jimmy Zees                                            Dreamweaver Lures

Lyman Lures                                           G&H Outdoors

Kaslo Bay Resort                                    Kootenay Fly Co.

Lancer Marine                                         Mega Silk Screening                                

Jones Boys                                            Split Shot Charters

Balfour Golf Course                                Gill and Gift

 

FISHING IN GENERAL

So what were they catching on and how is the fishing now you say?

Well it just gets better and better.........

 Fishing is fantastic.  Bucktails are still the lure of choice although other are catching on apexes and plugs.  Water Temp has been running around 52 deg F.  and the run off has started so a fair amount of debris is floating on Kootenay Lake.  Some of the boys hook up on the downriggers and run down 5 to  10 feet, others use split shot. It's annoying but the debris field is usually worth the trouble.  One of the guys after leaving the derby ceremonies and trolling back home landed a 18lb 34 inch rainbow. You know before and after the derby is when all the big ones come out of hiding.  Other notes of interest...clients of Split Shot landed a 17lber during the derby but were not entered, and an another Split Shot Charter on May 26th clients enjoyed landing a 25lber. This one they took a picture of before releasing it and we will post n the gallery for you to see.

We are still getting reports of guys lading 15 to 20 fish a day.  Its seems that when the bite comes on it is fast and furious and these 15 to 20 pound trout  could all within a 4 hour period.  That's 4 over 20 lb this year for Split Shot so far, don't know what he's doing but it sure is right. There are even reports of some dollies(bull trout) latching onto to these bucktails. 

 

Colors seem to vary a little from the old favourites 215 to Bleeding Gill  and a lot of different black/white combinations, caveman, hillbilly, black raccoon, black over white with rainbow mylar , even some black /white/purple combos as well as the 214 and 219.

Apexes in the black/pearl, black/purple and Lyman plugs black/white, black/grey , black/purple for the Rainbows and oyster back #32 and the 914 blue black yellow belly for the Dollies. 

 

 

             

 

 

 

                 

                  THE BIG FISH SPOT

 

 

Mine's Bigger than yours Honey.................

 

Tim Faires 25 pound Dolly.... caught of all times on April 1st 2010 and this was no joke!

and below is

Oz Faires  with her 22lb of fighting male Gerrard

Rainbow Trout Jan 13 2010, who just might be thinking  " ya but I had to show you first."

 

   But however you say it ... It is always fun  fishing for this husband and wife team who shows us what Kootenay Lake has to offer this time of year.   

 

 

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