- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Annual Catfish Derby reels in records
CLEARLAKE OAKS – Clearlake Oaks' annual Catfish Derby marked 2009 with the best turnout in its history, with great weather and plenty of big fish.
The Clearlake Oaks/Glenhaven Business Association sponsors the event – billed as the largest catfish derby west of the Mississippi. It began on noon on Friday and ran through noon on Sunday.
Derby volunteers and participants agreed this year was the best derby ever, said Dennis Locke, one of the group of hardy derby volunteers.
There were 510 adult entries and 119 kids entries, which are both derby records by a “substantial” margin, Locke said.
Fifty-nine percent of this year's 629 entries came from outside of Lake County – including Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho and Hawaii.
The derby weighed 143 fish – 113 caught by adults, 30 caught by children – totaling more than 1,700 pounds this year, said Gail Jonas, who leads the event, which raises money each year for Clearlake Oaks' annual July 4 fireworks display.
“It's becoming more of a family event,” said Jonas, noting that whole families come and enter in the derby, which began Friday and ended Sunday.
Stephen Cassel of Oroville was this year's adult derby winner. He caught a 28.10-pound catfish just after 8 a.m. Sunday to capture the title and take home a new boat, motor and trailer.
Eight-year-old Dylan Armstrong of Nice was the winner of the kids' derby, catching an 18.40-pound catfish at 8:45 p.m. Friday and winning a new quad all-terrain vehicle.
The catfish that Cassel and Armstrong caught to win their respective divisions were released back into Clear Lake, according to organizers.
Locke said more than $3,000 cash was awarded to other adult participants and $75 to kids. In addition, community members donated many raffle prizes for those entering the derby, including several fish rods and reels a derby participant donated.
Donations also were made for the awards for the youngest child participating – 4 years old – and for the child catching the smallest fish, which was 3.24 pounds.
Locke said more than 75 volunteers worked four straight days, some as long as 16 hours each day, to make the derby a success. This year's event also featured the inaugural Catfish Derby Cook-Off.
The full derby results are published below.
2009 Catfish Derby adult rankings
1. Stephen Cassel, Oroville, 28.10 pounds, caught 8:04 a.m. Sunday
2. Edward Rainey, Clearlake Oaks, 27.13 pounds, caught 9:43 a.m. Sunday
3. Tom Wheeler, Sutter, 21.11 pounds, caught 8:02 a.m. Saturday
4. Kevin Heins, Grants Pass, Ore., 21.07 pounds, caught 7:18 a.m. Saturday
5. David Fernandes, Clearlake, 19.59 pounds, caught 3:02 p.m. Saturday
6. Colleen Adair, Clearlake, 19.13 pounds, 7:02 a.m. Sunday
7. Troy Morgan, Loch Lomond, 19.13 pounds, caught 8:03 a.m Sunday
8. Matthew Ross, Clearlake, 19.07 pounds, caught 9:59 a.m. Sunday
9. C. Ferguson, Riverside, 19.01 pounds, caught 9:09 a.m. Saturday
10. Jeff Griffith, Woodland, 18.78 pounds, caught 11:31 a.m. Sunday
11. Steve Johnson, Oceanside, 18.70 pounds, caught 6:12 p.m. Saturday
12. Gary Simpson Sr., Yuba City, 18.63 pounds, caught 10:36 a.m. Sunday
13. Jorge Curiel, Vallejo, 18.35 pounds, caught 3:02 p.m. Saturday
14. Jason Costello, Lower Lake, 18.24 pounds, caught 11:01 p.m. Friday
15. Zach Medeiros, Yuba City, 18.10 pounds, caught 7:08 p.m. Friday
16. Lee Sayasombath, Santa Rosa, 18.10 pounds, caught 7:18 a.m. Saturday
17. John Handcock, Roseville, 18.06 pounds, caught 3:02 p.m. Saturday
18. Wade Stafford, Clearlake, 17.69 pounds, caught 10:37 a.m. Sunday
19. Omar Mandujano Jr., Healdsburg, 17.68 pounds, caught 12:01 p.m. Saturday
20. Jonathan Ganey, Garberville, 17.53 pounds, caught 9:39 a.m. Sunday
21. Joshua Lane, Hood River, Ore., 17.31 pounds, caught 10:39 p.m. Friday
2009 Catfish Derby children's rankings
1. Dylan Armstrong, Nice, 18.40 pounds, caught 8:45 p.m. Friday
2. Renato Mandujano, Healdsburg, 17.29 pounds, caught 1:37 p.m. Friday
3. Mical Wood, Clearlake, 16.53 pounds, caught 11:01 a.m. Sunday
4. Jerry Nelson, Clearlake, 16.24 pounds, caught 7:25 a.m. Sunday
5. Dakota McWethy, Lucerne, 15.02 pounds, caught 9:54 a.m. Saturday
6. TJ McDonnell, Kelseyville, 13.09 pounds, caught 7:12 a.m. Sunday
7. Robert Costello, Lower Lake, 12.58 pounds, caught 5:23 p.m. Friday
8. Guy Boyd Jr., Clearlake, 12.51 pounds, caught 8:24 a.m. Saturday
9. Georgia Schmit, Upper Lake, 12.13 pounds, caught 8:27 a.m. Sunday
10. Kasey Brown, Lower Lake, 11.50 pounds, caught 4:11 p.m. Saturday
Fish statistics
Total fish caught (143): Friday, 29; Saturday, 77; Sunday, 37
Total fish released (109): Friday, 25; Saturday, 48; Sunday, 36
Total fish kept (34): Friday, 4; Saturday, 29; Sunday, 1
Total weight: Friday, 335.55 pounds; Saturday, 908.09 pounds; Sunday, 518.58 pounds
Total fish poundage for the derby: 1,762.22
Largest fish for each day of the derby: Friday, 18.40 pounds (caught by Dylan Armstrong, Nice, winner of children's division); Saturday, 21.11 pounds (caught by Tom Wheeler of Sutter, No. 3 in adult division); Sunday, 28.10 pounds (caught by Stephen Cassel of Oroville, adult derby winner).
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