- Lake County News reports
- Posted On
Annual Catfish Derby posts record turnout, record haul of fish
CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – It was another big year for the annual Catfish Derby, with a record turnout and participants coming from nine states to take part.
The 29th annual derby – billed as the biggest event of its kind west of the Mississippi – took place this past Friday through Sunday, sponsored by the Clearlake Oaks-Glenhaven Business Association.
Dennis Locke, a member of the organizing team, said the derby was “a huge success,” with near-perfect weather and fishing conditions, and more than $8,500 in cash and merchandise awarded to derby contestants.
Carla Meza of Yuba City won the adult division and took home a $4,000 cash prize, according to Locke.
She brought in a 23.82-pound fish she caught at Clear Lake State Park using cut mackerel as bait, Locke said.
Meza would later return her fish to Clear Lake, according to derby records.
Triton Marlowe of Clearlake Oaks won the children's division – and took home a Nintendo Wii gaming system – for bringing in a 16.26-pound fish that he caught in the Clear Lake Keys using chicken livers, Locke reported.
Locke said there were 693 entries – 580 for the adult event and 113 for the children's derby – which he said was easily a record turnout.
This year's contestants weighed 276 fish totaling approximately 3,574.10 pounds, which Locke said also was a derby record.
He said some contestants reported catching and releasing as many as 10 to 15 smaller catfish in one day.
Visitors made up the largest number of participants, with 419 out-of-county entries – or 60 percent – coming from nine different states, and as far away as Massachusetts and Mississippi, to fish in Clear Lake, Locke said. Approximately 274 entries came from Lake County.
The annual catfish derby is the major fundraiser for the Clearlake Oaks-Glenhaven Business Association.
All proceeds are given back to the community in the form of donations, scholarships, grants and funding for the annual July 4 fireworks.
The list of winners in the two divisions follows.
ADULT DIVISION
1. Carla Meza, Yuba City; fish caught May 18 at 11:07 p.m., weighed 23.82 pounds
2. Joel Giusti, Yuba City; fish caught May 20 at 8:52 a.m., weighed 23.10 pounds
3. John Bybee, Yuba City; fish caught May 19 at 2:43 p.m., weighed 21.80 pounds
4. Bryan Van Lingen, Kelseyville; fish caught May 20 at 11:02 a.m., weighed 20.44 pounds
5. Joe Anderson, San Pablo; fish caught May 18 at 7:37 p.m., weighed 20.07 pounds
6. Matthew Ross, Clearlake; fish caught May 20 at 11:44 a.m., weighed 19.62 pounds
7. Tim Zanolini, Santa Rosa; fish caught May 19 at 1:25 p.m., weighed 19.42 pounds
8. Owen Sunke, Forestville; fish caught May 20 at 9:10 a.m., weighed 19.21 pounds
9. Cory West, Yuba City; fish caught May 20 at 8:03 a.m., weighed 18.46 pounds
10. Brandon Holt, Elk Grove; fish caught May 20 at 8:02 a.m., weighed 18.39 pounds
11. Jack Scott, Gerber; fish caught May 18 at 2:40 p.m., weighed 18.14 pounds
12. Kristal Harris, Clearlake; fish caught May 20 at 11:44 a.m., weighed 18.10 pounds
13. Tim G Bybee, Yuba City; fish caught May 19 at 9:49 a.m., weighed 18.01 pounds
14. Gregory Walker, Richmond; fish caught May 19 at 5:34 p.m., weighed 17.93 pounds
15. Alan Brobst, Napa; fish caught May 19 at 1:13 p.m., weighed 17.73 pounds
16. Frederick Stewart, West Sacramento; fish caught May 19 at 12:14 p.m., weighed 17.41 pounds
17. Mathew Reed, Taylorsville; fish caught May 18 at 10:26 p.m., weighed 17.20 pounds
18. Edward Black, Clearlake; fish caught May 20 at 11:44 a.m., weighed 17.18 pounds
19. Zack Zanolini, Santa Rosa; fish caught May 18 at 9:07 p.m., weighed 17.02 pounds
20. Robert Cummings, Lakeport; fish caught May 18 at 2:41 p.m., weighed 16.99 pounds
CHILDREN'S DIVISION
1. Triton Marlowe, Clearlake Oaks; fish caught May 19 at 9:41 p.m., weighed 16.36 pounds
2. Kaya Albrecht, Santa Rosa; fish caught May 20 at 12:10 p.m., weighed 15.89 pounds
3. Jason Meza, Yuba City; fish caught May 18 at 11:07 p.m., weighed 15.72 pounds
4. Parker Kenner, Lakeport; fish caught May 19 at 3:57 p.m., weighed 15.71 pounds
5. Dominic Lane, Hood River, Ore.; fish caught May 19 at 2:30 p.m., weighed 15.68 pounds
FISH STATISTICS
Friday, May 18
Total fish caught: 60
Total fish kept: 30
Total weight of fish caught: 768.80 pounds
Total weight of fish kept: 372.28 pounds
Largest fish released: 23.82 pounds (derby winning fish)
Largest fish kept: 17.93 pounds
Saturday, May 19
Total fish caught: 90
Total fish kept: 23
Total weight of fish caught: 1159.8 pounds
Total weight of fish kept: 287.64 pounds
Largest fish released: 19.42 pounds
Largest fish kept: 21.80 pounds
Sunday, May 20
Total fish caught: 53
Total fish kept: 20
Total weight of fish caught: 737.71 pounds
Total weight of fish kept: 247.82 pounds
Largest fish released: 23.10 pounds
Largest fish kept: 16.60 pounds