2003 November - Derby Results
9TH ANNUAL BIG FISH DERBY RESULTS
By Larry Wolf
BIG FISH DERBY WINNER
DAN WILLIAMS
The winning fish was a 29 lb. 6 oz. salmon caught by Dan Williams, who launched from the Capitola Pier. DanÃs 1st place fish netted him $1,000.00. The biggest halibut was caught by Tony Forti, fishing from a Sea Kayak out of the Santa Cruz Harbor. His fish weighed 28 lbs. 10 oz., winning $200.00. This was no easy task, and was the first time a sea kayaker has participated in the derby. Congratulations to Toni. The 3 Day Grand Weight Total was won by Gary Cox, whose 3 Day Grand Weight Total was 57 lbs. 1 oz. Gary won the trip to Hotel Buena Vista, a great 3 day vacation package for two which also includes one day of marlin fishing. Once again a hearty thanks to Hotel Buena Vista for their generous donation. The Grand Raffle Prize of a 7 day hotel vacation package in beautiful Runaway Bay, Jamaica was won by Sheri Roberts. Sheri has been an avid supporter of the project for the last 6 years and is very excited to go on this trip. We awarded over 90 prizes for the derby and the raffle.
This yearÃs salmon fishing season was not one of our best. The fish in June and July were feeding mainly on krill. If you were not trolling, you were not catching very many fish. . Needless to say, salmon fishing was tough during the derby. Halibut fishing was OK, but the season really started going two weeks after the derby, so not very many halibut were turned in. There were no sea bass caught. The tuna were out there, but the weather was too rough to reach them
We want to thank all of you who fished in the derby and who helped support the derby and our project. We could not do this without your help. Over $5,000.00 was raised this year and all of which goes back into our hatchery operation. I invite each and every one of you who want to work with the hatchery or at one of our fund raising events to please volunteer. We are an all volunteer organization, dependent on your donations of both time and money to keep our fish populations as healthy as possible.
Thanks again for your support. I hope to see all of you at next year's derby.
Last Updated (Monday, 13 July 2009 20:38)
