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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Spring Derby starts Saturday at Lake Pend Oreille

Rainbow trout at Lake Pend Oreille are fattening up on the growing number of kokanee in the lake.   (Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club)
Rainbow trout at Lake Pend Oreille are fattening up on the growing number of kokanee in the lake. (Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club)

FISHING -- Anglers will be competing for more than $10,000 in cash prizes when Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club Spring Derby kicks off this weekend.

The annual event runs Saturday through May 1 with prizes in several divisions. The annual pin auction fundraising event for lake fisheries projects is Friday, 6 p.m., at the Elks Lodge in Ponderay.

The derby will pay cash for the top five rainbows including $2,500 for the biggest, and five places in the adult mackinaw division up to $1,200. Prizes also are awarded for the Mack of the Day, best largest brown trout, best photo and junior division competition. 

“The lake has been chuck full of kokanee for the past few years and the Gerrard rainbows have been feeding well,” said Clint Nicholson, club spokesman. “This could be a year for the record books.”

Purchase derby tickets before fishing at North 40 Ponderay, White Elephant stores, Fins and Feathers, Ralph’s Coffee House, Rathdrum Drug, Sandpoint Marine, Pend Oreille Valley Sports, Priest River Hardware.



Rich Landers
Rich Landers joined The Spokesman-Review in 1977. He is the Outdoors editor for the Sports Department writing and photographing stories about hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, conservation, nature and wildlife and related topics.

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