Hayden’s Turney hooks winner on windy, rainy Oktoberfish derby day

In yet another futile attempt to prove that people are smarter than fish, 116 Oktoberfish contestants took to the water on Oct. 2. The day was beautiful with temperatures near 80 degrees and calm waters.

While it was a thoroughly enjoyable day upon the waters of Lake Pend Oreille, the fish appeared to be laid-back as well. Few fish were caught the first of the two-day tournament in which about $3,000 in entry fees would be divided Sunday afternoon.

Sunday dawned with an entirely different weather experience. Whitecaps and rollers, gusty winds and rain greeted the early arrivals with some boats being blown off the lake. By around 10 a.m., though, the winds calmed and tranquility reigned. The rain upon the water got the fish excited and the fight was on.

Mike Perry, cement contractor by day and avid fisherman any other time, was out with his regular fishing buddy Vern Scott. This, the third year of their participation, was going to be the lucky one. Vern had taken second place the previous year. Out on Vern’s boat, “Buckskin,” they were towing planer boards with flies. Saturday they caught a nice 7-pound, 10-ounce fish. Not a prize winner, but still a very nice rainbow trout.

Sunday was better fishing, as Mike landed a 31 ½-inch rainbow that weighed in at 14 pounds. As they rounded into Scenic Bay at the end of the derby, they felt certain that this fish was the winner. But alas, when they got in, it was learned that Raleigh Turney, of Hayden, landed a 15-pound, 10-ounce trout to scoot Mike back into second place. Raleigh, who works part time at Fins and Feathers in Coeur d’Alene, was using a boat borrowed from Jeff Smith of Fins and Feathers.

Turney not only won the derby in his second try, but was first and second in the June Trash Can Derby sponsored by the Captain’s Table in Garfield Bay. Fishing at 100 feet with a squid and flasher, a salmon rig, he apparently is one person who does know more than the fish. He credits Smith for his success. “Pretty much everything I know about fishing comes from Jeff,” he said.

Perhaps the most persistent entrant wasn’t a fisherman at all. It was a fisherwoman, Linda “Mrs. Fish Assassin” Blackstone. Linda, along with her husband, Mark, was a six-time participant in this the sixth year of the tourney. Not limited to just fishing, she made time last year and this year to make a quilt which was the featured prize in the annual raffle, held Friday night.

Pulling a black-and-white “Hootchie,” she reeled in a nice 27-inch, 8-pound 14-ounce trout to take third place. Unlike many others who were using flies and planner boards, she said, “I was at 75 feet when the deep dwelling trout snapped up the offering.” The boat, of course, is named, “Fish Assassin.”

Friday night, the calm before the storm as it were, traditionally is auction night. Organized by Ralph Jones of Ralph’s Coffee House, it was held this year, courtesy of Rusty’s Buttonhook Restaurant. Closed for part of the fall, owner Kim Gittle opened especially for this event. More than 90 people crowded into the ’Hook for the festivities, with complementary brats, sauerkraut and German potato salad for those holding derby entry tickets. Other items were auctioned off with a marine radio donated by Tobler’s Marina, worth $400, as well as two floating buoys worth $100 each.

Blacksheep donated $100 in floating buoys as well. S & B Supply produced a portable barbecue, suitable for on-board use. Perhaps the most popular item was a set of hand-tied flies by Doyle Whitney that went for $85. There were many more donated items, too many to mention in this space.

“This derby is a nonprofit endeavor with all proceeds going to the prize winners,” Jones said.“We brought a bunch of people to town that wouldn’t have been here otherwise. The businesses benefited as did the folks that came to fish.”