Winners named in Clearwater Snake Steelhead Derby

FISHING — According to unofficial results released Saturday (Nov. 24), a Clarkston man won the $2,000 grand prize at the the annual Kendall Subaru Clearwater Snake Steelhead Derby that’s been held Nov. 17-24 based out of Lewiston and Clarkston.

But perennial prize winner Robert Bass of Deer Park once again was a top money winner, according to the preliminary results from the Lewis Clark Valley Chamber of Commerce .

John White of Clarkston caught a  20.07-pound steelhead on Day 2 of the derby to claim the overall winner title. The fish topped a total of 245 steelhead weighed in during the eight-day event.

Bass  caught the second-largest overall steelhead — 18.6 pounds — on Day 1 of the derby, then another 18-plus-pounder to win the daily prize for Day 3 and a 14.8-pounder to with the Day 5 daily prize.

Fishing and fishing conditions deteriorated during a week of storms and participation fell off some during the big holiday weekend.  The number of fish weighed in steadily declined during the wee with a high of 65 fison on Day one to a low of nine fish on Saturday, the last day.

As I noted in a pre-event story , the derby was extended include the Thanksgiving holiday this year as well as being expanded to include Washington waters.