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CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – Big fish, big fun and an even bigger turnout marked this past weekend’s Clearlake Oaks-Glenhaven Catfish Derby.
The 2013 derby gave out $10,000 in cash and prizes, and had a record number of participants, according to Dennis Locke, one of the annual event’s organizers.
John Sorden of Clearlake topped the field in the adult division with a catfish weighing 22.24 pounds, Locke said. Sorden won a $4,000 cash prize.
Gary McAsey came in second in the adult division with a 21.66-pound fish, followed by Chris Lane of Hood River, Ore., who reeled in a catfish weighing 20.77 pounds, based on derby rankings.
Angelina Godinez of Lakeport won the children’s division with a fish weighing 19.93 pounds. Locke said she took home an Apple iPad.
Rounding out the top three in the children’s rankings were Nalani Marlowe of Clearlake Oaks, with a 17.72-pound fish; and Brice Holt of Sacramento, whose fish weighed 17.19 pounds, according to derby rankings.
Locke said the biggest news may be the derby’s record number of participants.
“We had expected attendance to be up slightly from last year (a record turnout then), but not to the extent that we actually experienced,” Locke said.
Locke said there were 706 adult entries this year, up from 581 last year, and 143 child entries, up from 113 last year.
“The large numbers stressed our volunteer staff pretty well, but I think we still managed to show everyone a good time,” Locke added.
Derby organizers weighed fewer fish by number and weight than last year, probably due to the windy
conditions that persisted on all but the last day, he said.
A total of 261 fish were caught during the three-day tournament, with a total weigh of 3,521.09 pounds, according to derby organizers.
As in most years, a large percentage of the derby participants were visitors from outside Lake County. Locke said approximately 61 percent of those taking part – or 521 people – had traveled to the county for the derby, Locke said.
He added that fishing enthusiasts came from as far away as Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Washington. Approximately 327 Lake County residents participated.
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.
