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| FIREFIGHTER WINS 2003 LOC SPRING FISHING DERBY |
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| Release Date: 5/7/2003 |
| Authored by: Bill Hilts, Sr. |
 | | Christie Engle with Dad (Michael) and her Grand Prize Youth Fish (21 pound 1 ounce King Salmon) for ... continued |
America has an abundance of hero's these days, but none are more deserving of that honor than the gallant warriors who fought the great battle of 9-11, our firefighters! Appropriately, a firefighter won the Grand Prize at the just concluded LOC (Lake Ontario Counties) Trout and Salmon Spring Derby. The awards ceremony was held at the Robach Center in Rochester, NY on Sunday, May 4, 2003. Joseph Greco, a firefighter from Binghamton, NY took home the $10,000 check with a 23.14-pound Chinook salmon he caught on Wednesday, while fishing off the Niagara Bar near Youngstown, NY, at the red can. He and his crew were dragging a Northern King-28 spoon, 50-feet back, 50-feet down, over 73-feet of water when the big "money-fish" smashed Joe's lure. He realized it was a good spring salmon, but little did he know it would bring him a pile of cash.
Fishing with Greco in their boat "Pasta Man", were his longtime fishing companions, Robert Dale and Jake Harley, both retired firefighters from Binghamton, NY and ironworker Ron Panella from nearby Endicott, NY. The same fish-rich waters of the Niagara Bar produced the vast majority of fish entered in the Spring LOC Derby, including a 21.01-pound salmon caught by young Christie Engle of Hamlin, NY, to win the Grand Prize in the Youth Division of the Spring LOC Derby. The eight-year-old pixie, a student at Village Elementary School in Hamlin, was fishing with her dad Mike Engle and family friend Chuck Dirmyer when the prize-winner hit her Northern King-28 spoon, being run off a Dipsy Diver about 110-feet back and 35-feet down. She caught the big salmon at 9:50 AM, the final day of the derby. An interesting note is the fact that Christie's 10-year-old sister Kara placed eighth in the Lake Trout category. She caught her 13.01-pound fish while angling aboard the family boat, "Fish Nutz", trolling a Northern King spoon, over the Niagara Bar.
The winner of the Salmon category in the Adult Division, and a $2,500 check, was Craig Wright of Auburn, NY, who landed a 23.09-pound Chinook while trolling off the Niagara Bar. Wright says the big fish grabbed a Northern King mag-spoon, which was down 45-feet over 50-feet of water, 25 pulls behind the boat. When the fish hit, it immediately peeled off almost all the line on the reel before he could stop it. The prize-winner was taken off the Niagara Bar. Wright's fishing companion R.J. Cruz took 16th place in the Salmon category with a 21.03-pound King, also taken off the Niagara Bar. The duo reported catching a pile of fish, including a (4foot) sturgeon, all of which were released.
Tony Gould of Rochester, NY won the Lake Trout category of the Adult Division and the $2,500 check with a husky 21.07-pound fish, taken west of Wilson. He was trolling a Northern King-28 spoon, 46-feet down, over 48-feet of water, some 60-feet back when the laker hit. Tony's fishing partners aboard the boat "Fiasco", were Shawn Reuter, Bob McGraw and Walt Mulazars.
The Steelhead/Rainbow Trout category ended in a rare tie, but was won with a nice 20.09-pound steelie taken by Bob Jordan of Port Ontario, NY. The tie fish was caught by Julie A. Biser of Waynesboro, PA, but Jordan's fish was caught first, so he took the $2,500 check. The
- of 2 pages (2003 LOC Trout & Salmon Derby)
The Steelhead/Rainbow Trout category ended in a rare tie, but was won with a nice 20.09-pound steelie taken by Bob Jordan of Port Ontario, NY. The tie fish was caught by Julie A. Biser of Waynesboro, PA, but Jordan's fish was caught first, so he took the $2,500 check. The winner was caught from shore, while casting a Northern King-28 Roy Penna Dolphin spoon off the Port Hope, Ontario shoreline, at Caldwell St. Beach. The big fish was taken the second day of the derby. Jordan took five nice trout that day using Ande 10-pound test line. His fishing partner was Billy Hall of Dalton, PA.
Julie Biser, the lady who also caught a 20.09-pound steelhead, took her 'bow on a Thunderstick, while fishing Blind Sodus Bay, in the Western Basin. Her prize fish brought her the coveted title of Heaviest Fish Taken by a Woman in the Spring Derby. Along with the title went a boatload of prizes. Julie won largest & 2nd largest at her station (Port Bay RV & Campgrouns), $200 for her two $100 daily winners, $400 for her 2nd place fish, a weekend getaway in Oswego County and two tickets to attend the "Wild Women Unite" on October 17-19 (a beginner level wilderness adventure with an expert level of fun)
Jason Thorne of Oneonta, NY took top honors and the $2,500 check in the Brown Trout category. He caught the 16.15-pound trout while trolling a Horse Fly behind a green hotshot dodger, 10-feet down over 18-feet of water at the mouth of the Oswego River. Fishing with Jason was Brant Ballard of Davenport, NY, aboard the boat "Gypsy Rose".
In the Youth Division, the Salmon category was won by young Tim Black of Erie, PA. His prize-winning fish was a lunker 20.13-pound King, taken on a Northern King spoon, dragged over the Niagara Bar.
Dominic Mendola of Lancaster, NY won the Youth Lake Trout category with an 18.10-pound laker taken on a Northern King spoon, trolled on a Dipsy Diver some 60 feet back. The eight-year-old angler, a student at St. Peter and Paul School in Depew, NY, was fishing with family friend Mike Stablewski.
The Youth Division Steelhead/Rainbow category winner was Brandon DeSantis of Rochester, NY. He caught his 11.03-pound winning fish while trolling a Bomber lure in the Genesee River.
Stacy Bolger of Pittsford, NY won the Brown Trout category in the Youth Division. The 12-year-old Pittsford Middle School student was fishing with his dad Bruce, off Durand in Rochester, when the 13.13-pound trout hit a Rapala lure being dragged off trolling boards. He caught the fish the final Saturday of the derby.
More than $34,000 in cash and $15,000 in merchandise prizes was awarded during Sunday's Awards Ceremony in Rochester. Full details of the prizes, fish caught, etc., are available by visiting the LOC Derby website at: www.loc.org.
Sponsors for the 2003 Derbies are: Advocate Charters, American Legion Vietnam Post #1902, Animal Art Taxidermy, Aspinwall Motel, B&B Sportfishing, Canale's Restaurant, Captain's Cove Resort, Charles Rawson Taxidermy, Dream Catcher Charters, Eagle Claw, Fish307.com, Fish Hawk Electronics, Fish-On Charters, Great Lakes Angler, Great Lakes Tackle Supplies, Hotspot, Howie's Tackle, K&G Lodges, Lake Ontario Motel, Lake Ontario Online, Lake Ontario Outdoors, LCI, LJ Roemer Release Mfg., Lowrance Electronics, Mountin' Man Taxidermy, Musky Joe Tours, Narby's Superette, Northern King Lures, Okuma, Pequod Charters, Pleasant Beach Inn, Port Bay RV Part & Campgrounds, Prime Time Charters, R&R Tackle, Reel Easy Sportfishng, Salmo Charters, Stren, TPT Fishin n' Time Charters, Triple S Sporting Supplies, Underwater Technologies, Inc., Village Inn (Albion), West View Lodge & Marina, Whitecap Charters, Wild Women Unite
The Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon fishing Derbies are under the auspices of the non-profit group, Lake Ontario Sportfishing Promotion Council, composed of representatives from each of the seven counties bordering the shoreline of Lake Ontario. All profits from the derbies are utilized for the promotion of the Lake Ontario fishery, education about the fishery, and resource enhancement projects. The Fall LOC Derby is set for August 15 thru September 1, 2003. The Summer Bonus Derby will be held July 18 thru 20, 2003, hosted by the Fair Haven Chamber of Commerce, contact Screwy Louie's for more information about the Fair Haven Summer Bonus Derby at 315-947-6348 .
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