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'I need a bigger net' A big fish on his anniversary

by BILL BULEY
Staff Writer | August 6, 2010 9:00 PM

COEUR d'ALENE - When Dan Rife reeled the chinook salmon up close enough to try and pull it into his boat Thursday morning, he had one thought.

"I need a bigger net," he said with a laugh.

No other net was around, but the Carlin Bay man still managed to haul in the 22.34-pound, 34-inch long fish to earn first place in the opening day of the 26th annual Big One Chinook Derby put on by the Lake Coeur d'Alene Anglers Association.

It could hold up through Sunday.

"There's no guarantee I'm going to win, but right now this is the leader," Rife said just before turning the fish in at Wholesale Sports, where it will be kept under ice.

The first of the four-day derby saw anglers pull in 20, 18, 15 and 12 pounders in mostly sunny, breezy conditions that added a chop to the water and produced plenty of action.

"It's a dandy so far," said Roger Blackstone, association vice chairman.

About 400 fishermen are entered in the tournament, which is disproving any talk that Lake Coeur d'Alene's fish population is dwindling.

"We've got a lot of people who don't think there are any fish out there," Blackstone said. "But there are."

And there's money for those who catch them, too.

First place in the derby is good for $5,000. Second is $3,000 and third, $1,000. There are daily prizes of $500 for first, $300 for second and $100 for third. The largest pike minnow lands the angler $25 a day.

Even rubber duckies are valuable. About eight are released each day, with prizes inside ranging from $25 to $100 for those who find them.

This is Rife's fifth year entering the Big One Chinook Derby, and Thursday's catch around 7 a.m. at East Point on the southern end of the lake toward Harrison was his biggest.

"I was just real lucky," he said.

Rife has been out alone for about a half hour, trolling about 2 mph in his 21-foot Thunder Jet when he turned his attention to a bald eagle as it swooped down and snared a fish out of the lake.

"I was looking at it, I turned around and saw something had happened," he said.

Initially, he thought his hook with a helmeted herring had snagged the bottom.

"It just didn't act like I had caught a fish," he said.

When he started reeling, it was the start of a 15-minute fight.

"I put my thumb on the reel and I got a giant backlash," he said. "When that happened, then I tried to reel him, but the reel hung up."

He killed the power on the trolling motor to avoid pulling his prize too hard.

As the distance between boat and fish shrank, Rife realized he had a monster on the other end of the line. One problem.

"I wasn't sure I could get him in the net," he said.

Good thing he did.

After weighing in the salmon at Carlin Bay, he called it a day and headed home early. He and his wife, Janet, were celebrating their 44th anniversary Thursday by attending a Spokane Indians game that night.

"I said I was only going to fish until about noon," he said, smiling. "I got home a lot earlier."

Rife hopes his catch holds off the competition. He likes his chances.

Last year's winner was Hayden's Wayne Draeger, who caught a 20.70-pound, 34.5-inch chinook.

"It's two pounds more than last year's winner," he said.

Derby tickets are $25 for adults, while youth 13 and younger are free. They're available at Fins & Feathers, Black Sheep and Wholesale Sports.

Weigh stations are at Sun Up Bay, Carlin Bay, Huttons Resort and Fins and Feathers.