Hooked on the big catch

COEUR d’ALENE — Mark Brown is no stranger to the waters of Lake Coeur d’Alene.

He's participated in the Big One Derby for nearly 30 years and has caught leaderboard-worthy Chinook salmon many times.

But the 41st Derby, which concluded Sunday, proved to be Brown’s year — with just two hours left on the final day, he snagged a 22.35-pound salmon that measured over 34 inches, earning him the title of Big One Derby Champion.

Though the fish made several runs, Brown was able to haul in the winning catch in about 15 minutes, with his wife assisting in netting it.

“Felt pretty good when I saw it come into the boat,” Brown said.

Brown also took fifth place in the Derby with a second salmon that weighed 11.3 pounds.

In addition to bragging rights, Brown also took home the first-place prize of $5,000 and the fifth-place prize of $500 — not to mention nearly 35 pounds of salmon.

“I’ll fillet it out, eat a little bit, and give some of it away,” Brown said.

This year, the Lake Coeur d’Alene Angler’s Association worked with Idaho Fish and Game to change the minimum length for Chinook salmon harvest from 20 to 24 inches.

The regulation change was made to improve the health of the fishery over the long-term, said LCAA president Roger Blackstone.

“The future of fishing looks promising,” Blackstone said. “Many anglers caught fish that were just under the 30-inch derby entry minimum size.”

Awards will be presented Aug. 9 at the Eagles Pavilion.  

The adult division winners are: 

1. Mark Brown, 22.35 pounds 

2. Ryan Helbling, 17.55 pounds 

3. Russ Hogan, 12.9 pounds 

4. Austin Widener, 11.35 pounds 

5. Mark Brown, 11.3 pounds 

6. Gale Belegarde Sr., 11.05 pounds 

The youth division winners are: 

1. Wyatt Corcoran, 7.3 pounds 

2. Donnie Houk Jr., 6.6 pounds 

3. Cooper Malcom, 5.55 pounds 

4. Jenna Morrison, 4.6 pounds