COEUR d'ALENE - Doug Sheldon flirted with winning the Big One Chinook Derby title for several years.

The Rathdrum man has entered the tournament on Lake Coeur d'Alene in 28 of its 29 years. And this year was finally his breakthrough.

Sheldon landed a 23.06-pound, 36-inch fish during the first day of the five-day event that ended on Sunday. His lead lasted throughout the tournament.

"I have two goals - to get a 350 (score) bull elk with a bow and win this derby," Sheldon said. "It meant everything to me. We fished from daylight to dark."

Sheldon won for the first time after finishing near the top multiple times before in previous years.

"He was due (to win)," said Roger Blackstone of the Lake Coeur d'Alene Anglers Association, which organized the event. "It finally happened for him."

The fish earned Sheldon $5,600 and a trophy.

Sheldon caught the fish on the south end of the lake with a fly he had tied.

"I didn't know the fish was that big at first - then I saw its tail," Sheldon said. "I said to my wife (Shellee), 'Honey, just give me the net.'"

Friend Brett Nearing bumped Sheldon from the lead on the final day of the 2004 derby.

"Brett didn't fish in it this year, and that was a good thing for me," Sheldon said.

Sheldon, who finished eighth last year, and his wife had the hot boat on the first day as Shellee caught a chinook that was 15.2 pounds and 30 inches for third place on that day.

Doug said the couple agreed going in to split the money won from the overall standings if either of them earned any.

"My wife gets half," he said.

The event featured 330 adult anglers and 50 youth.

"That's about the average in recent years for the adults, but we haven't had that many youth in quite some time, so that was nice to see," Blackstone said.

Blackstone said the weight of the top fish overall was up from last year.

Dan Palmer, a North Idaho resident, placed second with a 21.74-pound, 34.5-inch chinook on the first day. He won $3,600 with the catch.

Coeur d'Alene's Benita Galland, who won the tournament in 1999 and 2002, finished third with a 20.42-pound, 34.75-pound fish on the second day. She won $1,600.

JoAnn Edmiston caught two fish that finished in the top 10. She caught a 20-pound, 34-inch chinook that placed fourth and one that was 15.92 pounds and 35.5 inches that was ninth.

The last time a chinook of at least 30 pounds was caught was in 1994. Gayne Clifford's 41-pounder in 1987 is the record.

Blackstone said the reason the fish were heavier in the earlier years is that they came from the Great Lakes. Since then, they've adapted to conditions here as wild fish.

Blackstone said about 65 fish caught at this year's tournament qualified for the 26-inch minimum.

"We had a steady bite throughout the derby - and, in some cases, the fish won the battle," he said.

In the Youth division, Brandon Gardner won with a chinook that was 16.62 pounds and 33.25 inches. He won $125 and a trophy.

In the top pike minnow contest, which featured both adult and youth anglers, Eric Matheison won with one that was 4.32 pounds and 23 inches.

The derby was extended from four days to five this year with the intent of taking advantage of less boat traffic during mid-week. It ended a few hours earlier than normal - at noon on Sunday - to allow out-of-town anglers ample time to get home.