Smiths keep it in the family with pike tournament win
Jeff Selle | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 12 years AGO
<p>Bill Smith, left, and his son, Jeff Smith, congratulate each other after winning the Lester V. Smith Pike Tournament on Lake Coeur d'Alene Sunday. The tournament was named as a tribute to Bill's father 19 years ago.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - Jeff Smith and his father, Bill, won the Lester V. Smith Pike Tournament on Lake Coeur d'Alene Sunday, which ironically was named as a tribute to Bill's father.
"That made this the coolest thing ever," said Jordan Smith, of Fins and Feathers, who is Jeff's son. "It's been a tribute to my great grandfather for the past 19 years."
Jeff Smith could not be reached for comment on Wednesday, but Jordan said it was a special moment for the family when the Smith-Smith team won.
"Everyone was really digging it," Jordan said.
The tournament included 96 teams of two. The top 10 teams alone weighed in more than 405 pounds of Northern Pike over the two-day event.
"That was the largest tournament we've had," Jordan said. "In fact, it's the largest tournament on the lake.
It might even be the largest tournament in the area."
The Smith team turned in a combined weight of 56.36 pounds of pike for the win, and landed the largest Sunday fish weighing in at 11.48 pounds.
"They caught the 11-pounder on the south end of the lake," Jordan said. They were using a fire-tiger colored Husky Jerk plug.
"They were in about 7 feet of water," Jordan added. "There aren't a lot of weeds out there yet, but they were fishing where the weed beds would be."
Shawn Chadderdon and Steve Turner caught the largest pike in the tournament on Saturday. It weighed in at 18.66 pounds. However, they did not place in the top 10.
Jordan was not exactly sure how or where the Chadderdon-Turner team caught the lunker, but he suspects they were using a Husky Jerk plug as well.
"I know it was caught on Lake Coeur d'Alene, but I couldn't tell you exactly where."
Jordan said the pike fishing should really pick up this weekend as the weather warms up.
Pike tournament results
Here are combined weight results of the other top 10 teams:
n 2nd: Hoffman-Cogley 48.36
n 3rd: Cornell-Cook 46.14
n 4th: Goodson-Stephenson 45.18
n 5th: Ringer-Elvig 37.22
n 6th: Palmer-Palmer 36.08
n 7th: Collett-Marscand 34.70
n 8th: Marlow-McManns 34.68
n 9th: Ragan-Ragan 33.98
n 10th: Smally-Smally 32.52
MORE IMPORTED STORIES
ARTICLES BY JEFF SELLE
NAACP calls for continued investigation of hate mail
SPOKANE — The newly appointed president of the NAACP said Friday that the local chapter is still interested in finding out who mailed the threatening letters to the organization, but police say they have exhausted all leads.
Democrats double down
Tuesday caucus will take place in two locations
COEUR d’ALENE — The Democratic salvo in Idaho’s presidential nomination process will get underway tomorrow night in two locations in Kootenai County.
Who wants Coeur d'Alene Lake Drive?
ITD, city of Cd’A, Eastside Highway District work on proposal
COEUR d’ALENE — An Idaho Transportation Department proposal to transfer ownership of Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive to local jurisdictions is back on the table after being placed on the back burner in 2013.