PONDERAY — The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is growing richer during the 70th running of the annual Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club Spring Derby.

The club is fattening the purse for the two top spots in the rainbow trout division. The first- and second-place finishers stand to win $4,500 and $2,500, respectively. The payouts for those two places was previously $2,500 and $1,500.

The derby gets underway Friday with the annual pin auction at the Elk’s Golf Course. Fishing kicks of promptly on Saturday and continues through Sunday, May 7.

In all, the derby offers more than $18,000 and cash and prizes.

Third-, fourth- and fifth-place finishers in the adult rainbow division are in line to win $1,500, $750 and $500, respectively. There is also a $2,000 bonus that will be divided among LPOIC members who finish in the top five.

In the adult Mackinaw division, the top prize is $1,500. Second- through fifth-place finishers are eligible for awards of $800, $600, $400 and $200. There is also a $150 daily prize for the biggest lake trout entered in the adult Mackinaw contest.

There is a $150 prize for the biggest German brown trout in the adult division and a $100 prize for the best photo taken during the derby.

The entry price for adults is $50 and $20 for anglers between the ages of 14 and 17. Youth in the A and B divisions (up to 13 years) old are admitted into the contest free of charge.

Youth anglers are required to preregister and there are prizes for finishers in the A and B divisions.

The awards ceremony is set for 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 13, at the Bonner Mall.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.