SANDPOINT — If you're looking for a fish tale, look no further.

And, if you're looking for fun on the water over the next week, Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club's annual spring derby kicks off today, April 27, and offers plenty of both. The derby runs through May 5.

There are tales of big fish, small fry and epic battles. And after a busy week and a successful pin auction, held online for the third year, LPOIC's Dave Gillespie said anglers are ready for the derby with some getting in a bit of pre-derby practice.

"I think that the fishing should be good this year, at least the last two weeks have been interesting, especially this past week when several pictures of some very large rainbows have been showing up on Facebook," Gillespie said. "On Tuesday Dusty Flammand brought in a very large rainbow that weighed in at 26.05 pounds. and was over 38 inches long. So if there is any doubt that there are some trophy rainbows out there I guess that catch answered that question."

All anglers are invited to come out for the derby, with tickets and memberships sold online at the club's website. The site was recently revamped to include an interactive map with links to weather information, weigh stations for the derby, and much more.

However, those who aren't internet savvy can find derby tickets at locations from Sandpoint to Coeur d'Alene.

LPOIC derbies have been a tradition in the region since the late 1940s — more than 70 years depending on which derby you start with. Gillespie said the tale is that the derbies started in 1947 after an earlier 1940s planting of Gerrard Rainbows from Canada which brought the rainbows to Lake Pend Oreille.

Another tale is that derbies got their start on the lake when the Bonner County Sportsman Club put on a season-long derby on the lake. A few other derbies also were held about the same time, sponsored by the city of Sandpoint.

It wasn't too much later when members of previous derbies combined forces to host a spring derby that offered fun for the region's anglers but didn't devastate the lake's rainbow population, Gillespie said.

First place in the adult rainbow division will net the winner $5,000. Second place comes with a $2,500 prize, third place wins $1,500, and fourth is $750. There is a $500 catch-and-release bonus for placing a rainbow that is successfully released after weigh-in. In addition, there is a $250 bonus for members who claim a spot on the leaderboard at the end of the derby.

Fish must be a minimum of 32 inches.

In the adult mackinaw division, the top fish will net the lucky angler a $1,200 prize, second is $800, third is $600, fourth is $400, and fifth is $200. A $100 prize is given to anglers who place sixth through ninth and a $250 prize for the angler who places tenth.

Younger anglers also get a chance to get in on the fun, with prizes and trophies offered to youth who finish in the top three of each division. Youth A is open to youngsters between the ages of 9 and 12 years old; Youth B is open to those from 0 to 8 years old. A bonus is given to any rainbow trout that places. 

Junior Division anglers have a chance to claim their own bragging rights with the division open to youth between the ages of 13 and 20. Rainbows must be at least 28 inches long while mackinaws can be of any size.

First place wins $600, second is $400, third is $300, and fourth is $200. There is a $100 bonus for the successful catch and release of a placing rainbow.

Many other prizes are also being offered, including a photo contest, a pin purchase bonus, a German Brown bonus, and a corporate sponsor bonus for the highest-placing rainbow.

In addition, the Mr. Nick Naccarato Memorial Award offers a $500 prize for the largest mackinaw caught by a youth division angler who is 12 and under. The Frisky Jenny Challenge offers a $150 prize for the first rainbow caught that weighs over 19.70 pounds.

The entry fee for adults is $60 while the entry fee for the junior division is $10. Tickets are available at Holiday Shores Resort, The Captn's Table, MacDonald's Hudson Bay Resort, Ralph's Coffee House, Odie Bayside Grocery, North Ridge Outfitters, Black Sheep Sporting Goods, Mark's Marine, Fins and Feathers, Priest River Hardware, North 40 (Ponderay), Baview Mercantile, and Superfly Tackle.

Weigh stations can be found at Holiday Shores Resort, the public boat launch in Garfield Bay and MacDonald's Hudson Bay Resort in Bayview.

While local anglers are happy to swap tales of both those that got away — and those successfully pulled on board — Gillespie said it's unlikely many will share their secret spots or favorite lures guaranteed to net the winning mackinaw or rainbow.

"If the anglers have never chased our rainbows before there is a learning curve as at times our rainbows are quite elusive," he said previously.

Info.: lpoic.org

    Randy Shelton won Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club's 2023 fall derby photo contest with this picture of "Tucker having fun!" The spring derby kicks off today and runs through May 5.
  

    Pend Oreille Pete is the focus of this 1986 collector's pin from the Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club.
  

    Pend Oreille Pete is the focus of this 1990collector's pin from the Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club.