Scott Chapple and his buddies have been competing in the annual Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club Spring Derby for some 25 years and never won.

Until now.

With a day left in the derby that ran April 25 to May 3, the Post Falls man caught a 24.3-pound trout that measured 36 inches long. It was good for top honors in the adult rainbow division.

"This one was kind of sweet," Chapple said Friday.

He and friend John Daum had been out about three hours near Bayview after launching out of MacDonald's Resort when the fish struck the road-kill fly on the end of his line about 8:30 a.m. 

He knew it was a big one, despite relatively calm conditions with a small chop on the water.

"We never got much wind, which is what we look for out there," Chapple said. "Those big fish like that usually don't come up unless you've got a big chop."

A 35-minute battle followed.

The fish ripped off a 150-foot run "right off the bat," Chapple said. It turned, fought some more, and made three more runs.

"I couldn't slow her down," he said. "It was a great fighting fish."

When the owner of S & J Electrical Contractors in Post Falls finally got it close enough to the boat, he and Daum managed to net it.

The fish was weighed in at MacDonald's Resort.

A celebration with friends was in order.

"We all got together and had a toast," Chapple said. "It was our year."

He said he plans to participate in the club's fall derby.

"I'll be back and see if we can do the double," he said, laughing.

For winning, Chapple earned $5,000. As he considers himself a "working-class guy," he isn't sure if the money will be used for more fishing fun, or perhaps something more practical.

"I'm still talking to the wife about that," he said.

• • •

Chapple beat out Jeff Laybourne, who hooked a 21.35-pound rainbow that measured 36 1/2 inches long, and Dan Covey, who caught an 18.3-pound, 34 1/2 inch fish, to claim second and third respectively. Previous division leader Tim Fairs, who led for several days with an 18-pound, 33-inch heading into the final day of fishing May 3, dropped to fourth place. 

Laybourne, Covey and Fairs all released their fish after the rainbow trout were measured and weighed.

On the mackinaw side of the derby, Bert Dennett held on to claim top honors in the division after hooking a 20.20-pound, 36 1/4-pound mack. Finishing in second place was Scott Plue with a 19.8-pound, 37-inch mack, followed by John Cosolito in third with a 17.50-pound, 36-inch mack caught on opening day.

Sitting at the top of the Youth A Division is Colton Laybourne with a 31 1/2-inch rainbow, followed by Weston Fournier with a 30-inch rainbow and Ember Shelton with a 26 1/2-inch rainbow. All three later released the trout.

Cade Keaster caught a 31 1/2-inch rainbow to take the top stop in the Youth B Division. Finishing in second place was Dalton Belgarde, who caught a 27 1/4-inch mackinaw, followed by Owen Belgarde who caught a 21-inch mackinaw.

Fisher LaRue won the Junior Division with a 12.25-pound rainbow that measured 31 1/2 inches. Finishing second was Blayn Belgarde, who caught a 11.95-pound, 31 1/4-pound mackinaw; followed by Lyla Shelton in third with a 7.10-pound, 28 1/4-inch rainbow and Abigail Belgarde with a 5.4-pound, 24 1/2-inch mackinaw for fourth place. Both LaRue and Shelton later released their rainbow trout.

John Mace claimed top honors in the German brown trout division with a fish weighing 10.2 pounds and measuring 30 inches.

Winning the Mr. Nick Naccarato Memorial Award was Dalton Belgarde with his 7.2-pound, 27 1/4-inch mackinaw.

Second place nets a $2,500 prize, third a $1,500 prize and fourth a $750 prize.  

There is a $250 member bonus as well as a $500 catch-and-release bonus for placing a rainbow that is successfully released after weighing in. 

First place in the mackinaw division brings with it a $1,200 prize, second for $800, third for $600, fourth for $400 and fifth for $200. Prizes are also given to anglers who place sixth through 10th. 

Additional prizes will be available, including a $150 corporate bonus for the highest placing rainbow, and $150 for the largest German brown caught.  

A tradition for over 70 years, the Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club derbies have been a staple in the community since the first derbies started in 1947. The tradition started after the 1940s planting of Gerrard rainbows from Canada, bringing the fish to Lake Pend Oreille.  

LPOIC SPRING DERBY

Final results

Adult Rainbow Division

1. Scott Chapple, 24.30 pounds, 36 inches; 2. Jeff Laybourne, 21.35, 36 1/2 inches (released); 3. Dan Covey, 18.30, 34 1/2 inches (released); 4. Tim Fairs, 18.00, 33 inches (released).

Adult Mackinaw Division

1. Bert Dennett, 20.20 pounds, 36 1/4 inches; 2. Scott Plue, 19.80, 37; 3. John Cosolito, 17.50, 36; 4. Jeff Baugh, 16.85, 33; 5. Brad Sturgis, 16.25, 34; 6. Marcus Hull, 14.50, 32; 7. Nicholas Johnson, 13.45, 32; 8. Phil Lamothe, 13, 32; 9. Brad Roberts, 12.35, 30; 10. Scott Knoles, 12.35, 31 1/2.

Youth A Division

1. Colton Laybourne, 31 1/2 inches, rainbow (released); 2. Weston Fournier, 30, rainbow (released); 3. Ember Shelton, 26 1/2, rainbow (released).

Youth B Division

1. Cade Keaster, 27 1/2 inches, mackinaw; 2. Dalton Belgarde, 27 1/4, mackinaw; 3. Owen Belgarde, 27, mackinaw.

Junior Division

1. Fisher LaRue, 12.25 pounds, 31 1/2 inches, rainbow (released); 2. Blayn Belgarde, 11.95, 31 1/4, mackinaw; 3. Lyla Shelton, 7.10, 28 1/4, rainbow (released); 4. Abigail Belgarde, 5.40, 24 1/2, mackinaw.

Adult Mack of the Day

April 25 — John Cosolito, 17.50 pounds

April 26 — Marcus Hull, 14.50

April 27 — Scott Plue, 19.80

April 28 — Scott Knoles, 12.35

April 29 — Bert Dennett, 20.20

April 30 — Jim Carothers, 10.15

May 1 — Fred Hendrickson, 9.05

May 2 — Nicholas Johnson, 13.45

May 3 — Jim Carothers, 11.40

German Brown Trout

John Mace, 10.20 pounds, 30 inches.

Mr. Nick Naccarato Memorial Award

Dalton Belgarde, 7.20 pounds, 27 1/4 inches, mackinaw.