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The event was organized by the Fraser Valley Salmon Society and sponsored mainly by donations from the BC Family Fishing Society and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. This year to aid in the calculation of the number of pike minnows in Cultus Lake nearly 1000 of these fish were tagged with spaghetti tags by research staff from the FOC Research lab at Cultus Lake and Frank Kwak from the Fraser Valley Salmon Society. These pike minnows are known to be predators of the endangered Cultus Lake sockeye so the results of how many tagged were caught during the derby would aid in these population estimate. At the conclusion of the derby 929 pike minnows were caught and 13 of them had spaghetti tags. "The data collected from these results will help us develop a rudimentary population estimate of the Northern Pike Minnow which in turn will help in the recovery strategy of the Cultus Lake sockeye" said Dave Barnes FOC fisheries technician. The big winner of the derby was Tyler Johansen who caught 2 of the tagged fish out of about 30 he landed. For these fish he received $200 cash. Johansen also was second in the adult combined weight category with a catch weight of a little over 20 pounds.
The final major winner was Jacob Ahvert who won a $50 gift certificate in the junior tagged fish category. "This year having the chance of catching a tagged fish created lots of interest and partnering with FOC and once again the Family Fishing Society of B.C. made the event very successful for everyone" said Peter MacPherson chairman of the event for the Fraser Valley Salmon Society. "As well having guides Greg Larson, Joe Pomeranz, Sean Mahovlic and Dean Werk from Great River Fishing Adventures along with Greg Wolf from Len's Sportsfishing who gave their time, provided all the fishing equipment and their guide boats to take special needs and kids in wheelchairs fishing was a real hit" MacPherson added. MacPherson related one lady told him" It was just marvelous the guides took my wheelchair bound child fishing again this year" while another parent told MacPherson "my son had never been on a boat before let along caught a fish before the derby."
First - Cory Britton: 21 pounds - 10 ounces Second - Tyler Johansen: 20 pounds - 12 ounces Adult Heaviest First - Wayne Helmer : 3 pounds 2 ounces Second - Mark Ferguson: 1 pound - 12 ounces Third - Floyd Neufeld : 1 pound - 9 ounces Adult tagged fish prize winners Tyler Johansen 2 Mark Ferguson Bryan Pemberton Keith Hollinsworth Junior combined weight First - Jered Kingston: 26 pounds Second - Nolan Rebulkin: 21 pounds - 11 ounces Junior Heaviest First - Tony Pemberton: 1 pound - 14 ounces Second - Shane Dornfield: 1 pound - 10 ounces Third - Andrew Slovick: 1 pound - 7 ounces Fourth - Hayden Dornfield: 1 pound - 6 ounces Junior prize winners tagged fish Jacob Ahvert and Zack Woods |
Close
to 250 avid anglers both young and old alike braved the 30 degree
Celsius temperature on Saturday at Cultus Lake to take part in the
annual Pike Minnow derby and family event.
Other
major winners were Cory Britton with the adult total combined weight
of 21 pounds 10 ounces. Wayne Helmer a perennial derby winner had
the adult largest fish hitting the scales at a whopping 3 pounds
2 ounces. The junior combined weight saw Jered Kingston with a total
weight of 26 pounds even. Tony Pemberton fishing with grandfather
Bryan Pemberton nailed the top weight in the junior class with a
1 pound 14 ounce pike minnow. Tony and Bryan both also landed a
tagged fish apiece.
Adult
combinned weight