Jim Davidson has caught the big one.
He caught a record-breaking 25.5 pound salmon at this year’s annual Salmon Derby competition. The last time a fish that size won the derby was in 2006 at around 24 pounds. Tyler Bisby came in second with a fish weighing in at 24.73 pounds followed by Ian Parker with a 20.33-pound salmon.
Davidson said it was a major fight to bring in a fish that size into the boat but thankfully he and his wife, Carole weren’t strangers to fishing.
He said Carole worked the boat and handled the net while he spent around 20 minutes trying to tire out the huge fish.
“I didn’t think it was a recorder breaker,” Davidson said. “Salmon are extremely powerful and we went round in circles and all over the place. They aren’t easy to get up close to a point where they can be netted.”
Davidson and his wife have fished in the derby every year since it started and said they came in third a few years ago.
He added it’s always great news to take home the top prize.
Derby chair Doug Lund said the top three fishes caught this year were all in the 20-pound range. Having multiple of anglers catch salmon that size hasn’t happened for some time. Lund said it must be because the fish go in waves where they are small for a number of years and then have the opportunity to grow larger.
“That 25 pounder is to my knowledge the biggest fish we’ve ever had at the derby,” Lund said. “About 28 years ago we were catching 20 pounders and then the odd one would show up.”
Around 394 participants took to the water this year, which was about the same as the previous year. Lund said the weather worked out well for the event but added it had been hot on the water.
Over all, he said it was another successful event.
