04-22-2004, 05:08 AM
[font "Times New Roman"]Six hundred seventy-three anglers vied for top honors and valuable prizes in the Marina del Rey 30th Annual Halibut Derby. Unlike last year's derby that was almost blown out by high winds on the second day, the weather and the tides on April 3 and 4, 2004, were ideal for halibut fishing. The Marina del Rey Derby maintained the title of oldest and largest fishing tournament on the West Coast. The value of the prizes for the Derby winners and holders of lucky raffle tickets totaled over $65,000. Except for the cash awards, the prizes were donated by fishing tackle manufacturers, wholesalers, retail tackle shops, hotels and landings in Mexico and Alaska, and local Southern California merchants. . [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]The anglers weighing in the five heaviest halibut this year won fishing excursions to prime resorts in Mexico. The destination for Terry Rathbun of Calabasas, first place winner with 29.4 pounds, is Hotel Punta Colorada on the East Cape of Baja California, a prominent fishing venue for dorado, yellowtail, tuna, marlin and roosterfish. Second place was won by Jim Stiles with a halibut weighing 25.6 pounds which earned him a week's lodging at The Inn at Mazatlan, with three days fishing with Heimpel's Star Fleet. Third place went to Erik Tait of Cerritos for his 25.2 pound fish, which gave him five days lodging and three days fishing at El Cid Resort and Marina in Mazatlan. The fourth heaviest halibut won lodging at Hotel Las Flores and fishing with the Star Fleet in Mazatlan, for Guy Mescheder of Torrance. His halibut weighed 25.1 pounds. Gary Johnstone Sr. took fifth place and a trip to Las Rocas Resort in Rosarito Beach, and fishing with Sergio's Sportfishing in Ensenada. Mazatlan and Ensenada are both productive fishing locations, famous for tuna, albacore, white seabass and sailfish. Sixth to fifteenth place winners were awarded Shimano rods and reels. [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]The Youth Division winners were Clayton Herman of Pa
ena with 24.4 pounds, Zachary Napolitano of Woodland Hills with 17.1 pounds and Carlos Burkett of Norwalk with 15.6 pounds. These were all remarkably big fish for the Youth Division, especially the first place winner at 24.4 pounds [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"] The team winners consisted of Ken Brock of Culver City and Doninic Dinh in first place with 72.2 points; Ken Brock and Robert Young in second place with 69.8 points; and Ken Brock and George Castro, of Valencia, third with 68.9 points. Anglers were allowed to form as many as six teams of two, three, or four members. This is the second year Ken Brock has made a clean sweep of first, second, and third place, demonstrating both his fishing expertise and his ability to choose the right teammates. Teams are judged on the average weight and average number of fish caught by the team on each day of the tournament. [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"] The Derby Committee was concerned that the valuable gold halibut pin donated by Lord of the Rings Jeweler would not find an owner if a woman angler did not appear among the winners; but Alma Cordero of Los Angeles came through with the fourteenth heaviest halibut that won her the pin and a Shimano reel for her 18.6 pound fish. [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"] The Awards Party following the Sunday weigh-in was attended by over 575 Derby participants and their families and local dignitaries. The highlights of the party were a fine, barbecue dinner, live music by "The Other Band", and the awarding of prizes to the Derby winners and lucky raffle ticket holders. Among the raffle and door prizes were two trips to Alaska, several long range trips, and over 100 rods and reels. [/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"]The anglers weighing in the five heaviest halibut this year won fishing excursions to prime resorts in Mexico. The destination for Terry Rathbun of Calabasas, first place winner with 29.4 pounds, is Hotel Punta Colorada on the East Cape of Baja California, a prominent fishing venue for dorado, yellowtail, tuna, marlin and roosterfish. Second place was won by Jim Stiles with a halibut weighing 25.6 pounds which earned him a week's lodging at The Inn at Mazatlan, with three days fishing with Heimpel's Star Fleet. Third place went to Erik Tait of Cerritos for his 25.2 pound fish, which gave him five days lodging and three days fishing at El Cid Resort and Marina in Mazatlan. The fourth heaviest halibut won lodging at Hotel Las Flores and fishing with the Star Fleet in Mazatlan, for Guy Mescheder of Torrance. His halibut weighed 25.1 pounds. Gary Johnstone Sr. took fifth place and a trip to Las Rocas Resort in Rosarito Beach, and fishing with Sergio's Sportfishing in Ensenada. Mazatlan and Ensenada are both productive fishing locations, famous for tuna, albacore, white seabass and sailfish. Sixth to fifteenth place winners were awarded Shimano rods and reels. [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]The Youth Division winners were Clayton Herman of Pa
ena with 24.4 pounds, Zachary Napolitano of Woodland Hills with 17.1 pounds and Carlos Burkett of Norwalk with 15.6 pounds. These were all remarkably big fish for the Youth Division, especially the first place winner at 24.4 pounds [/font] [font "Times New Roman"] The team winners consisted of Ken Brock of Culver City and Doninic Dinh in first place with 72.2 points; Ken Brock and Robert Young in second place with 69.8 points; and Ken Brock and George Castro, of Valencia, third with 68.9 points. Anglers were allowed to form as many as six teams of two, three, or four members. This is the second year Ken Brock has made a clean sweep of first, second, and third place, demonstrating both his fishing expertise and his ability to choose the right teammates. Teams are judged on the average weight and average number of fish caught by the team on each day of the tournament. [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"] The Derby Committee was concerned that the valuable gold halibut pin donated by Lord of the Rings Jeweler would not find an owner if a woman angler did not appear among the winners; but Alma Cordero of Los Angeles came through with the fourteenth heaviest halibut that won her the pin and a Shimano reel for her 18.6 pound fish. [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"] The Awards Party following the Sunday weigh-in was attended by over 575 Derby participants and their families and local dignitaries. The highlights of the party were a fine, barbecue dinner, live music by "The Other Band", and the awarding of prizes to the Derby winners and lucky raffle ticket holders. Among the raffle and door prizes were two trips to Alaska, several long range trips, and over 100 rods and reels. [/font]
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