ReelDrag.net

Winni Derby 2001

Kevin's salmon The proverbial Toilet Salmon. Though it was long and had a big head, it - much like it's champion, lacked girth.

Kevin Poulos weighs in first derby worthy Salmon since 1994…

The curse ends as Jeff Poulos and Jeff Fitts catch quality salmon as well.

It's been a long time coming, but finally, for the first time since 1994 a derby worthy fish was brought to the scales. Although it was no winner, Kevin was not complaining as he proudly displayed his official entry form!

In a derby that finally saw a fair number of fish large enough to bring to the boards, there were more than a couple anglers relieved to have the monkey lifted of their backs.

Interestingly, all of the quality fish were boated on Sunday. No large fish were caught on Saturday. It was due to the late action that both Jeff Poulos and Jeff Fitts were reluctant to bring their fish to the scales, fearing that their fish may die without good reason, as neither fish would challenge most of the prize winnig fish that were brought to the boards.
Charlie witnesses Kevin's catch...

Almost as elated as Kevin was Charlie House, who captained the vessel in the exact pattern and location necessary to hook up with the salmon on Sunday.

Kevin displays his official fish entry form...

"It's like taking a massive dump after having battled 2 weeks of constipation!" Kevin told anyone that would listen. When he thought someone asked how it felt to finally weigh in a sizeable salmon.
The officaial weight...

The proof is in the pudding. Now no on e can argue about how big Kevin's salmon was. We will for ever remember that it wasn't big enough. A problem that Kevin has faced many times throughout his life and without collegen injections, will likely continue to face for ever.

In case anyone wants to know what an official entry form looks like...

Chris and Jeff Fitts spent Saturday searching for slamon in the fog... Glasstron

It was as thisck as Pea Soup at times...

Kevin & Charlie battle the fog...

Dad keeps a keen eye, so as not to run over Kevin and Charlie...
Dad navigates through the fog...

The view remained the same...
The view out the back of the boat rarely changed, it was a quiet morning....

Pete and geoff

Pete and a portly Turner return from a long day on the water feeding eachother their teeth. Both took turns throwing the other over the side of the boat.

Pete fillets his catch

Pete was kind enough to share his catch with us, but first it needed to be cleaned... "Hey Jeff, could you clean this for me? I don't want to get my hands stinky..."

But Pete was the one who landed the fish of the day on Saturday. A nice RAINBOW! The fish that eludes Pete winter after winter and haunts his every dream. Right fish, wrong tournament.

A cusk in the spring!

Who says Cusk are dormant in the spring, as well as nocturnal? This big cusk hit John's downrigger. Here Jeff holds it up for the camera.
<

There's no doubt this cusk was actively feeding. He was loaded with crayfish, one of which was still alive!!!

This cusk along with a rainbow was later cooked by the Diddler, who also tried to take credit for the rainbow that Pete caught later in the afternoon.
Znoj cooked up smoe rainbow trout and cusk...

Znoj cooked up smoe rainbow trout and cusk...

This poor bastard had a frightening day. Being eaten by a cusk, then being hauled up from 60 feet inside the belly of the cusk, then rescued by a man who would later eat the cusk. This guy had been through a lot. So we let him go.

Pete's rainbow trout was eaten.

Honorable Mention:

Although he continues to suck ass at the winni derby, Pete comes up with new ideas every year detirmined to catch the winning fish.
Pete's Fly

Here he shows a nice streamer...

Pete drives the boat...

One eye on the fish finder and one on the water... Hey he can't help it if he has a lazy eye...

After several hours of nothing but Chris landing small salmon on his fly rod, we decide to reel up and head in for lunch, only to find that we have been draggin a small salmon around the Wolfeboro area for hours on Pete's action-less Tuna rod.
Pete's Salmon

Chris caught several small salmon... A small salmon

Jeff Pouols spent hours fishing alone...
Jeff fished alone...

Team Diddler made there way through the weekend in a skiff piloted by Znoj's brother -in law , John...

Unfortunately, that beautiful streamer spent several hours spinnig through the water with the action of a wet piece of toast due to Pete's new Rod & Reel combination... Pete's Reel

This rod is better suited for striper fishing...

When asked to explain how this rig wouold be better than a slow action trolling rod, Pete explained that it's a Parabolic Curve.. Pete explains the parabolic curve...

Nearly 30 years of fishing and this guy still can't hold on to a fish...

Pete can't hold on...
Kind of reminds me of 1995...

And showed Pete how to "plunge release" a tired slamon to get it quicly back into it's cold water environment:

Then he found a friend in Jeff Dolloway...
Then Jeff found a friend...

However, when it came time to lay down their cards, they came in empty handed... Team Diddler

the diddler
"I'm fuckin' beat." Diddler said, before he mosied up to the house. In minutes he was sound asleep.

Dishonorable Mention:

On Thursday evening Chris & Jeff had a chance to wet the lines....
Jeff, trolling...

But as usual, fishing led to drinking and drinking led to...
Jeff's smallmouth..

Bass Fishing!!!! Jeff's smallmouth...

It just doesn't get any better....

Congratulations to Jeff, who will be getting married this May (2002) while on a Carribean Cruise!!!

Unfortunately, the cruise will be taking place during the usual derby weekend. Therefore we will not be fishing the derby this year. Maybe we need the break....

See you in the spring for some good fishing anyway!