| 2000 Fall Derby
Michael Battista
Wednesday, August 30, 2000
Weight: 39.09
Location: Port Of Olcott
Michael Battista of Wheatfield, NY won the $20,000 Grand Prize in the 2000 Fall Derby with a trophy 39.09 pound Chinook salmon, which he caught out of the Port of Olcott. A good friend, Captain John VanHoff of North Tonawanda, NY was at the helm of the boat "Terminator", and a good fishing buddy, Rick Radetich of Kenmore, NY "coached" Mike in landing the brute of a fish. The prize-winner was caught with cut bait, trolled 65 feet down over 126 feet of water.
Thomas McKenna of Chicopee, MA. won the Salmon Division with a chinook that scaled in just nine ounces behind the Grand Prize Winner. The 39-pound king was worth $4,000 to McKenna. It was caught on cut bait in the Mexico Bay waters of Lake Ontario's eastern basin.
Michael Engle of Hamlin, NYtook top honors in the Brown Trout Divsion, with a 20.07 pound beauty. Engle caught his fish while fishing with a Frog Zipper off Sandy Creek.
Jay Wagner of New Alexandria, PA, won first place in the Steelhead Trout Division with a 21.07 pound steelie taken from the waters off Point Breeze. Cut bait was the enticer, while fising 85 feet down over 150 feet of water.
Jonathan Dies of Uniontown, OH, won the Lake Trout Division, while setting a LOC Derby record for lake trout, when he caught a beautiful 28.08 pound giant. He was fishing out of Point Breeze, trolling a NK 28 "Narby Special" lure, 85 feet down, over 350 feet of water.
10-year old Matt McCullough of Belchertown, MA won the Grand Prize in the Youth Division, with a dandy 36.11 pound Chinook Salmon. He landed his prize winner while fishing off the mouth of the Salmon River, with his dad Steven.
Matt Zalucki, an 8-year old, also from Belchertown, MA took the Youth Salmon Division with a nice 36.04 pound Chinook. He was fishing with dad Jerry, north of the Sodus Point Lighthouse, while trolling cut bait.
Bradley DePuut of Macedon, NY won the Youth Brown Trout Divsion with a 13.01 pound fish, caught on a Cortland Flea-Flicker off Hughes Marina.
6-year old Alexander Kelly of Akron, NY won the Youth Steelhead Division with a fine 19.08 pound trout. He was fishing off Olcott with his dad Peter, while trolling a Pirate Spoon.
The Zientara family of Lewiston, NY pretty much "owned" the Youth Lake Trout Division. Taylor Zientara took top prize with an impressive 20.06 pound laker. The LewPort Central School second-grader, took the prizewinner while fishing the Niagara Bar with her dad. Her cousin Savannah Zientar, was runner-up with a 17.13 pound steelie, also taken on the Niagara Bar. Young Joe Zientara took fifth spot in that group, with a 16.04 pound trout. All of the fish were taken on Peanut lures. |
