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Mark Freeman Commentary Derby prizes are up for grabs By MARK FREEMAN TRAIL -- Whenever she fishes Lost Creek Lake, Trudy Evans has a penchant for catching 13-inch trout that all seem to be stamped out of the same cookie cutter. She parlayed that talent last year into a cool $1,000. And she hopes to double that haul this year. The 13-inch trout she caught during last year's inaugural Rainbow $5,000 fishing derby netted the 53-year-old Klamath Falls woman her hefty check. Evans' trout won one of five $1,000 grand prizes in last year's derby, proving big things can come from seemingly little trout. Evans will return June 19 to defend her title in the women-over-50 category and try to earn another $1,000. "Not big, but big enough," Evans laughed. "Oh, yeah, we'll be back. For sure." This year's second annual Rainbow $5,000 fishing derby will give weekend anglers like Evans a shot at some nice money to catch nice trout on Lost Creek Lake. Competitors fish anywhere on the lake and any way they want, providing they are legal and licensed. The registered contestant who catches the heaviest single rainbow trout in each of four adult age and gender categories will win $1,000 apiece. There are two junior categories whose winners will each net $500. It costs $10 to register. The derby is the brainchild of a Medford radio station manager, and it comes about through the co-sponsorship of a local sporting goods store. Citadel Communications, which owns six Medford radio stations, fronts the $5,000 in cash prizes; the Black Bird Shopping Center handles registration and logistics. Western Beverage Co. of Medford has also joined sponsorship this year, giving away T-shirts and key chains with the "Know When to Say When" logo to the first 500 entrants. Last year's event drew almost 600 competitors -- a high number considering the group did little advertising. But the concept has really taken off among families, who can fish together without relying on expensive boats or gear, says Mike McMullen from the Black Bird store. "We get more reactions from families than anyone or any other group," McMullen says. "It's mom, dad and the kids, mom and the kids, and even some families from grandma all the way down to the grandkids." They included Evans, her daughter and both women's husbands. The foursome fished together. While Evans' fish was not that big, it was tops for senior women, a category that had few entrants last year. McMullen expects that to change this year, with more than 1,000 participants expected overall. Evans split her $1,000 check with her daughter, and the pair blew their wad on a shopping spree to Medford, she says. "Us girls have to stick together," she says. One of the derby's lures is that this is the kind of fishing derby in which not only can everyone take part, but everyone truly has a real chance to win. Locally, there's been little "regular guy" fishing derbies. Kids can compete against each other for certificates during Free Fishing Day. Wealthier people can take part in Saturday's Rogue Salmon Enhancement Derby, or get in with the even higher-dollar crowd in various bass-fishing derbies throughout the region. But a fancy boat or a fat checkbook are not factors in this Saturday's trout derby. "A kid with a Zebco 999 rod and reel could fish from the bank and win the thing," McMullen says. In fact, a kid and grandma can each win. So can anyone who registers in advance and pays the $10 entry fee at the Black Bird store by June 18. Participants must also own an Oregon angling license, fish legally and catch their trout any time between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Lost Creek Lake. The derby's weigh-in will be from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Picnic Area C at Stewart State Park. The four adult categories worth $1,000 are: women 18-49 years old; men 18-49 years old; women over 50; and men over 50. And $500 checks will go to the boy and girl 14-17 years old who catch the heaviest trout. Kids under 14 can fish in the derby for free. However, they will be competing for sporting goods as prizes and are not eligible for cash payoffs. Only one fish per registered angler can be weighed. In the event of a tie, the longest fish will win. Anglers will get the full rules and categories when they register. The best fish last year belonged to Kyrin Butler of Grants Pass, whose 25-inch, 7.1-pound rainbow easily took the women's age 18-49 category. (Mark Freeman covers the outdoors for the Mail Tribune. Call him at 776-4470.) Outdoor Journal main page Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA