Early in Nov.,trying to kill two birds with one stone I delivered a 28# Rainbow to Bill Leach Taxidermy in Bonners Ferry,Id., Bill had agreed to have it finished by the time I would be back down in the spring to fish the Koocanusa Resort 2012 Derby. I then drove back up to Kootenay Lake to get in on the Kaslow Bay Remembrance Day Rainbow Derby.

Shooting myself in the foot during the 2 days before the Derby I put a 21 pound and a 20# Rainbow in the boat during prefish. Both were taken on Mike Thompsons www.spilt-shot.com Grey Ghost Buck-tail fly, normally one of my hottest lures for big Gerrards. Not only did I take those two serious fish I also managed to land several Bows and Bulls 4 to 14 pounds.

5 minutes into the start of day one the battle was on.”WOW” I thought to myself as I played tug of war with the brute for 20 minutes this is a money fish. Normally when a big Gerrard wants to head for the basement it only means one thing its a BIGGGGNNNN. Finally in the net, one final flop and that was it. On the scale it weighted in at just over 19 pounds. Now what to do ?? On Kootenay Lake a fisherman's only allowed to keep one big fish a day and Derby Rules allow only one fish per anglar to be weighed in. As I didn't think this puppy would win any money in the derby I made the judgment call to give it to good friends of mine Randy and Truus,owners of www.gillandgift.com in Balfor. I knew Randy would smoke it up.

Day 2: Wind and waves, then more wind, not a day a guy should be out in an 18 foot boat on a 90 mile long lake but I still gave it a try. After loosing 2 Screamers ( That's the local saying for a big boy that screams out a ton of line ) I decided it best to call it a day. Not everybody comes up to theKootenay's to fish derbys,, Same day Denis Carroll and Lily Selig of Orgeon were on the water testing their new 22' North River. If they had of been entered in the derby 2 of the fish they released would have taken first and second place. The little guy weighted in at 21 plus and the bigger one just under 23, both back in the water. These people are true C & R fishermen. Denis said if he couldn't take them on Hair (Bucktail Fly's) he didn't want them so Mikes Grey Ghost and a Nov. Special Fly scored again.

Day 3: Repeat of Day 2,, Only more wind and higher waves till noon. As usual the derby was over at noon and it goes without saying that's when the wind started going down. I at least got out on the water for a few hours taking 3 Bows between 9 and 15 pounds.

Tackle Tip: A few weeks before I went over to the Kootenays Jake Bunio of www.trophysticks.com had sent me up a 5.5” Trophy Stick he had custom painted in the Grey Ghost colors to try. Folks,, Trophy Sticks work on the Kootenays,, 2 changes I'd make are #1... 3” for Bows and 6.5” for the Bulls and #2.. Change out the existing hooks for Owner Hooks. Occasionally when the Bows are not hitting Fly's try pulling a 3” Trophy Stick at 2.5 to 3MPH rite on the surface in place of Hair. Deadly !!

Being retired with an understanding wife I managed a few more days fishing Kootenay Lake taking 2 more Bows over 18 pounds and a 16 pound bull,, all but the 19# bow I gave Randy and Truus are back in the water.

Till next time.... Jim