WEST COVINA RESIDENT WINS DERBY, DREAM FISHING TRIP WITH BIGGEST CATCH AT DIAMOND VALLEY LAKE FISH DERBY
Derby sponsored by Metropolitan, Western Outdoor News

DIAMOND VALLEY LAKE, Calif.—Using a bobber and mealworm to catch a 13-pound catfish, Steve Hernandez of West Covina out-fished nine other contestants to reel in the sweepstakes prize at the Big Fish Derby at the largest freshwater lake in Southern California.

A joint promotion by Metropolitan Water District and Western Outdoor News, the derby Thursday (June 24) was the final event in a 12-week contest that honored the person who caught the largest fish—regardless of the species—each Thursday at the district’s 4,500-acre lake near Hemet in southwest Riverside County. Besides bragging rights, Hernandez earned a four-day, three-night fishing trip to Sund’s Lodge on Malcolm Island in British Columbia.

Weekly winners were awarded a tackle pack, which included a rod, reel and tackle box full of quality tackle. On Thursday, the 10 previous winners (two were repeat weekly winners) were invited back for a "fish-off," which had them vying for the sweepstakes prize.

Throughout the contest, people used different bait and tactics to lure their prey, but the fish seemed to prefer artificial baits, said Mike Giusti, an associate fishery biologist with the California Department of Fish and Game at Diamond Valley Lake.

And it wasn’t always the outfitted fishers who prevailed in the contest. One weekly contest was won by an angler fishing from a kayak .

The derby’s fishing success didn’t surprise Giusti, who helped develop the lake’s fishery. “Fishing has improved significantly over the last several months for all species, particularly bass, blue and trout,” he said.

“Anglers are still catching largemouth bass in the 8-to-12-pound range almost every week. And recently, the bluegill fishery has taken off, with fish in the 1-to-2-pound range being caught regularly.”