The "High Desert Marine Walleye Derby" was held July 14th and 15th in Boardman Oregon. With no breeze and temperatures reaching 95 degrees on Saturday and high winds on Sunday, forty-six teams gave it there best. 

Each tournament is entered as a two person team. Each team is able to weigh in up to six walleye. Only two of the fish may be over twenty-four inches. Prizes are based on total weights for the weekend and for the biggest fish caught each day.

This walleye derby is the second tournament in the Columbia River Walleye Circuit. The first tournament was held March 24th and 25th in Boardman, the Smoker Craft Sylvan Spring Walleye Classic. The third and final tournament in the circuit will be held September 8th & 9th in Umatilla, The Oregon Governor's Cup. Each team is awarded points for the position they finish in. At the Governor's Cup a “Fisherman of the Year” will be named, and will earn a $2000 bonus.

On Saturday 57 fish were weighed in. The total weight was 349.76 pounds, making the average 6.14 pounds. Sunday the high winds made the fishing tough. Only fifteen fish were weighed in. The total weight was just 68.5 pounds, with an average of 4.57 pounds. Not one team was able to weigh in a limit either day.

The results were as follows.

1st Place - 37.28# - Steve & Mat Hockaday of Pasco WA $4,038.00
Includes Big Fish Satuday 12.74#
Includes 2nd biggest fish Sunday 8.12#
Includes $1,000 Columbia River Walleye Circuit Bonus 
They also won a Guided trip with Hells Canyon Sport Fishing

2nd Place - 33.02# - Jim & Norma Laposi of Kennewick $2,645.00
Includes Saturday Big Fish 8.28#

3rd Place - 28.48# - John & Jacob Grubenhoff of Pasco $1,399.00

4th Place - 22.96# - Dave Chambers of Pasco & Kurt Sonderman of Kennewick $955.00

5th Place - 20.82# - Del Bareither of Kennewick & Mike Hepper of Richland $868.00 

6th Place - 19.28# - Eric & Monte Jones of Kennewick $695.00

Father-Son team of Steve & Mat Hockaday
Total weekend weight of 37.28#

Of the top six teams three were father-son teams, and one was a husband wife team. With the bonuses that were given out the total payout for this tournament was over Twelve Thousand dollars. Total payout so far in the 2001 Columbia River Walleye Circuit is over Twenty-Eight Thousand dollars.

If you have any additional questions please feel free to contact Rod McKenzie at 541-567-8419 or 541-567-3575. 

Thank You!