Big Bear Lake, CA — On what was a beautiful weekend to be on the lake, the Big Bear Lake Resort Association hosted the Fishin’ for $50K Trout Derby on June 5 and 6. Though two tagged fish were reeled in during the derby, it was Big Bear Lake resident Ray Pulsipher who bagged one of the biggest cash prizes of the day: $500 for the largest trout, weighing 3.77 pounds. However the biggest catch of the day was a 5.54 pound trout, reeled in by Kim Bray of Colton, which secured her a $500 cash prize for the Largest Trout caught by an Adult Female—plus $500 for the largest trout caught on Berkley PowerBait. The RA had planted 10 tagged trout in Big Bear Lake, with one worth a $50,000 prize; two of those tagged fish were reeled in by Cynthia Ybarra of Cerritos and Stephen Ashton of Calimesa. As recalled by tournament director Alan Sharp of Big Bear Marina, “My heart was pounding when I saw them bring the tagged fish to the weigh station—I really thought someone was going to walk away with $50,000!” Turns out that the tagged trout translated into prize packages for the two, with Ybarra winning a two-night stay in Big Bear, along with a charter fishing trip from Cantrell’s, while Ashton’s tagged trout scored him a two-night Big Bear stay and tickets to the pirate ship and Alpine Side; both anglers also received rods and reels, tackle boxes and lures. Though none of the 539 fishermen secured the $50,000 in the Fishin’ for $50K Trout Derby, Sharp says, “Nonetheless everyone had a great time fishing in Big Bear Lake with dozens and dozens of fish caught, including some nice trophy-size fish.”
