The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Flin Flon's Kirk Doverspike, a first time Bill Bannock Fishing Derby participant, hit the jackpot as he caught the tagged fish worth $25,000. For the first time in the history of popular derby in The Pas, the tagged fish, known as Lonesome Mary, had been plucked from the water. After just 30 minutes, Doverspike had caught his lucky break. Lonesome Mary measured out to be 21", a smaller fish than many others pulled from the water that April day. But nonetheless, it was the tagged winner. It came as a surprise to the Flin Flonner. "I didn't know it was the tagged fish until it was being measured and I was told by the Rotarian that it was the one," he told The Opasquia Times. "It was surreal, it still is." Attending the 16th derby in Bannock's name with his girlfriend, Sandy Ward, Doverspike said he planned on splitting his winnings up with those who travelled with him as well as putting some money away for his summer trip to the Rocky Mountains. Though it was his first year attending, Doverspike told the Times that he had been entered derbies before. "I got inspired to attend this year because my father won a snow machine a few years ago at the Bill Bannock Derby," he was quoted as saying.
