The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

STARBUCK - Lyons Ferry Marina will host the first annual Snake River Walleye Classic, a new catch-and-release contest put by two walleye fishing clubs in Walla Walla and the Tri Cities the first weekend of October.

The two-day event will bring a dedicated group of fishermen to Columbia County's portion of the Snake River who have a strong interest in fresh-water fish.

"It's a wonderful place to fish walleye," said Tom Moore, president of the Walla Walla Walleye Club and Walleye Anglers Unlimited based in the Tri Cities. "The numbers are big, plus they are nice and healthy fish there."

Walleye is a fresh-water fish genetically related to the European pikeperch and native to waters in Canada and the northern United States (particularly the Great Lakes).

Aside from prizes for catching the biggest fish and biggest accumulative weight for the six-fish limit, part of the appeal is the possibility of setting a new state and possibly world record on the Columbia County stretch of the Snake.

The state record of about 19 pounds was set by a fisherman on the Columbia River near Pasco several years ago, but because walleye get much larger than they do in other parts of the continent exceeding the world record of 25 pounds isn't out of the question, Moore said. The average fish on the Snake is about 12 - 14 pounds.

Because the tournament is still new, Moore said he expects 15 - 20 teams of two fishermen to sign up for the classic, which starts both days at 7 am and ends at 3 p.m. with weigh in at 4 p.m. The Tri Cities club has 60 members, while the Walla Walla group has about 25.

The idea for the tournament came from Jim MacArthur, who runs the Port Of Columbia-owned Lyons Ferry Marina and campground on the Snake. He first approached a walleye club in Spokane, which was already at capacity with tournaments, but referred him to Moore and his two clubs.

"This could be a pretty great event out here," said MacArthur, who referred to walleye anglers as a "dedicated, hardcore group of fishermen.

"This area (of the Snake) is getting more and more known for walleye," he said.

Although MacArthur calls walleye "one of the best eating fish around," the clubs fish strictly on a catch-and-release basis, Moore said. "It's all about the sport."

The entry fee for the event is $200, plus an optional $50 per fisherman for the prize pool. For more information on the new tourney, call Tom Moore at 509-543-4903 or Lyons Ferry Marina at 509- 399-8020.