Columbia's first annual "Catch the Fat Cat" catfishing tournament was "a great day for Columbia," according to organizer Chris Vera. 22 boaters and 11 shore fishermen launched from Columbia River Park Saturday afternoon in search of the big one, following a send-off from Vera.
A 38-pound whopper was the linker winner, with a 35-pounder to follow. Team Benedict and Shultz caught the big one. "There was a nice crowd for weigh-ins," Vera said. He added that boaters were pleased and will be returning for next year's tournament.
The prizes were as follows:
Grand Champion - $500 and trophy (for biggest cat)
First place - $1,000 and trophy (for boating champion with 3-fish weigh-in)
Second place - $750 and trophy
Third place - $500 and trophy