Cody Solomon won the top prize in the annual Elliot Lake Fishing Derby on Saturday, taking home $23,850.
It was the first time the Massey resident has fished the derby in its 12-year history and he took the title with a 53 cm pike.
Immediately after receiving his cheque from Mayor Dan Marchisella, Solomon joked that he was heading to nearby McDonald’s for a Big Mac with his girlfriend.
Jody Bailey rode away on a new ATV for his second-place showing with a 51 cm pike.
In all, there were 10 top-prize winners who caught fish in the catch-and-release derby that saw nearly 500 anglers fishing on Horne Lake under sunny skies. Anglers who caught fish brought them to judges set up on the lake, where the fish were measured before being released back into the water.
Prizes included a portable ice hut, generator, crossbow, gas auger and a special prize of a 55-inch LED television.
There were also random draws for additional prizes sponsored by local and area merchants.
Among the top 10 winners were Patrick Bienneau (third place) with a 28 cm perch, Zack Mayer (fourth place) with a 28 cm perch, Matthew Huber with a 28 cm perch, Linda Roy with a 27.5 cm perch, Joel Brunet with a 27 cm perch, John Karchi with a 27 cm perch, Greg Zimmer with a 26.75 perch, and Lance Ross with a 26.75 cm perch.
Marchisella thanked all the volunteers for their hard work in making the derby successful, including students from the French high school for selling and delivering food and beverages to the anglers where they were fishing, and to Elliot Lake Secondary School students who pre-drilled 700 holes prior to the derby start.
He also thanked the sponsors for contributing door prizes.