Two men got lucky fishing Saturday after reeling in fish worth thousands from the Big Bear Lake in California, ABC 7 reported.
In a thrilling turn of events at Big Bear Lake’s annual Fishin’ for $50K Trout Derby, two fishermen struck gold — or rather, fish worth gold — this past Saturday. Each angler managed to reel in one of the five specially stocked rainbow trout, each tagged and valued at a whopping $10,000, according to ABC 7.
What a catch! Fishermen reel in rainbow trout worth $10,000 at Big Bear Lake https://t.co/EAMSfz7MJb
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) June 11, 2024
Rodolfo Vizcarra from Hemet was one of the fortunate fishermen. Despite the modest size of his catch, the trout measured over 15 inches long and weighed just over 1.6 pounds, proving size isn’t everything in this high-stakes fishing contest, ABC 7 reported. Vizcarra was astonished and delighted at the unexpected windfall. (RELATED: REPORT: Fisherman Uses Massive Magnet To Reel In WWII Weapon, Over 200 Scooters)
“I’m pretty excited, it really surprised me. I wasn’t expecting it,” he said, ABC 7 stated. “The fish are so small so I assumed $10,000 could be worth more … a bigger fish.”
An employee shows a trout getting prepared for sashimi at the Viot fishershop in Paris on February 15, 2024. Salmon is the second most consumed seafood product, behind tuna, with an annual average of 2.7 kg per capita, according to France Agrimer, the French national agency for agriculture and fisheries. Arthur Viot, a 28-year-old fishmonger has replaced it in his stalls with trout, which he serves as sashimi. (Photo by STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP via Getty Images)
The second lucky fisherman chose to keep his identity hidden, but his catch was notably larger, tipping the scales at over 2.5 pounds, according to ABC 7. The event, which aims to draw fishing enthusiasts from all over, did not disappoint, with the prized catches not only offering excitement but also a handsome reward.