Coppermine (Apr 21/03) - It wasn't the biggest fish ever hooked at the Kugluktuk fishing derby, but it was pretty close.

Over the April 11 weekend, Gerry Attatahak of Kugluktuk dragged in a 27-pound, nine-ounce trout.

A big fish in its own right, it was still three pounds lighter than last year's 30-pound 10-ouncer.

Ron Tologanak, recreation co-ordinator for the hamlet, said the size is not uncommon.

Of the top four trout in the derby, none weighed in under 20 pounds.

"Some of these lakes here only get fished in the spring, no other time," which would explain the leviathan size of the trout.

Attatahak was one of 56 people entered in the fishing derby, braving temperatures that dropped into the -30s.

He and his family are avid anglers and they participate in the event every year. Some years he and his family have swept the derby, taking first, second, third and fourth-place prizes.

This year Attatahak won first and third -- his third-place catch weighed 22 pounds, 10 ounces.

He said the first-place catch isn't the biggest fish he's caught but it's the biggest he's taken to the derby scales.

"We know where the fish are," he said.

Apparently. And the secret to catching them? Attatahak uses a homemade lure made out of moose bone.

"The elders told me that's what they used to use before there were lures when fishing for lake trout. It works. I've caught a lot of fish with it," he said.

Keeping with tradition and showing his gratitude for the knowledge passed to him, Attatahak gave all the fish he had weighed to an elder in the community.

It's something he does every year, he said.

Fish wasn't all he caught during his trip. He said MLA Donald Havioyak's son was fishing a mile and half from his camp. The boy lost his fishing gear down the hole. Sometime later Attatahak caught a fish with the gear attached.

"It even had Havioyak's name on the stick," he laughed.

First and third place earned Attatahak $500 and he said the money will be used to pay bills. "We'll also buy some more gas and go out camping," he said.