Popular Rio Vista Bass Derby and Festival to happen this week in historic Delta town
RIO VISTA — One of, if not the oldest, event of its kind on the West Coast, the Rio Vista Bass Derby and Festival, will be held in the historic Delta town on the Sacramento River on Friday Oct. 7 through Sunday, Oct. 9.
The derby begins at 6 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 7 and ends at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 9. The weigh station will be located at 1 Main St., next to Rio Vista City Hall and the city dock. This area is easily accessible to the city of Rio Vista Boat Launch. Derby tickets are $50 for adults and $10 for children.
Anglers registered in the derby will bring their striped bass, sturgeon and king salmon to the volunteers from the California Striped Bass Association (CSBA), Isleton Chapter, for weighing and measuring after fishing each day of the event. Cash prizes are to be awarded to the first three places in each category.
Anglers entered in the adult division will compete for prizes for the striped bass and sturgeon closest to the chosen target lengths and for salmon based on the heaviest weight. The target lengths will be drawn on Friday morning, Oct. 7. Rio Vista Farms and Coco Farms are the sponsors of the adult derby.
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The prizes are $3,000 for first place in striped bass, $1,500 for second, and $1,000 for third, with additional prizes of fishing gear for fourth through eighth places. In the sturgeon and salmon competition, first place $1,000, second place $500 and third place $200.
The kid’s derby features as prizes a $50 gift card and fishing gear for the first-place in the striped bass and catfish divisions, along with additional prizes donated by local sponsors. The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) Is sponsoring the kids derby.
Awards will be presented at 4 p.m. on Sunday at the foot of Main Street in downtown Rio Vista.
Tickets for the fishing derby are available on Facebook as well as the festival website (www.bassfestival.com) and at local bait shops. Tickets will also be on sale at the Rio Vista Visitor Center/Chamber of Commerce office at 33 N. 2nd St.
Food, vendors, family fun on tap
But the event is more than just a fishing derby – it is teamed up with a festival. The festival will take place on Front St. and Main St. and entry is free.
At Front and Sacramento streets, festivalgoers will find the Beer Garden, featuring cold beer and wine. Nearby is the margarita booth. Also located in the Beer Garden will be the Starlight Stage where 10 bands will entertain attendees over the 3-day festival.
There will be many food trucks selling a wide variety of food items, soft drinks, and festival fare. Vendors will be lining up on Front Street with many different items for sale.
Back again after last year’s absence, the carnival midway will be at the festival to offer a variety of rides. The carnival will run from Thursday through Sunday.
On Sunday, you can enjoy a real hometown parade that starts near Lira’s parking lot and marches down Main Street to 2nd Street. For more information on the festival, go to: www.bassfestival.com or call 707-374-2700.
CSBA Kids Free Fishing Derby
The California Striped Bass Association, West Delta Chapter, is holding their 34th Annual Kids Free Fishing Derby to Get Kids Hooked on Fishing, Not Drugs or Gangs on Saturday, Oct. 8 at Compy's Pier, #1 Waldie Plaza, Antioch, CA.
Registration starts at 8 a.m. and fishing runs from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. First, second and third place prizes for 3 age groups will be awarded for the most fish caught and released.
Participants must bring their own fishing rods. Hooks, sinkers and bait will be provided. All registered children will receive goodie bags and a free lunch. There will be a fund raising raffle to support the Kids Free Derby. Adults having lunch will be asked for a $5.00 donation.
The derby is held in the memory of Uril "Compy" Compomizzo who started the derby, according to Roger Mammon, Chapter President. Antioch Municipal Pier was renamed in his honor for his community service. All children participating in this event will be known as "Compy's" Kids. Information: www.striper-csba.org
Pittsburg-area stripers
Delta striped bass fishing continues to be very good most days. Jeff Soo of Soo Hoo Sportfishing reported that four anglers, including him and his son Darren, kept four limits of fish measuring from 20 to 27 inches long on his trip on Saturday, Oct. 1. They drifted minnows on the Sacramento River from the West Bank to Pittsburg in 8 to 18 feet of water.
“We were done by 9:50 a.m.,” Soo Hoo noted. “We caught over 40 fish, about a third of them shakers., during the first push of the outgoing tide before the wind changed.”
“On the following day the fishing was slow, but we still managed to catch five limits of stripers from 19 to 24 inches in the same area we fished the day before,” Soo Hoo said. “The fish that were stacked up there on Saturday weren’t there on Sunday.” Information: (925) 899-4045.
Contact Stockton Record correspondent Dan Bacher at danielbacher53@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Rio Vista Bass Derby & Festival set for weekend in California Delta
