33rd king derby kicks off Saturday
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More than $16,000 in cash and prizes – including children’s awards for Dolly Varden catches – are up for grabs in the 33rd annual King Salmon Derby starting 8 a.m. Saturday, May 28.
"They usually do pretty good on Dollies," said Kim Larson, co-chair of the event that raises funds for youth activities around town. Haines Sportsmen’s Association, as sponsor, gave $4,500 last year to groups including little league baseball, Cub Scouts, Haines Dolphins, and a teen trip to Ecuador. "We did it all," Larson said.
The derby runs 8 a.m. through 6 p.m. through May 31, then resumes next weekend on June 4-5.
Besides a wide assortment of random prizes, awards will go to anglers who haul in the 20 largest king salmon. First prize in the derby is worth $2,211 plus a $740 bonus if the angler holds a current sportsmen’s association membership.
Dolly prizes will be awarded in various categories, including to youngest girls and boys and children hauling in the most poundage. "There are a lot of kid prizes this year," Larson said.
A range of other prizes include ones designated for women, Canadians, biggest fish of the day, oldest fisherman and boat entering the most pounds. "There’s all kinds of prizes… We want to make sure everybody enters their fish."
The derby is centered at Letnikof Dock. A full list of rules, prizes as well as derby history and a list of previous winners can be found in the derby brochure, available at sporting goods stores and the Haines Visitor’s Center.
Derby statistics will be posted on the Facebook page, "Haines King Salmon Derby."
With purchase of a season ticket, fishermen need only punch their derby ticket at 8 a.m. on the start of each weekend. However, fish may be turned in only between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the derby dock.
Fishermen are encouraged to keep fish on ice.
According to the derby brochure, Fred Chambers-Piper caught the biggest king in derby history, a 58.25-pound fish hooked in 2004. The derby’s smallest winner was Toni DeWitt’s 33.4-pounder, caught last year.
Last year’s derby was determined by a mistake by one entrant, who had the largest fish but caught it in a boat where another angler didn’t have a derby ticket, disqualifying the catch.
For a fish to count for prizes in the derby, all people on board the boat in which it is caught must hold derby tickets, even children and non-anglers, Larson said.
For questions, call Larson at 766-3885 or 314-0220 or Toni DeWitt at 766-2490 or 314-3090.
