(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - The 64th Annual Ketchikan CHARR King Salmon Derby wrapped up the first of three weekends of fishing, with Kyle Worman leading the pack. Worman’s 49.7 pounds King was only the second fish turned in during the derby and the first fish of the event turned in at the Knudson Cove Marina weigh-in station.  

Kyle Worman's 49.7 lbs King Leader in Week 1 King Salmon Derby
Photo courtesy Ketchikan CHARR King Salmon Derby

Worman will now have to anxiously await results through two more weekends of fishing as more than 1,000 derby participants try to knock him out of first place.  Given recent derby history,  it is almost impossible to predict whether Worman’s prized catch will keep him at the top of the leader board and ensure recipient of the derby’s $10,000 cash grand prize; his fish would have won every derby since 2006 but the derby’s winning fish has often been caught during the second or third weekend. Many week-one leaders have been sorely disappointed as a last-day entry claimed the top prize.

Worman was one of 1,019 anglers that checked out during week one.  384 kings were weighed in over the three-day weekend, up from 255 in 2010.  Total weight was also up about 2,000 pounds to a total of 7,329.2 lbs.

Allison York (Photo) hooked second place on the ladder board for week one with a 41.10 pounds Chinook Salmon with Cable Campbell close behind with a 40.90 pounds Chinook Salmon. (Click here to view the Leader Board)

Week one's youth leader (under 16 years old) is Hunter Matthews (Photo) with a 25.2 pounds King,  caught on Saturday and weighed in at the Mountain Point boat ramp.  

Debby participant anglers are vying for over $90,000 in total cash and prizes and the $10,000 grand prize. Individual ticket holders are eligible for prizes on the adult prize ladder, and youths fishing with a valid ticket holder can enter fish on the youth prize ladder.  Proceeds from the annual event benefit the Ketchikan CHARR Education Fund, which provides scholarship monies to local college students.

This family event which is sponsored by the Ketchikan CHARR membership has remained a grass roots effort over the 64 years of its existence and attracts over a thousand participants of all ages annually.

To win you must have a derby ticket which can be purchased locally and each contestant fishing the adult prize ladder must have their derby ticket punched at an official weigh-in station prior to fishing each weekend. This year's weigh-in station charities are:

Clover Pass Resort Weigh-In Station – Rotary 2000
Knudson Cove Marina Weigh-In Station – Society Of American Foresters Dixon Entrance Chapter
Bar Harbor Weigh-In Station – Ketchikan Lion’s Club
Mountain Point Weigh-In Station – Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad

The derby continues for two  more weekends, June 4 & 5, and June 11 & 12. Results will be certified one week following the end of the derby.

On the Web:

Leader Board
http://www.fishingderbyonline.com/DerbyLeaderboard?prizeCategoryID=271

Official Rules
http://www.ketchikankingsalmonderby.com/rules.html

Prize Categories
http://www.ketchikankingsalmonderby.com/prizes.html

 

2010 King Salmon Derby Winner:

Cunningham Holds On Through Week Three To Win 63rd Annual Derby - Robert Cunningham had to wait from his home in Nampa, Idaho, unable to participate in the final weekend of the 63rd Annual Ketchikan CHARR King Salmon Derby, and just hoping that no one would best his 42.4-pound king caught during the second weekend. He breathed a sigh of relief at 11:01 pm Mountain Standard Time as the derby ended with him on top. - More...
SitNews - June 15, 2010

Source of News & Photograph: 

Ketchikan CHARR King Salmon Derby
www.ketchikankingsalmonderby.com

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