(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska -  More than 800 anglers made their way out onto the water over the weekend to participate in the 64th Annual Ketchikan CHARR King Salmon Derby.  Although roughly the same number of anglers that checked out during Week 2 of the 2010 derby, the fish count was up by more than double. 459 king salmon were entered over the weekend, compared with just 197 during week two of last year’s derby.  

64th Annual King Salmon Derby:
Kyle Worman's 49.7 lbs King Leader in Week 1 & Week 2
Photo courtesy Ketchikan CHARR King Salmon Derby

“All of the weigh-in stations commented on how busy certain times of the day were compared to last year,” said Russell Thomas, 2011 derby coordinator.  “The weather seemed to hamper participation some on Saturday but a lot of fishermen took advantage of the good weather and the good fishing on Sunday.”  Thomas expects similar levels of participation and potentially better fishing during the final weekend of the derby.  

No changes were recorded in the top three ladder positions in the second weekend of fishing. Kyle Worman continues to lead the way with a 49.7 lb king, weighed in just hours after the derby began last Saturday. Worman’s fish would have won every Ketchikan derby since 2006 but he’ll have to endure one more weekend of anticipation to see if his fish will capture him the derby’s grand prize, over $10,000 in cash.  Some large fish were entered during the second weekend, knocking anything under 30 lbs from the thirty-place adult derby ladder.  

Youth ladder leader Hunter Matthews didn’t fare as well as Worman during Week Two fishing.  Matthews’ 25.3 lb entry was bested by Sage Mirsky (photo), who weighed in a 27.9 lb king late Sunday night.  Three other entries broke into the youth ladder’s top ten over the weekend.  Over $6,500 in cash and prizes are available to the top ten youth finishers.  

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.

Participants are vying for more than $90,000 in cash and prizes over the three-weekend derby.

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 one more weekend, June 11 & 12. The third derby weekend commences at 7:00 AM, Saturday, June 11, 2011, continuing 38 hours until Sunday, June 12, 2011 at 9:00 PM, which represents the end of the 2011 derby. 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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Ketchikan, Alaska

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