The Northwest Salmon Derby Series will continue Feb. 16-18 with the annual Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby. The derby is run each year on Presidents Day Weekend by the Gardiner Salmon Derby Association.
The series began a week ago with the Roche Harbor Salmon Classic.
The Gardiner event includes a $10,000 first prize and almost $20,000 overall in prizes and merchandise.
The nonprofit salmon derby raises funds to support emergency and other services that benefit the Jefferson County community.
The derby fishing area covers more than 500 square miles, covering Puget Sound From Tongue Point in the west through Freshwater Bay, Port Angeles, Sequim, Port Townsend, Port Hadlock, Marrowstone Island, Port Ludlow to Whidbey Island in the east and north past Smith Island to Hein Bank.
There will be five boat ramps with weigh stations: Freshwater Bay, Ediz Hook Boat Ramp (Port Angeles), John Wayne Marina (Sequim), Gardiner Boat Ramp and Port Townsend Boat Haven.
The derby rules allow only hatchery, fin-clipped chinook salmon to be submitted for weighing. Each angler must have a derby ticket, $40, to be eligible.
John Otness of Tacoma won last year’s event with a 17.6-pound salmon. John Calkins of Shelton came in fourth with a 15-pound fish.
For more information on the derby and ticket locations, go to gardinersalmonderby.org.
This is the series’ 10th year, and includes 15 events held around Puget Sound and on the Columbia River. Organized by the Northwest Marine Trade Association, the series features a drawing for a fully outfitted fishing boat.
Local events that are part of the series are Aug. 3: South King County PSA Salmon Derby, Point Defiance, Aug. 3; Gig Harbor Salmon Derby, Aug. 10; South Sound Salmon Derby, Olympia, Aug. 17; and Vashon Island Pink Salmon Derby, Aug. 24.
For details on the series, go to northwestsalmonderbyseries.com.
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