Eight hundred men, women and children converge on Anacortes this weekend seeking the biggest blackmouth salmon in the waters around the San Juan Islands.

They’ll be coming from Bellingham to Tacoma for the second annual Anacortes Salmon Derby March 28-30 at the Cap Sante Boat Haven.

The $50 derby tickets went on sale Feb. 1 and sold out in 34 days and the marina already has 225 reservations for moorage.

“They really went faster than I expected,” said Derby Chairman Jay Field.

Though the weather was harsh at last year’s derby, Field said the majority of comments he heard weren’t about the rain and wind but about how well-organized and fun the event was.

The Fidalgo Island Chapter of the Puget Sound Anglers is hosting the event with help from the Port of Anacortes, Anacortes Chamber of Commerce and close to 100 sponsors.

Field said the anglers have raised a good amount of money, more than enough to cover the $20,000 in cash prizes. Approximately $15,000 in merchandise will also be given away.

Prizes will be awarded in several divisions including youth, women’s, active military and over 70.

Joel Shangle of KJR Radio’s Northwest Wild Country Show broadcasts live from the derby and Glenn Hall of FSN will film it for the Hawg Quest TV Show.

The fun starts at 6 p.m. Friday with a volunteer kickoff get-together. Capt. John Keizer of fishfrontiers.com presents a seminar on blackmouth salmon fishing techniques and Field talks about fishing the San Juan Islands.

The actual fishing starts at 6 a.m. Saturday and Sunday in Marine Area 7 with the scales closing at 6 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday.

Rockfish Grill sets up a beer garden from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday for a no-host social and a free barbecue is noon to 2 p.m. Sunday during the awards ceremony starting at 1:30 p.m.

Fields said the anglers have gotten a lot of support from the community and the port, which is providing discounts on boat moorage and launching so the anglers can provide it free with each ticket.

“They don’t want the spotlight on them,” Fields said. “They just want to assure this event is a success.”

Last year’s derby had 752 contestants catching 155 salmon.

Ronald Henning of Puyallup won the top prize of $5,000 for his 22.08-pound blackmouth. Jordan Beemer, 12, and Jessica Straight, 13, of Anacortes won $500 for the largest fish, 14.81 pounds, in the youth category. The prize for largest salmon, 13.01 pounds, caught by a Fidalgo Chapter member went to Brent Melvin of Anacortes.

The event raised $24,000 for scholarships to students pursuing careers in fisheries and related sciences. This year’s profits also go to the anglers scholarship fund. Visit http://www.anacortessalmonderby.com.


No fishing for compliments

“It has become myth. It has become legend ...”

Outdoor writer Wayne Kruse at The Herald in Everett had some high praise (hyperbole?) last week for the sold-out Anacortes Salmon Derby coming up this weekend at the Cap Sante Boat Haven.

“This one is becoming the Spirit Of Big Derbies Past, when events such as the Seattle Milk Fund Derby in the 1950s gave away two automobiles and put the photo of the winning angler and his big king salmon on the front page of the Seattle Times’ sports section,” he wrote. “It is a fishing contest, yes, but also a social happening of epic proportions in the north Puget Sound area. You miss the derby at the risk of becoming a piscatorial pariah, or at least damaging your reputation as a chinook highliner.”