Brewster Salmon Derby outperforms 2016 results

BREWSTER – Despite smoky skies, record temperatures and high wildfire conditions, fisherman from around the Northwest gathered at Columbia Cove last Friday-Sunday, August 4-6, for the competition and comradery at the 12th annual Brewster King Salmon Derby

King of the Pool honors went to Joel Grafe of who hauled his near-30-pound Chinook salmon over the gunwale on Saturday, August 5. From that moment – though nobody knew it at the time - it was a race for second place as Grafe’s 28.76 pounder, 3.91 pounds heavier than the next largest fish, won by a margin greater than the 3.37-pound-difference that separated the next nine largest salmon. 

Fishing in the same boat with Grafe was Jeff Harmier of Brewster, whose 23.5-pound king caught Sunday morning placed fifth in the King of the Pool competition.

Of the 95 salmon weighed in for King of the Pool honors, 13 exceeded 20 pounds, four weighed more than 19 pounds, seven exceeded 18 pounds, five beat 17 pounds, 10 were 16 pounds or greater and six tipped the scales at 15 pounds or more.

Last year’s King of the Pool winner, Mindy Webster, who won the pot with a 26.06-pound king, missed hooking the big one this year, finishing 83rd with a 7.97-pound fish. 

King of the Pool

1. 28.76 lbs – Joel Grafe

2. 24.85 lbs – James Jester

3. 24.78 lbs – Corey Maynard

4. 23.62 lbs – Leo Wilhelm

5. 23.50 lbs – Jeff Harmier

6. 23.34 lbs – John Simmons

7. 23.30 lbs – David Alf

8. 22.76 lbs – Amanda Davis

9. 21.48 lbs – Colman Tupling

10. 20.79 lbs – Callie Christoph

11. 20.60 lbs – Wes Gano

12. 20.21 lbs – Bob Velikanje

13. 20.06 lbs – David Mahaney

Among the 20-plus pounders caught during the derby, two were landed by youngsters.

Amanda Davis of town hooked a 22.75-pound Chinook that won the Youth Division and placed eighth in the King of the Pool leaderboard. 

Callie Christoph landed a 20.79-pounder, good for second-place Youth and 10th in King of the Pool.

Largest Fish Youth

1. 22.76 lbs – Amanda Davis

2. 20.79 lbs – Callie Cristoph

3. 16.92 lbs – Laney Howe

4. 16.21 lbs – Trace LeDoux

5. 15.29 lbs – Jay Shea

6. 13.89 lbs – Alex Davis

7. 13.16 lbs – Liberty Linklater

8. 11.65 lbs – Lexi LeDoux

9. 11.02 lbs – Kinsey Christoph

10. 10.12 lbs – Miranda Kruger

11. 8.23 lbs – Trey Krause

12. 7.08 lbs – Cutter Pritchard

Largest Fish Child

1. 13.18 lbs - Alan Shelton

2. 11.12 lbs – Liam Linklater

3. 7.56 lbs – Landon Manuel

Derby Total Weight (Top 5)

1. 64.15 lbs (4 fish) - Leo Wilhelm

2. 56.19 lbs (4 fish) – Bob Velikanje

3. 52.12 lbs (5 fish) – Jerrod Gibbons

4. 50.40 lbs (3 fish) – Wes Gano

5. 42.16 lbs (3 fish) – Mutt Willet

“We actually caught more fish this year,” said Randy Cole, who, with Lori Kratzer, organizes the annual derby. “and the fish were bigger, partly because we were allowed one wild fish and that’s the first time up here in four years.”

This year’s derby drew 13 more entries – 152 – than 2016 and more large kings greater than 20 pounds were caught.