Thursday, March 28, 2024

Brewster Salmon Derby scores a hit with big fish, big prizes

Filmed by Northwest Fishing Show

Posted

BREWSTER – The anchors have been hauled in for the 16th annual Brewster King Salmon Derby that took over the city last Friday through Sunday, August 5-7. Catch results, competitor comments, and after-action reports all gave high marks to this year’s gathering.

A total of 250 fishermen including 23 youth anglers and four free participants wet their lines during the three-day event. They reeled in 134 king salmon totaling 1,736 pounds for an average weight of 12.96 pounds per fish. Those catches included several that bumped some last-morning leaders down a notch or two when the final bell sounded at 12 noon Sunday.

Earlier in the morning of the final day of competition the leaderboard listed the largest king – not counting the 29-pound King of the Pool – at 24.14 pounds. Mere hours later final morning weigh-ins produced a new leader at 28.8 pounds. The previous leader dropped to fourth place as the second spot went to a 26.1-pound fish and third tipped the scales at 25.4 pounds. Mike Burnham of Yakima caught the 29.10-pound lunker that took the $2,500 top money.

“I heard from lots of people this year that we had the biggest fish weighed in than any king derby this year so far,” said derby organizer Mike Mauk.

At the regular monthly meeting of the Brewster Chamber of Commerce last Wednesday, August 10, Mauk, who is also chamber president, shared some highlights from the derby including several new additions to the traditional activities.

One of those was the $200 “Mystery Fish” prize awarded to the salmon that weighed nearest the 10/53 month/year birthday of organizer Mauk. That fish, a fifty-fifth place, 10.30 pounder was caught by Rick Claffey III of Clarkston, Washington. In a fortuitous twist of luck, Claffey also held the $20 raffle ticket that won the big prize of the day, a 9.9-horsepower Mercury outboard motor value at $3,000 and donated by Bob Feil Boats in Wenatchee.

Awards ceremony announcer Ernie Mauk said he counted 32 sponsors, 12 of those financial and 20 for products.

Several staffers from the Northwest Fishing Show (northwestfishing.net) were on hand and out on the water filming for a program segment that will be aired later this year.

Simple Derby (simpleder.com) handled the software side of who-caught-what for the first time at the Brewster event. Tanner Mauk and Lisa Avey helped log in the catches after weight, length, and girth numbers were taken. Liz Miller of the Something Catchy Kokanee Derby in Chelan also volunteered.

“This year everyone who weighed in a fish had a picture taken with a sign that included their ticket number,” said Mauk. “With that file I now can identify every fish and who caught that fish.”


 

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