Brewster hosts 17th annual King Salmon Derby

BREWSTER – The 17th annual Brewster Salmon Derby, the largest on the Columbia River and the city’s most popular tourist attraction, is preparing to launch bright and early Friday morning, August 4, and run through final weigh-ins and prize awards on Sunday afternoon, August 6.

The competition is not only a way to wrap a family outing in a weekend of fun but also one with added awards for lucky anglers. This year, up to $20,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded. Gifts of tackle and other fishing gear and side pot payouts will sweeten the rewards. Biggest fish prizes include:

            • $2,000 King of the Pool (all ages)

            • $1,500 Adult winner.

            • $550 Youth winner (9-14 years).

Cash prizes will be awarded to the top five in both the adult and youth divisions and non-cash prizes to the top five in the child division.

Tickets are limited to 300 fishermen.  They went on sale last December and derby organizer Mike Mauk said more than two-thirds of those were already gone by press time. Many fishermen showed up early for the opening of the summer chinook season on July 1 and boats crowded the Brewster pool near the confluence of the Columbia and Okanogan rivers.

Last May the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife forecast a return of 85,400 adult summer chinook, larger than the previous year’s actual return, and 234,500 sockeye, a higher return than 2022.

Again this year food venders will set up near the boat launch.

The growing list of Derby sposnsors includes USI, VIP Insurance, the Colville Confederated Tribes, P1FCU. Webster Furniture, Harrod Outdoors, Cole Industrial, North 40, Work Sharp, Okanogan Valley Guide Service, North Cascades Bank, Erlandsen, Bob Feil Boats & Motors, Triangle Quick-E-Mart, Fish Fighter, Whitley Fuel, Pro Troll, Fishin 4 All, Northwest Outdoorsmen Rod Series, Leo Flashers, Hooked on Toys, Peace Armory, Something Catchy, Exxon Mobil, Les Schwab, Mack’s Lure, Scotty, La Milpa, Gomez Lawn Care, Apple Valley Wireless, Hyper Vis Tape, Double D Outdoors, Silver Horde Gold Star, and LureSafe.