GARDINER — The Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby will be held for the weekend after Presidents Day for the second straight year.
The three-day derby will start Friday, Feb. 19, and end Sunday, Feb. 21.
The big-time derby, which features 500 square miles of fishing, five weigh stations and a $10,000 first prize is part of the Northwest Marine Trade Association’s Northwest Salmon Derby Series.
Barry Wood is the new president of the Gardiner Salmon Derby Association, the host of the Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby, replacing Dan Tatum.
“What could be better than spending a weekend in February enjoying fishing on the Olympic Peninsula?” Wood said in a news release.
“As always, we will be awarding lots of great prizes.”
The Gardiner Salmon Derby Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. As usual, funds raised at the derby will go toward supporting the emergency and other important services for Gardiner, Diamond Point, Blyn and nearby communities.
As always, only hatchery blackmouth are eligible for derby prizes.
The $10,000 first prize is just the beginning of the prize list, which will continue to grow until the week of the derby. That list will include four $500 Mystery Fish prizes.
Tickets are $40 for one day or all three days when purchased at various North Olympic Peninsula outdoors stores, including Swain’s General Store in Port Angeles, Brian’s Sporting Goods in Sequim and Four Corners Store and the Fish N Hole in Port Townsend.
See the complete list of locations to purchase tickets online at www.gardinersalmonderby.org.
Tickets also can be purchased online for $42.50 through that same website.
All ticket sales end Wednesday, Feb. 17. No tickets will be sold at weigh stations during the derby.
Thanks to donations, there also are tickets available at no cost for Wounded Warriors. See the website for more information.
The event spans the north Olympic Peninsula, with weigh stations at Freshwater Bay, Ediz Hook in Port Angeles, John Wayne Marina in Sequim, Gardiner Beach and Port Townsend Boat Haven.
Derby volunteers inspect and weigh submitted fish, which are then returned to the angler.
The awards ceremony will be held at the Gardiner Boat Ramp on Sunday, Feb. 21, at 3 p.m., which is an hour later than in previous years.
The ceremony also will include a cash prize raffle and a free barbecue, which will start at noon.
The Northwest Marine Trade Association will be displaying its 2016 grand prize boat, which every derby ticket holder is automatically entered to win.
Last year’s boat was won by a ticket holder from last year’s Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby, Dean Simms of Hansville.
Last year’s derby was won by Mount Vernon’s Jerry Thomas, who caught an 18.95-pound salmon. Neah Bay’s Julia Hunter earned the $2,000 second-place prize with a 16.6-pounder.
