Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby

So far it looks like I'll be having no company, and I was recently reminded that it will be my brother in laws Wedding that Saturday, I'm still planning to fish if possible though.  Let me know if you'll be here. 

I think the tides will be negotiable albeit challenging, especially if we get NE winds.  Time to fish will be around slack tides.

Are you talking the Gardiner derby? I would love to make that one.

Zee,
Yeh he is. Lots of nibblers but no takers.

Am interested too but wont make it due to work keeping me out of state.

   Unfortunately ,I'm in the same boat as Richard--will be out of state on Presidents Day weekend.
   
   We can always do our own event later .Not only will the weather be better but the fishing might be too.
   
   We would miss out on all the prizes though........

    I really do want to fish up there with my new yak.

Yes, Zee are you in?  Sorry about the rest of you, would love to organize our own Salmon derby Mark. 

Yes, Zee are you in?  Sorry about the rest of you, would love to organize our own Salmon derby Mark.

Unless something crazy comes up between now and then, I'm in.

The Nut has just declared, "I'm In". Let's all keep in touch on logistics,gear,etc. I'm
jazzed Zee,just scored a new G.Loomis mooching rod thanks to you and your seminar. Let's do it, team NWKA.

Man, I'd LOVE to go but it would be my first trip out in the salt at all and I'd love to get a salt salmon seminar under my belt before putting other people at risk with my inexperience. I have my PFD, VHF radio, a wet suit and neoprene waders to go out in. I'm still not sure...

True

If you're feeling unsure, you got to ask yourself..."Do I feel lucky?". All seriousness aside
Dont go until you feel confident of the enviornment and YOUR capabilities. You will no when it's true, True.
On the other hand......

Looks like I will be out Saturday due to rehearsal dinner Friday and Sat. Wedding in Seattle, but I plan to fish the AM Friday, don't have to leave till 3 or so and Sunday.  If you guys need a place to stay we can make it work, got one spare bed in den and a sofa.  Travel Trailer with power & heat too, (older model).  Trying to get out of the dinner and just come for the wedding, don't think my Brother in law would give a rip but the wife isn't so keen on this proposal, go figure.

OK, so it's Sat-Mon not Fri-Sun, whoops.  this means Sat is the only day I will have trouble participating.

I'm still not clear if we can launch from other ramps or kayak accessible sites so I sent off a e-mail asking for clarification but I didn't see anything specifically forbidding it.  Meaning the PA fishing areas might be a little more accessible, I do believe they want us to come in that way though.

If you are still thinking about it, Check out the prize ladder and last years may be up to and you can see that anyone can win a good prize.  This fishing has been very good the past few years and if the fall fishing was any indicator it should be good.

Here is the reply I got to the Launch question.

Hi Bryan. Great question! I’ll add this to the website FAQ.

You can launch anywhere you like (or just jump in the water for all we care). The weigh stations are located at those five ramps for convenience. Note that you must bring fish by boat over water to the weigh stations – no driving them in your car. (We’ve heard of derbies where huge Alaskan salmon somehow showed up in the trunk of somebody’s car. “I just caught this!” Hmmm. “Good thinking to use dry ice, Bubba, so it wouldn’t warm up between your boat and the scales.” Not that anybody on the Peninsula would do that; we’re all too nice and honest here.)

Good luck!
Trevor

http://gardinersalmonderby.org/results/

* = area [6/7/9] and ramp [f/a/s/g/t]
    ramps are: f=freshwater, a=PA, s=Sequim, g=Gardiner, t=PT

** = bonus prizes (A=Saturday, B=Sunday, M=mystery), duplicates (X); duplicates are eligible for bonus prizes but not ladder prizes

#    Time    Tkt#    Weight    *    Angler    From    Date    **
1    9:10    0160    18.90    6s    Rob Schmidt    Sequim    Mon    
2    8:50    0869    18.05    9t    Ray Lampers    Snohomish    Sun    B
3    11:10    0278    17.90    9t    Mike Thacker    Chimacum    Mon    
4    7:27    0287    17.35    9t    Doug Lux    Port Townsend    Sat    A
5    8:16    0736    16.50    6g    Gary Randall    Federal Way    Sun    
6    14:44    0062    14.90    6s    Darryl Sanford    Sequim    Sun    
7    10:52    1113    14.70    6f    Joe Schmidt    Joyce    Mon    
8    11:43    0676    14.10    6s    Jim Chandler    Puyallup    Mon    
9    13:23    0431    14.05    9g    Chris Hoff    Shelton    Sat    
10    11:56    0901    13.85    6g    Dave Gauthan    Sequim    Sun    
11    11:25    0803    13.75    9t    Geoffrey Cobb    Port Angeles    Mon    
12    8:22    0275    13.70    6g    Jeffery Delia    Quilcene    Mon    
13    10:36    1266    13.55    6s    Loran Selbig    Port Orchard    Mon    
14    10:36    1268    13.35    6s    Bruce Girkin    Kingston    Mon    
15    11:51    0583    12.95    6s    Don Mooney    Puyallup    Mon

Prizes

Our 2012 prize list is currently being assembled. Many more great prizes will be added before the derby begins. Check back for details.

Below is a preliminary list of 2012 prizes, in order of value, as contributed so far. (This list is for information only and is subject to change!) Please notice how many of these prizes are donated in someone’s memory. This is one indication of how deeply people feel about our salmon derby.
#    Prize    Donor    Value
Bonus prize: Mystery fish – any submitted* fish can win    Gardiner Salmon Derby Association    $1,000
500
500
1    First prize – $10,000    10,000
2    Second prize = $5,000    5,000
3    Third prize – $1,500    1,500
4    Fourth prize – $500    7 Cedars Casino    500
5    Lowrance HDS GPS/Sonar unit    Lowrance (thanks, Salt Patrol)    800
6    Lowrance Elite-5 Fishfinder/Chartplotter    Westside Marine    625
7    $300 cash in memory of Einar Forsman    Forsman family    300
8    $250 cash in memory of Scoby Howe    Dick & Bev Howe    250
9    $250 cash in memory of Einar Forsman, Bob Minty, & Earl Gibson    Gardiner Coffee Club/ROMEOs    250
10    9 foot custom-tied salmon rod    Gary’s Custom Rods    250
11    7′10″ hand-tied halibut rod    Batson Enterprises    250
12    $200 cash from Chinook Landscape, Gardiner    Dan & Marylou Tatum    200
13    $200 cash in memory of Norm Lynn    Judy Lynn    200
14    Graphite salmon fishing rod with ABU-Garcia C4 reel #1    Northwest Marine Trade Association    160
15    Graphite salmon fishing rod with ABU-Garcia C4 reel #2    160
16    Wenzel 10 piece cast iron cookware set    Beverlee and Bill Benbow    150
17    Two crab pots with complete setup    Ted’s Sport Center    120
18    Marine and RV Deep Cycle Battery    Les Schwab Tire    117
19    Shrimp pot    McKay Crab & Shrimp Gear    110
20    $100 cash    Bekkevar Logging & Trucking    100
21    $100 cash in memory of Lydia Walker    Don & Verna Walker    100
22    $100 cash in memory of Kee Davenport    Elizabeth Van Dyke    100
23    $100 cash in memory of William R. Movius    Dennis & Diane Martin    100
24    $100 cash in memory of Louise Norton Scott    Joan & Dick Bennett    100
25    $100 cash    First Federal    100
26    $100 gift certificate    Sunny Farms    100
27    $100 gift card    Swain’s General Store    100
28    $100 gift card    A-1 Auto    100
29    $50 Shell gift card    Four Corners Store    50
30    $50 gift card    Port Angeles Power Equipment    50
31    $50 gift certificate    Ichikawa Japanese Cuisine    50
   $23,992

Last updated: 02/07/12

Thanks for asking about the launching spots,  that will really help increase the fishing time for us. If weather and work cooperate I might be able to get over for this derby.

As it stands at the moment I wont be fishing Sat.  Sun. & Mon I will be unless weather put's me out.

Fished the derby but ended up boat fishing, showed up at the ramp late today in Freshwater bay to find the guy I'd fished with the day before hanging with the fish checkers.  At that point he was in 2nd place but ended the day way down in 3rd for 1500$$$.  The boat had 2 fish today and lost 2.  I caught one shaker.  I did paddle out but only for a bit.  Saw quite a few fish boated and played today in the Freshwater bay area.  Yesterday at the Winter hole was sloooow.  I'll be on the Blackmouth this week.