The Outdoor Line Forum

Without question, the Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby is living up to it's "Iron Man Derby" standards.
With winds hovering at or above the 25mph mark and scattered fish, it's anybody's derby with the top fish weighing in at just over 12lbs.

After losing the first hookup of the day, we managed to pick up this 8 pounder to get on the board


Stay tuned, we'll be covering the event right through the Monday afternoon final standings.

I'll be following the reports from the comfort of my couch.

My guess for the winning fish, 16 lbs, 7 oz.

Go get 'em Nelly!





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Here are the final results of the Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby courtesy of Dan Tatum, event chairman.

PRESS RELEASE 2014 Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby
Earning its nickname “The Iron Man Derby”
GARDINER, 17 February 2014 – The 2014 Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby was a success despite dire forecasts and challenging weather. The lure of big prizes drew a smaller-than-usual band of determined anglers to compete. The wind was the biggest factor, keeping some from going out and driving others into port. Nevertheless, many nice fish were caught.
Fishing results were good, considering the conditions. 171 winter blackmouth chinook salmon over six pounds were submitted, below last year’s record of 249 6+ pounders, but in line with earlier derbies. The average weight was 8.6 pounds. Anglers were in competition for a big prize list worth $22,833 – including a $10,000 first prize plus four $500 “Mystery Fish” prizes, open to any submitted fish of at least six pounds. The final prize ladder had 51 winning fish; the smallest prize-winner was 9.65 pounds, and the winners had an average prize-winning weight of 11.1 pounds. (All weights are in decimal pounds, not pounds and ounces.)
The first prize of $10,000 went to Larry Quesnell of Mt. Vernon for a 15.4 pound salmon. The $2,000 second place winner was Jay Campbell of Port Townsend with a 15.25 pound fish. The $1,000 third place prize, donated by 7 Cedars Casino of Blyn, a loyal supporter of the derby every year, went to Geoffrey Cobb of Port Angeles with a 14.25 pound salmon. Large cash prizes are funded through ticket sales, but all other prizes were donated by area residents and businesses. Net proceeds from each derby support local emergency services and other community needs. Gardiner Salmon Derby Association, a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, runs this ongoing annual event.
Monday’s Awards Ceremony began at 2:00PM at the Gardiner Boat Ramp. This event followed a free BBQ for anglers and also the local community. Dan Tatum, President of Gardiner Salmon Derby Association, just shakes his head about the weather. “This was the toughest we’ve had in years, with gusts of 40-50mph. That’s rough in a small boat. Weather reports before the derby were discouraging, which kept a lot of people away. We sold 600 tickets this year, less than we hoped due to the weather.” Tatum adds “We had decent fishing, considering...but everybody who was out there knows why this derby gets called “the iron man derby.” People came a long way to visit our area, from Idaho and even Florida. All those visitors help the region during slow February.” Tatum was glad that 2014 derby tickets were available for the Wounded Warriors program. He also explained that plans for using the 2014 derby proceeds have not yet been decided, noting that “We’ll provide more details about this donation at the Appreciation Dinner.” This annual community potluck dinner is scheduled for 6PM on Saturday March 29th at the Gardiner Community Center, and coincides with the association’s annual meetings.
The Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby uses Selective Fishery exclusively – only clipped-fin hatchery fish can be submitted. Because fishing derbies put pressure on wild stocks, this annual event provides leadership for a sustainable, year-round fishery. The Derby is part of the Northwest Salmon Derby Series, run by the Northwest Marine Trade Association (NMTA). All Derby ticket holders are entered in the NMTA’s end-of-year (September) grand prize boat drawing.
For a list of the fish submitted, and other details, visit the Derby website http://www.GardinerSalmonDerby.org and the derby Facebook page http://www.Facebook.com/SalmonDerby. Pictures from the derby can be found on Facebook.