Resurrection Derby Results

Bellingham man earns bragging rights and $10,000 in the 5th annual Resurrection Derby at Friday Harbor

Over 300 anglers battled in this year’s “Best of the Best” bragging rights salmon derby in the Pacific Northwest! 2014 marked the 5th anniversary for this year’s Resurrection Derby, drawing anglers from Oregon to Canada which had its first sellout in this “100 boat shootout”! The stage was perfectly set this year with overcast skies and calm seas allowing anglers to venture all through the San Juan Islands is search of the prize winning fish.

Shaw Island resident and long time derby champion Pete Nelsen held the leader board the first day with an impressive 18.22 lb salmon. But he couldn’t hold on as day two brought in Steve Martin from Bellingham to claim the top spot and the $10,000 prize for the first place 18.89 lb salmon. Not far behind was the third place spot of Bill Havland from Everson, WA with his 17.27 lb fish.

This year’s derby is one for the record books and can only be described as EPIC! The two day total for fish weighed was a whopping 413! And that doesn’t include all the fish not weighed or safely released. “The sheer numbers of hatchery salmon that have been growing these last few years is a true testament to the enhancement progresses this club has been actively contributing towards and participating in.” said Derby Chairman Chris Long. “It is truly awe inspiring to see the magnitude of generosity and dedication from the participants to help ensure a healthy marine environment is here to stay for all to enjoy.”

All net proceeds from this event go towards salmon enhancement projects. Former Derby Chairman Kevin Klein stated “When one looks at the amount of fish caught during this year’s contest, it may seem large, but in the big picture this is a relatively small take of hatchery only Chinook from the ecosystem.” When asked who will benefit the most from selective growth, he stated “It will help put more Chinook Salmon in the water for all fisher folks and Orcas alike. That’s what I call a win-win for a good cause.”

The Resurrection Derby is a proud participant in the Northwest Salmon Derby Series. It is organized and run by members of the Fidalgo/San Juan Islands Puget Sound Anglers in Anacortes, WA. For more information on the Resurrection Derby at Friday Harbor, visit our website at: www.ResurrectionDerby.com.

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