LESS THAN A week remains to pick up tickets for the 2015 Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby, set for Friday through Sunday, Feb. 20-22.
Anglers must purchase tickets by Wednesday. They are available online at tinyurl.com/PDN-DerbyTix for $42.50 or by visiting an area merchant where they are $40.
A number of derby tickets are again available for Wounded Warriors, which provides fishing outings for war veterans.
North Olympic Peninsula ticket outlets are Swain’s in Port Angeles, Brian’s Sporting Goods and More in Sequim, the Longhouse Market & Deli in Blyn, Fishing Supplies and Gear in Discovery Bay, Olympic Equipment Rental in Port Hadlock, and Four Corners Store, the Fish’N Hole and Westside Marine in Port Townsend.
The derby offers more than 500 square miles of fishable territory in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound.
Boats may be launched for free at any of five boat launches, thanks to fee waivers from the Port of Port Angeles and the Port of Port Townsend.
Boat launches in Clallam County are located at Freshwater Bay, the Ediz Hook launch in Port Angeles and John Wayne Marina in Sequim.
Anglers also can set out from the Gardiner Boat Ramp and the Port Townsend Boat Haven in Jefferson County.
The biggest clipped-fin hatchery chinook bagged will be rewarded with a $10,000 first prize.
The total purse already tops more than $20,000.
This includes four $500 mystery fish prizes for chinook that weight in at least 6 pounds.
Most prizes are donated by area businesses and residents. The largest single donation is the $1,000 third prize, donated by 7 Cedars Casino in Blyn, a strong supporter of this event every year.
The Gardiner Salmon Derby Association puts on the derby, and association president Dan Tatum is expecting a strong bite.
“As usual, fishing is starting to pick up in [Marine] Areas 6 [eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca] and 9 [Admiralty Inlet}, and it should be at its peak during the derby,” Tatum said.
“We’re expecting warm weather this year, due to the mild winter and also because the derby will be a week later than usual.”
Tatum suggests all anglers consult the state Department of Fish and Wildlife sport fishing rules at wdfw.wa.gov.
Anglers need to avoid fishing in Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands) because that area will be under an emergency closure to salmon fishing during the derby.
Leading up to the derby, the Northwest Marine Trade Association’s grand prize boat, a 21-foot Hewes Craft, is on display through Wednesday at Westside Marine in Port Townsend.
Every derby ticket holder is automatically entered into a drawing for the prize boat.
The winner will be picked later in the year.
Derby sponsor Salt Patrol/Lowrance will have both its boats available for tours at Port Townsend’s Sea Marine docks for an hour after the close of fishing Friday and Saturday, Feb. 20-21.
Reps from the company will answer questions on Lowrance products, perform free updates on Lowrance units and tune units.
Again this year KIRO 710 AM ESPN’s Outdoor Line program will be fishing the derby, and broadcasting live from The Harborside Inn in Port Townsend.
A free barbecue will be held at the Gardiner Boat Ramp at noon Sunday, Feb. 22, before the 3 p.m. awards ceremony and cash prize raffle
For more information, including derby rules, plus information about the prize boat drawing, visit www.GardinerSalmonDerby.org.
Cold water survival
Cold water survival is the focus of the Point Wilson Power and Sail Squadron meeting at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 17 at the Port Townsend Yacht Club, 2503 Washington St.
The event is free and open to the public.
Linda Newland, squadron education officer, will share a video of young and fit individuals engaged in cold-water survival exercises that demonstrate the challenges involved in surviving in 45-degree water.
A discussion of the physiological changes to the body when immersed in very cold water and demonstrates the value of wearing a life vest in these conditions also is planned.
For more information, phone Paul Snider at 360-891-5268.
Kids fishing benefit
Just a few tickets remain for the North Olympic Peninsula Chapter of Puget Sound Anglers’ Kids Fishing Day Auction/Dinner on Saturday, Feb. 21.
The event is set for SunLand Golf & Country Club, 109 Hilltop Drive in Sequim, with the silent auction starting at 5 p.m. a spaghetti dinner with red sauce or white clam sauce at 5:45 p.m., and the live auction following at 7 p.m.
Silent auction items include a variety of sports merchandise.
A variety of charter fishing trips for salmon and bottom fish are available during the live auction, along with a trip for one to Palapas Ventana Resort in Baja Mexico, a two-person tuna fishing trip out of LaPush or a river fishing trip for four on the Cowlitz or Columbia rivers.
A no-host cash bar for spirits, wine, beer and soft drinks also will be offered.
Tickets are $10 and support the Puget Sound Anglers annual kids fishing program held in May at the Sequim water reclamation pond.
Purchase tickets by phoning 360-681-4768 or emailing webmaster@psanopc.org by Sunday.
For more information about the Puget Sound Anglers visit www.psanopc.org.
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Outdoors columnist Michael Carman appears here Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5152 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.