Forks Washington on the Olympic Peninsula

La push Last Chance Salmon Derby

The 2011 Derby was well attended with 105 tickets sold. The weather forecast wasn’t favorable early in the week so that kept some fishermen away. The swells weren’t as bad Saturday as they were predicting, but still bad. Sunday was calmer but colder. We lucked out because it never rained on us at least. As far as the leader board went, Wilson Easton stayed on top the whole time. He and his dad, Dave Easton, brought the first two fish in, the elder Easton with a Chinook. They were the first two on the board. The fish came in slow and steady and the leader board kept changing. At one time a young lady, McKenna (9 years old) was on the board with a coho. She was presented with a special “Sportsman” award.

It was dramatic towards the cutoff on Sunday when Tom Torgeson brought in a Chinook at 11:59 knocking off the third place and putting him in second place. The derby ended at noon on Sunday. We also had a great drawing for ticket holders with many great donations from our sponsors and local merchants.
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LA PUSH LAST CHANCE SALMON DERBY HISTORY

The first derby was held in 2001 as a cooperative venture between the City of Forks, the Quileute Tribe and the Forks Chamber of Commerce. It’s held near the end of the fishing year as a “bubble season event.” The derby has run each year since except for 2005 when the event was cancelled at the last moment because of weather.

It is planned for two days (Saturday and Sunday) but there have been years when it closed early or only ran one day (such as in 2007) due to weather. The Coast Guard, who has always had an active role in overseeing the derby, determines whether or not to “close the bar” and thus shut down the derby. Their concern has always been safety first.

Cash prizes are awarded for largest, second largest and third largest Coho and Chinook and largest bottom fish. At one time, a prize was awarded for largest Lingcod as well as fourth, fifth, and sixth largest Coho and Chinook. In 2010, the latter three prizes were discontinued, as was the Lingcod category. Donated merchandise is given away at the end of the derby to the ticket-holders present.

The entry fee was $30 for both days of fishing until 2010 when it was dropped to $25 for the 2 days.

While not a big derby, as derbies go, participants proclaim it a “fun one” and many come back year after year to fish the tricky waters of La Push.

The derby is co-sponsored by the Forks Chamber of Commerce, City of Forks and the Quileute Tribe.