The 6th Annual Kenai Silver Salmon Derby kicks off and goes through Sunday, September 18. It’s a family-friendly fishing tournament where anyone can win prizes. The Kenai Silver Salmon Derby awards prizes using a magic weight that is randomly drawn at the end of each derby day. Since any fish over four pounds is eligible to win, anglers of all skill levels have a chance to earn prizes.
Brett Perry, Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center Executive Director tells KSRM how someone might sign up to participate:
“First, they have to go to one of three locations to buy tickets. That’s either at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, Three Bears in Kenai, or Sportsman’s Warehouse in Soldotna. You can either buy a ticket for a single day for $10 or $50 for the whole event. Buy the ticket before you go fishing.”
Perry explains what’s unique about the Kenai Silver Salmon Derby:
“A good way to prevent and help ensure the conservation of silver salmon in the river is that the winners are not going to be based on the largest size salmon caught. It’s going to be a magic weight that is chosen each day. We’ll spin two wheels – one for the pound and a second wheel will spin twice for the tenth and hundredth pound. That weight will determine the winner and winners for adults will get $100 per day for the daily winner and then the youth will get $50 per day, but then the overall winners, that will be chosen at the last day of the event. It will be $1,000 to the youth and $5,000 to the adults.”
Perry adds:
“Actually, the Kenai Chamber does not keep any of the funds. Funds that are subtracted go towards prize money and whatnot, the rest go to the Kenai Community Foundation, which goes towards supporting preservation and conservation efforts for the Kenai River.”
Click here for more information on the Kenai Silver Salmon Derby.