Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby

September 23, 2011

More Thanks!

The Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby was a hit success for it´s second year in a row. The participating anglers, their families, the sport fishing community of Ucluelet, donors and sponsors, all had a wonderful season and a great time at the Fish Off and Festival!

We couldn´t have done it without our sponsors who were also Ticket Vendors. Thank you to:

Aquamarine Adventure, Black Rock Resort, Breakers Marine, Canadian Princess, Clayoquot Ventures, Columbia Fuels Dock, Gone Fishin’, Island West Resort, Little Beach Resort, Long Beach Charters, Murray’s Grocery, Number 1 Market, Pacific Net & Twine, Ukee Scoops & Tours, Petro Canada, Pioneer Boat Works, Port Boat House, Storm Light Outfitters, Thornton Motel, and the West Coast Motel.

Additional Help with the Ucluelet Salmon Festival:

Celebrity Chefs: Bill Irving, District Councillor

Great Food by CP Chef, Dan Boate and Kevin Loeb of Roman’s Pizza

Additional Help with the Fish Off:

Thanks to Black Rock Oceanfront Resort for supplying the air horn for the air horn start all three days of the Fish Off. Without you the harbour still might have a couple dozen sport fishing boats floating around…

For more information on how you can be more involved next year visit www.uclueletsalmonladderderby.com.

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September 14, 2011

We Couldn’t Have Done it Without You

Although the sport fishing season in Ucluelet has not ended up (guides are booking trips into late October!), the excitement of the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby has subsided…for now.

A lot goes into running a four month long competition that completes with an all-out festival for the entire community. The Ucluelet Salmon Enhancement Society, organizers of the derby, is a new society and would never have been able to pull this thing off without the support of sponsors, volunteers, participants, staff, and donators.

So here’s to you great folks who made the 2011 Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby, the Fish Off, and the Ucluelet Salmon Festival possible.

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Thank you to our sponsors for contributing to the success of this event. We literally could not have done it without you!

A Balsam & A Tamarack Houses, Advanced Nutrients, Aerie Construction, Aquamarine Adventures, Barry’s Drugs, Beachcomber Charters, Black Rock Oceanfront Resort, Canadian Princess, Carmen Edwards of ReMax Realty, Castaway Charters, Coastal Community Credit, Columbia Fuels, Cannon Downriggers, Far West Foods, Fishfull Thinking, Fishmyster, Floathouse Patio & Grill, Flowers By Sandra, Gray Whale Deli, Harbour House B&B, Highroller Charters, Iisaak, Island West Resort, Jamie’s Whaling Station, Jason Waddell of CIBC, Little Beach Resort, Long Beach Charters, Long Beach Golf Course, Long Beach Radio, Magic Lures, Matterson House, Mark Penney Gallery, Morning Magic Sportfishing, Moonsnail Charters, Murray’s Grocery, No. 1 Market, Ocean Mist Guest House B&B, Pacific King Charters, Pacific Net & Twine, Pacific Rim Fishing Charters, Pacific Rim Motel, Pacific Waters Sport Fishing, People’s Drug Mart, Pioneer Boat Works, Port Boat House, Reef Point Cottages, Roanne Sea Adventures, Salmon and Halibut Sportfishing, Salmon Beach Estates, Salmon Eye Charters, Schramm Design, Spirit Bear Salmon Charters, The Crow’ s Nest, The Place TV, Thornton Motel, Tourism Ucluelet, Ucluelet Campground, Ucluelet Co-Op, Ucluelet Petro Canada, Ucluelet Coastal Charters, Ucluelet Liquor Store, Ucluelet Video, Water’s Edge – Aviawest, West Coast Fish Expeditions, West Coast Motel, West Edge Fishing, Westerly News, Whale’s Tail Guest House, Wickaninnish Restaurant, Wild Pacific B&B, Wild Pacific Charters.

Without our ticket vendors we wouldn’t have our cash prizes, thank you ticket vendors!

Aquamarine Adventures, Black Rock Oceanfront Resort, Breakers Marine, Canadian Princess Resort, Clayoquot Ventures, Columbia Fuel Dock, Gone Fishin’, Island West Resort, Little Beach Resort, Long Beach Charters, Murray’s Grocery, Number 1 Market, Pacific Net & Twine, Ukee Scoups & Tours, Petro Canada, Pioneer Boat Works, Port Boat House, Spirit Bear Salmon Charters, Storm Light Outfitters, Thornton Motel, West Coast Motel.

A very special thank you to the Canadian Princess Resort from Lisa Brisco, Derby Coordinator and all derby staff

Brian Clarkson

For always being there to answer, console and encourage

Dave Martin, Colin Martin, Dylan Nakagawa & Harvey Gudbranso.

The boys who have helped to get the anglers fishing and getting the fish to the table – you guys rock!

Dianne St. Jacques, Suzanna VanDort , Yvonne Arseneault, Elaine Cronholm & Patty Brown.

The girls who have helped me get through by listening, encouraging and feeding me.

****Lorane Hutchison**** – the lady that makes sure our books balance

All the Canadian Princess Staff & Crew have invited us again into their working environment and hosted the Ucluelet Salmon Festival.

Thank you to our volunteers, entertainers and vendors at the Ucluelet Salmon Festival!

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Geoff Johnson from Long Beach Radio for being the MC.

John Devries for doing sound.

Darryl Farnham from the Sleeman Brewery for beer & cups.

Dave Buettel from Gordon Food Service for the salad, buns & corn.

Crystal from Neptune Ice for…ICE!

Tony/Graham from Ucluelet Rent-a-centre for the fencing.

Sam/Nicole/Paul at the District of Ucluelet for helping with all District items.

Oyster Jim Martin for lending us your wonderful corn cooker.

Laura Griffith-Cochrane from the Ucluelet Aquarium for bringing the Touch Tank!

Jessica Hutchison from the West Coast Forest Society for the dunk tank.

Sandra Hunter of Flowers by Sandra for the balloons & flowers.

Ken Griffin at Windsor Plywood for sponsoring the bouce-a-rama.

Dave Edwards for the flat deck stage.

Musicians: Sam the Jet and Natacha Radojevic for your awesome music!

Helpers: Cam MacPherson, Jack Lind & John McDiarmid, Don Osborne and Que Banh, Barb Schramm and Pieter Timmermans.

Vendors: Candace Bastien, Lica Vezina, Sheilagh Barret, Salmon Beach, Natacha Radojevic, Joleen Morrow, Joy-Lynn Eeyford.

Non-Profits: Thornton Creek Hatchery, Clayoquot Biosphere Trust, Ucluelet Aquarium.

Thanks to those who helped out at the Fish Off!

Ed Ralston, Cliff McCool, Amy Hancock, Brian Clarkson

Thanks Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby Staff!

A special, special thanks to my Dockside Ambassadors, Rosy Pongratz and Breanna Primeau, you always brought a smile to the docks and the angler’s were always happy to see you.

Thank you Rosy and Breanna – my derby angels!

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Thanks again everyone! We hope to see you all out again next year!

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September 13, 2011

Ucluelet Salmon Festival

The Ucluelet Salmon Festival

The Fish Off Weigh Station officially closed on September 11th at 2PM. That means all participants had to be AT the dock by 2pm in order to qualify their fish. Needless to say, they all showed up at the last possible minute and derby staff had a busy afternoon.

Meanwhile at the Canadian Princess Resort parking lot the Ucluelet Salmon Festival was set up and people were starting to file through the gates.

There were local vendors from Sunday’s Market selling their wares. Local non-profits like the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust, the Ucluelet Aquarium, and the Thornton Creek Hatchery gave information and demonstrations. Volunteers from the Ucluelet District Council, the community, and the Canadian Princess Resort Crew were busy behind the barbeque cooking up some freshly caught salmon.

“I think I can say that is the best barbequed salmon I have ever had,” said Cliff McCool who sits on the board for the Ucluelet Salmon Enhancement Society and is one of the original organizers of the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby. He is also my partner in crime on Derby Patrol!

Those in attendance enjoyed the music of Natacha Radojevic from Tofino as she opened up the entertainment for the festival. Her rooted folk tunes gave the perfect west coast vibe for the event. Later on Sam the Jet, also from Tofino, played us their upbeat west coast style rock. The music sounded awesome and really created an energetic ambiance – thanks guys!

The festival also had a beer gardens plus a bouncy castle for the kids and a dunk tank in support of the West Coast Forest Society. The Ucluelet Aquarium brought their usual cool crawlers in a touch tank for all to explore. We love the aquarium!

Geoff Johnson from Long Beach Radio MC’d as Lisa Brisco began the ceremonies and awards give away. See the photos above for placing details. There was a jovial mood at the festival as fishers congratulated fishers as they made their way up to the stage.

As the Ucluelet Salmon Festival wrapped up – so did the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby for another fun fishing season in Ucluelet. An event that is surely putting our world class fishing destination on the map.

A special thank you to Lisa Brisco, Derby Coordinator, for all your hard work, dedication, and love for the event and those involved.

Thank you to the community of Ucluelet and the visiting fishers for helping to raise funds and awareness for salmon enhancement. All proceeds from the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby and the Ucluelet Salmon Festival will be donated to Thornton Creek Hatchery.

We will see you next year everyone!

Kind Regards and Tight Lines,

Amy Hancock

…keep checking our blog as we will be posting thank you notices and totals raised for the Thornton Creek Hatchery…

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September 12, 2011

From the Water to the Dock

We laughed, we cried, we woke up early and fished all day long for three days straight…and then some lucky anglers went home with a pocket full of cash and pile of prizes. It was the 2nd Annual Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby Fish Off Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and it was an absolute BLAST.

Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby Fish Off Video Link

Being the only town on Vancouver Island that holds a 4 month long derby with cash and prizes totally over $60,000, Ucluelet has taken sport fishing to a whole new level!

Derby Patrol was able to take photos and video of all the action, providing LIVE blog coverage from the water throughout the entire event. Not every catch was documented from the boats point of view but it just so happens that the top seven were!

Enjoy the photos.

First Place: Rich Allen at 41lbs-9oz

Fishing with Pacific Waters Sport Fishing

Rich Allen traveled all the way from Mount Vernon, Washington to fish in the Fish Off! Thanks for coming Rich (although we are certain you are glad that you did!)

2nd Place: Bill Weber at 41lbs-3oz

Fishing with Albion Charters

Hey Murray, what’s up with the gorilla?

3rd Place: Kenneth Nakagawa at 40lbs-15oz

4th Place: Scott Reed at 38lbs-7oz

This fish was actually the first one called in on Friday morning and the first to be photographed by Derby Patrol. Way to start the competition high Scott! (He was also the first to forget to bring a pen on his boat…Derby Patrol had to float one over in a bucket!)

5th Place: Billy Buhler at 35lbs-7oz

Billy’s guide AJ held up his fish for him because Billy had another bite!

Way to go Billy!

6th Place: Brian Dowell at 34lbs-9oz

Fishing with the Canadian Princess Resort

It looked like the anglers and crew on the Ucluelet Princess were having way to much fun that day!

7th Place: Paul Grimston at 34lbs-1oz

Operator of Castaway Charters

I think the trick here is to stand behind your fish…it looks bigger than Paul!

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Remember that all proceeds of the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby and the the Ucluelet Festival are donated to the Thornton Creek Hatchery. Your support as a corporate sponsor, volunteer, participating angler, and friend is much needed for the 2012 Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby as well. Thank you for helping to raise funds and awareness for salmon enhancement on the west coast!

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September 11, 2011

We Have A Winner!

Congratulations to Rich Allen for landing the biggest fish in this weekends Fish Off event. Rich has already won with the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby and traveled from Mt. Vernon to fish in the finals with his guide Dan Dowell of Pacific Waters Sport Fishing.

The fish was caught at Starfish bank and weighed 41 lbs-9oz. This fish has rewarded Rich over 10,000 in total cash and prizes! Plus his name is going on the official trophy displayed in Ucluelet for all to admire.

Stay tuned to the blog and facebook as photos, video, and all derby details(including the skinny on the Ucluelet Salmon Festival)who won what and how you can get involved next year!

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