Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby

The Ucluelet Salmon Enhancement Society(USES) met last week to discuss the exciting new changes to the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby this year.  With the event growing in ticket sales and participation (and excitement!) every year, the new $250, 000 Hidden Weight Grande Prize has definitely been the talk of the sport fishing community.

“Now we can say you can fish to win up to $310,000!” said Cliff McCool who sits on the Board of Directors for the USES.  “And we want everyone to know about it!”

The posters go to print this week and will be plastered in Ucluelet and other communities all over Vancouver Island.  Soon all will know that the true ultimate fishing town is on a little peninsula on the west coast and anglers will be reeling in the big ones, for big prizes, all summer long.

So here’s the deal:   On Friday of the Fish Off a randomly selected Fish Off participant will have the opportunity to see if his or her two salmon match the hidden weight prize. Then again on Saturday a randomly selected Fish Off participant will have the opportunity to see if his or her fish match the hidden weight.  Those weights will be submitted for a match and if we have a match, we have a $1/4 Million winner!!

The hidden weight needs to match to the pound and ounce between 7 pounds and 54 pounds.

Add that to the $8000 cash rewarded monthly and the season’s cash and prizes totaling over $60,000 and you have yourself a HUGE incentive to fish in Ucluelet this summer.  But why wouldn’t you?  The fishing grounds off the shores of Ucluelet and in Barkley Sound have proven to be world class.  We’ve got the 50 pound plus slabs of salmon to prove it!

“We want it on the banner so everyone can see it when they drive into town.  Fish to Win up to $310,000 in the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby!” McCool continues, “It’s going to be a great year.”

We have the giant cheque ready.  Do you have your derby ticket?

Alan Rogers has caught a new fish for the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby!

Weight: 19lbs 08oz

Catch Location: Cree Island

More information about this catch »

Nathan Vanpelt has caught a new fish for the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby!

Weight: 17lbs 07oz

Catch Location: Cree Island

More information about this catch »

A fish was caught this afternoon.  The participant had a derby ticket and brought it into the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby Official Weigh-In Station. Unfortunately, the angler did not mark the fish down on his Tidal Waters Fishing License.

Rule # 1: All persons who wish to participate in the Derby must have a valid derby ticket. All tidal water sport fishing regulations must be followed and anglers must have valid salt water fishing licenses with stamp.

It is federal law, from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, that all sport caught fish must be marked on the anglers fishing license as soon as it is brought into the boat.

The fish caught this afternoon was 20lbs-05oz which is a fair size for this time of year.  Please make sure you read the Rules and Regulations so we can get those fish on the ladder and help you win some prizes!

The odds are looking pretty good for fish caught this month.  Get out on the water and start reeling in the big ones!

Kevin Barabash has caught a new fish for the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby!

Weight: 26lbs 01oz

Catch Location: Great Bear

More information about this catch »

Darren Dickenson has caught a new fish for the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby!

Weight: 17lbs 05oz

Catch Location: Meares Bluff

More information about this catch »

Darren Dickenson has caught a new fish for the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby!

Weight: 17lbs 05oz

Catch Location: Meares Bluff

More information about this catch »

This press release came from the Pacific Salmon Foundation at www.psf.ca.

DONATION IS LARGEST IN PACIFIC SALMON FOUNDATION’S 25-YEAR HISTORY

From left to right: E.L. (Ned) Pottinger, Chairman, Pacific Salmon Foundation; Brian Riddell, President & CEO, Pacific Salmon Foundation; Chuck Jeannes, President & CEO, Goldcorp. Photo by Sam Chua, Sam Chua Photography

VANCOUVER – Goldcorp President and CEO Chuck Jeannes has announced a $1-million donation to the Pacific Salmon Foundation. The donation was announced at the Foundation’s 25th anniversary gala on May 2 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. The donation will be the single largest corporate donation made in the Foundation’s history.

Goldcorp’s donation will support projects to restore Pacific salmon populations in the Strait of Georgia where coho and Chinook numbers are 90 percent lower than they were just two decades ago. The contribution will also help address a chronic funding shortfall that leaves about half of the grant requests submitted to the Foundation unfunded. Goldcorp will also continue as lead sponsor of the Foundation’s annual gala and fundraising dinner, held each spring in Vancouver.

“Goldcorp is committed to making a positive difference in the communities where we are located. As a resource-company leader and outdoorsman, I appreciate the critical place Pacific salmon occupy in our environment and the duty we all have to help ensure a sustainable future for this vital natural resource,” said Jeannes. “We’re pleased to be able to support the Pacific Salmon Foundation because our donation is magnified several times over through the work of volunteers who make a difference in salmon restoration projects across British Columbia.”

About Pacific Salmon Foundation: 

The Pacific Salmon Foundation was created in 1987 as a non-governmental, charitable organization to protect, conserve and rebuild Pacific Salmon populations in British Columbia and the Yukon. Since the Foundation’s inception in 1987, it has invested $34 million in 2,000 Pacific salmon projects. As a result, 76,790 trees and shrubs have been planted in riparian areas; 1.1 million square metres of stream, lake and estuary habitat created or rehabilitated; more than 11 million salmon produced through conservation hatcheries; and more than 260,000 people reached through public education. www.psf.ca

About Goldcorp Inc.:

Goldcorp is the fastest-growing, lowest-cost senior gold producer, with operations and development projects in politically stable jurisdictions throughout the Americas. Its strong project pipeline is positioned to drive long-term, sustainable growth.

The Company actively seeks mutually beneficial partnerships with the aim of being Responsible, Respected and Welcomed, everywhere it does business.  For more information, please visit www.goldcorp.com

There is activity on the docks once again as the fishing season kicks off in Ucluelet and the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby gears up for its 3^rd year.  With early-bird online ticket sales tripling from last year, organizers project another successful event for 2012.

“Our first two years were successful,” said Brian Clarkson of the Ucluelet Salmon Enhancement Society.  “This year will be too.  The proof is in the pudding as they say.  It is very exciting!”

With an increase in ticket sales and growing anticipation of the major cash prizes that can be won this year, organizers hope to have an even bigger grand prize for the Fish Off and to raise more money for salmon enhancement projects on the west coast.

“Based on what we’ve done in the past I project that we will be able to raise and donate $10,000 for the Thornton Creek Hatchery,” said Clarkson.

The Thornton Creek Hatchery has benefited from the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby since the event’s conception in 2010.  This local hatchery is responsible for hatching, raising, and releasing hundreds of thousands of salmon into local waterways each year.  We want to keep their very effective enhancement projects going strong!  A portion of the proceeds will also go to the Pacific Salmon Foundation.

“Our derby coordinator has been hitting the pavement getting sponsors and selling tickets.  There was a really good energy in the town and people couldn’t wait to get their hands on derby tickets this year,” said Clarkson.

Not only does the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby give anglers the opportunity to have fun and win huge cash prizes doing something they already love, it also increases the economic development in Ucluelet.  More tourists are visiting Ucluelet to participate in the derby.  They are eating in restaurants, staying with Ucluelet accommodation providers, and visiting Ucluelet shops.  The whole town benefits from this major fishing event.

Ucluelet is already known as one of the greatest salt water fishing destinations in the Pacific Northwest.  The nutrient rich waters around Ucluelet create ideal feeding grounds for salmon and anglers almost never return to the docks empty handed.

“All the predictions are in from the sport fishing advisory board that this is going to be a fine year.  The Chinooks are returning this year and should be bigger than last year,” shared Clarkson.

The fishing reports state that anglers can expect to see some fish over 50 pounds this year.  Clarkson commented that he wouldn’t be surprised to see a few over 60 pounds.  Now THAT kind of catch would start a party at the Official Weigh-In Station and would prove profitable for the lucky fisher…not to mention bring a lifetime of bragging rights!

FISH ON EVERYONE!

Did somebody say you could win a quarter of a million dollars this year?!

The Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby has created quite the buzz within the sport fishing communities on Vancouver Island.  With opportunities to win thousands in cash prizes monthly and to get a piece of a $60,000 pie in total cash and prizes at summer’s end, this season-long derby has definitely put a new spin on sport fishing in BC.

“We started out in 2010 and didn’t know what to expect!” said Lisa Brisco, Derby Coordinator and member of the Ucluelet Salmon Enhancement Society.  “We didn’t think there was a way to make fishing in Ucluelet more fun…but there was!”

The Ucluelet Salmon Enhancement Society (USES) was created to organize, run, and promote the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby in an effort to raise funds and awareness towards local salmon enhancement projects like the Thornton Creek Hatchery.  So far the USES has been able to donate over $7000 to the hatchery, contributing to projects that release over 500,000 Chinook and 100,000 coho salmon into local waterways each year.   With awareness continuing to increase, the Thornton Creek Hatchery has seen more visitors and more donations come through each year thanks to Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby!

“The derby is running May 1^st to September 3^rd this year,” said Brisco.  “The top 15 fish caught each month along with the top 50 of the season will fish off September 7^th and 8^th for some serious prizes including the new $250,000 Hidden Weight Grand Prize.”

In 2010 and 2011 cash and prizes totalled over $60,000 each year, not to mention the $5000-7000 that was rewarded monthly.  Participating anglers purchase their tickets at local Ucluelet vendors for the day or the season and this allows them to register their catch of the day at the Official Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby Weigh In Station located within Ucluelet’s Inner Boat Basin.

“Our staff are available to be at that dock all summer long from before dawn to half an hour after sun set!” shared Lisa.  “If you’ve got a winning fish we are ready to weighed, document it, and get it on our ladder!”

The official ladder is located on the derby’s website at www.uclueletsalmonladderderby.com.  Here anglers can follow their rankings as the summer progresses, get details and reports from derby staff, and keep up to date with a regularly published blog.

New to 2012: two available $250,000 Hidden Weight Grand Prize.  Each day of the final Fish Off, September 7^th and 8^th, participating anglers will enter their names into the draw.  A name will be randomly drawn each day.  If your name is chosen you have to choose one weight out of the 2 salmon you’ve caught that day.  After the weigh-in stations close, on each day of the Fish Off, we will call out a hidden weight provided by the Grand Prize Promotions (GPP).  On Sunday, September 9^th we will be announcing all of our derby winners, including the quarter million dollar winner(s)…should there be one, or even two!  Exciting or what?!

Also new this year is the chance to WIN your way into the Fish Off through the Fish Off Draw, even if you didn’t catch a fish over the summer that ranked in the top 15 for that month.  You are eligible for this draw if your fish is in position 16 to 50 on the ladder at each month’s cut off time: midnight May 31st, June 30th or July 31st. Five Fish Off positions (invitation only) will be announced at a draw made at noon, Sunday, August 19th 2012. To enter into the draw participants have until the 15th of the following month to forward their name, ticket number, fish size and date caught.

“What is most important to make this event successful are the fishers, the community, and of course our corporate sponsorships.  The more money we can raise through sponsorships, the more money we can donate to salmon enhancement,” shared Brisco.

The Ucluelet Salmon Enhancement Society has a fundraising goal of $10,000 to the Thornton Creek Hatchery and $1000 to the Pacific Salmon Foundation.  Both of these organizations are responsible for the protection, conservation, and enhancement of British Columbia’s most precious resource: our salmon.

Now entering its third year, and only growing in participation and community involvement, the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby will continue to enhance sport fishing in Ucluelet and Vancouver Island and it endeavors to reach its fundraising goals for the Ucluelet Salmon Enhancement Society.

For information on sponsorship, donating, or to purchase your derby tickets online visit www.uclueletsalmonladderderby.com or email Lisa Brisco at ladderderby@gmail.com.

Hope to see you on the water this summer!

Regards,

Amy Hancock