$9,000, 2 boats prizes in QVTA fishing derby

CRESCENT BAR - About $9,000 in cash and two brand new fishing boats will be the major prizes at the Quincy Valley Tourism Association's Northern Pikeminnow Fishing Derby here the weekend of May 18-20.

The derby staging area will be at the Crescent Bar boat basin, but contestants will be able to fish anywhere on the Columbia River between Rock Island Dam and Wanapum Dam.

Registration fees for this event are $20 for licensed adults 16 or over and $10 for youths under 16. Entries may be paid on-line at www.quincyvalleytourism.org, mailed to the Quincy Valley Chamber of Commerce at PO Box 668, Quincy, WA 98848 or at The Chamber office, located at 119 F Street SE in Quincy.

Contestants may also register at Hooked on Toys in Wenatchee, High Mountain Supply in Moses Lake and Quincy Hardware and Lumber (after May 15) in Quincy.

On-site registration will take place from 12-5:30 p.m. at the public park area at Crescent Bar on the 18th and from 7 a.m.-10 a.m. on the 19th at Derby Headquarters located near the boat launch.

All entrants must be registered by 10 a.m. on the 19th to be eligible for prizes. Once contestants are registered, they will be able to launch their boats at Crescent Bar, Sunland Estates, Vantage or Frenchman Coulee.

While the derby is a tourism event for the QVTA, it is supported by several state and federal agencies, as well as Native American tribes. The Northern Pikeminnow is a fish that destroys the salmon population.

Government agencies have been paying professional fishermen as much as $8 per fish to catch the Pikeminnow. Pikeminnows go where salmon fingerlings are found and migrate from dam pool to dam pool. They grow as big as 24-30 inches long devouring fingerlings.

Funding for this event is provided by NOAA Fisheries, Washington Dept. of Fish and Game, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Colville Confederated Tribe, the Yakama Nation and Grant County PUD.

All contestants will have the opportunity to win one of two Colville Fishing Boats. One of the boats is a 16-foot 15V Colville "Superfish," complete with Yamaha motor and EZ Loader trailer. The other boat is a 12-foot Colville with Yamaha motor and EZ Loader trailer.

Winners of these boats will be responsible for tax and license.

Contestants will be given raffle tickets when they register, and additional tickets will be earned for every 10 pounds of fish caught.

Individuals may fish as a singles or in a team of two, three, or four, and these teams must be declared at the time of registration. The additional raffle tickets will be issued for every 10 pounds of fish caught per team.

In other words, if you are on a team of four and you bring in 10 pounds of fish, your team will be given one ticket. Bring in 30 pounds of fish, and your team will get three tickets.

Cash prizes totaling close to $9,000 will also be awarded. Winners of the cash prizes will be judged by total weight in catch as well as single catch weight. Prizes will be awarded in adult and juvenile divisions.

The cumulative cash prize is the for the total fish caught throughout the derby. All awards will be presented Sunday afternoon following the weigh-in and allowing time for tabulation.

An orientation for contestants will be held at the Crescent Bar public swimming area on the 18th at 6 p.m., and all contestants are encouraged to attend. Hot dogs and hamburgers will be provided for all derby registrants.

Registered contestants will be allowed to start fishing at 7:30 pm on the 18th. Contestants must have a wristband and have boat flagged prior to fishing.

For a full list of the rules and registration forms, you may visit www.quincyvalleytourism.org or call Quincy Valley Chamber of Commerce at 509-787-2140 Ext 10.