Ukee Salmon Ladder Derby
Member
I remember running down the dock ramp to the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby Weigh-In station after getting the call from Lisa Brisco, derby coordinator: “WE HAVE A TYEE AT THE SCALE!” The boat was already leaving the scale, full of congratulatory fishermen, excited to dock up and continue celebrating would could be (and was) a $5000 salmon. I managed to get a photo of Dan holding up his prize as the boat pulled away.
The word TYEE is a First Nations word meaning The Chief and a word used to describe a Chinook salmon that weighs over 30 pounds. This was the first fish over 30 in this year’s derby, and it was caught June 17th by Dan Koutnik. His fish weighed 31 pounds and 15 ounces.
Dan Koutnik, who calls Langley home, crossed the pond to fish with friends in the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby, a summer long fishing derby that benefits a local salmon enhancement project on the west coast of Vancouver Island. This event lures anglers in with the dream of winning thousands of dollars each month of the fishing season. The derby wraps up the second weekend of September with a Fish Off that offers up to $60,000 in total cash and prizes. The top 15 fish caught each month qualify for a spot in the Fish Off and Dan is one of them.
We can understand why he was too excited to stick around for a photo at the dock!
Although anglers hit the grounds every day, Dan held his first place steady and strong for two long weeks. He caught his prize with a regular spoon lure, 120 feet deep at the Lighthouse Bank, a popular fishing area right off the Amphitrite Lighthouse near the mouth of the Ucluelet Harbour.
$5000 is the reward for first place, $2000 for second, $1000 for third and an additional $2000 is donated each month to the Thornton Creek Hatchery, a local salmon enhancement project in the area.
For more information about fishing in Ucluelet on the west coast of Vancouver Island, visit www.uclueletsalmonladderderby.com.
The word TYEE is a First Nations word meaning The Chief and a word used to describe a Chinook salmon that weighs over 30 pounds. This was the first fish over 30 in this year’s derby, and it was caught June 17th by Dan Koutnik. His fish weighed 31 pounds and 15 ounces.
Dan Koutnik, who calls Langley home, crossed the pond to fish with friends in the Ucluelet Salmon Ladder Derby, a summer long fishing derby that benefits a local salmon enhancement project on the west coast of Vancouver Island. This event lures anglers in with the dream of winning thousands of dollars each month of the fishing season. The derby wraps up the second weekend of September with a Fish Off that offers up to $60,000 in total cash and prizes. The top 15 fish caught each month qualify for a spot in the Fish Off and Dan is one of them.
We can understand why he was too excited to stick around for a photo at the dock!
Although anglers hit the grounds every day, Dan held his first place steady and strong for two long weeks. He caught his prize with a regular spoon lure, 120 feet deep at the Lighthouse Bank, a popular fishing area right off the Amphitrite Lighthouse near the mouth of the Ucluelet Harbour.
$5000 is the reward for first place, $2000 for second, $1000 for third and an additional $2000 is donated each month to the Thornton Creek Hatchery, a local salmon enhancement project in the area.
For more information about fishing in Ucluelet on the west coast of Vancouver Island, visit www.uclueletsalmonladderderby.com.
