Guys...I have debated whether to put this out there or not to...but as we are fast approaching the derby dates in a very short time I've decided that the cause is far to important (the Sooke net pen project) not to share. As we sit today we need to sell 25 tickets just to break even. Last year we would be sitting at 350 tickets sold with 2 weeks until the derby. We are now at approx 175 tickets sold. I blame most of this on DFO and how we get treated every spring with no timely announcements and everything is left up in the air until 4pm on the Friday the day before the Father's Day weekend. Having said that any derby still requires the support of the angling community to buy tickets and support what ever salmon enhancement efforts each derby supports. I can tell you with all certainty I do not donate 300 plus hours of my time to put on a fishing derby for the sake of running a derby. I do it for my strong belief in the cause and raising money for it. Obviously if this derby looses money or only breaks I can't see it continuing in the future. This is an expensive derby to run under the original format with a banquet, shirts, hats etc. and takes way more hours than most of you realize to pull off. It would take even more hours to pull it off perfectly....and the organizers feel this year will be the best one yet. No other local derby can come close to getting sponsors to donate the quality of prizes on this tournaments prize table. What other derby has three 4 stroke outboards donated at no cost? Our sponsors donate those prizes expecting their companies and products to be exposed to 500 plus anglers, to be featured on posters, 600 t-shirts, 600 rule booklets, year round exposure on the derby website and to have their products features at the awards banquet. Without all that is offered to our sponsors the quality of prizes would be significantly lower and there would be no large cash prize for 1st place. To afford all that is required to get these great prizes from our sponsors and to give away a large 1st place prize we incure about $50,000.00 in costs to run a derby at this level. (including the $20,000.00 1st place prize) Ultimately if this tournament is to survive and continue and if it will be able to contribute to the Sooke net project is solely up to you...the anglers who buy tickets and enter these events. A sold out event would see about $40,000.00 go to the net pen project. Sadly as of now that is a pipe dream. There is still two weeks to go so who knows but I can say we are all worried and somewhat disillusioned right now. Rollie/tournament organizer
