BY STEVE MARTINDALE
Driftwood Contributor
Local anglers won big prizes on Saturday at the Salt Spring Lunker Derby, a one-day competition to catch the biggest “lunker” or trophy fish.
Brendan Simmons won the first-place prize of $3,000 for catching the biggest fish of the day, a 22.5-pound Chinook salmon, and Tony Chang won the second-place prize of $1,500 for catching an 18.7 pounder. Colton Archer also won a prize for catching an 11-pound fish, which was closest in weight to a pre-determined mystery weight.
Presented by Moby’s Pub and Cassette Café & Dive Bar, the second annual Lunker Derby was a successful fundraiser involving 100 anglers on 40 boats. Prizes were awarded at a tailgate barbecue on Saturday at Moby’s in cooperation with South End Sausage.
Victoria-based Nautical Disaster — known as Canada’s most authentic Tragically Hip tribute band — wrapped up the weekend with a post-derby performance at Moby’s on Saturday night, with frontman Ryan LeBlanc bringing the late Gord Downie’s essence to life as the audience sang along to their favourite Tragically Hip’s songs.
The weekend also featured a silent auction with prizes donated by local businesses and individuals.
In addition to awarding over $28,000 in prizes to the participating anglers, the event raised an estimated $20,000 for local recreation and salmon enhancement.
Proceeds from this year’s derby will be divided between the Salt Spring Island Minor Baseball Association’s efforts to improve the sports fields at the middle school, which will benefit not only local baseball teams but also local soccer leagues, girls’ fast-pitch and adult slo-pitch; and the volunteer-run Island Stream and Salmon Enhancement Society, which has been in operation since 1987, and whose work includes stream and creek rehabilitation and the operation of the Cusheon Creek Hatchery to ensure healthy fish populations for the future.
Calling it “an epic sunny day on the water, featuring plenty of laughs and good times,” event organizer and Moby’s/Cassette owner Mike Jacobsen said, “Thanks to all the anglers for participating and supporting the derby. Collectively we all raised a bunch of money for great initiatives.”