43°

Sound off on the important issues at

Despite the rain, there were a few more entrants this year with 1,976 fishing in the Aug. 4-6 derby. The event accepted donations of king and coho for the Territorial Sportsmen Scholarship Foundation. Taku Smokeries this year bought the 25,222 pounds of scholarship fish for more than $38,000, Somerville said.

Volunteers made a great effort at keeping the donated fish at the highest quality to get the highest quality to get the best price, he added.

The scholarship foundation is independent from Territorial Sportsmen Inc., which organizes the derby, Somerville said. It takes applications from local students for the scholarships, which will be announced in the winter. But the scholarships remain a source of pride to those who run the derby and remind people of the importance of the scholarship fish.

"A good 50 percent of (derby scholarship recipients) come back to Alaska," Somerville said. The foundation is chaired by 1957 scholarship recipient Malin Babcock, he noted.

The derby provides incentives for people to turn in scholarship fish. People who donate fish get tickets making them eligible for the High Five drawing on awards night. Last year, Brenda Carlson, an alternate who participated because the person selected ahead of her didn't show up, won $50,000 in the High Five.

Thursday night at Centennial Hall, both people with the tickets selected to participate in the High Five showed up, leaving the alternates out of luck, Somerville said. Both took home $500, he added.

A 30.8-pound king caught by Ron Repplinger won the top prize worth $15,000 from Territorial Sportsmen and another $1,265 in prizes from local merchants.

The top 100 of the 347 fish turned in won prizes. There also were special prizes. Some prizes were specifically aimed at anglers 12 and under. Juneau Wholesale awarded a $22 case of variety Vita-Water for the largest salmon turned in each day by a person 70 and older - such Repplinger, the 74-year-old derby champion.

Somerville said the derby board approved the $1,000 award for the other co-chairman, Mal Linthwaite, who caught a tagged salmon. There was no conflict because the wasn't involved in its release, which wasn't even near where he caught it at Outer Point, Somerville said.

There were 11 tagged fish that escaped capture, including one worth $100,000.

The board made a special award of $200 to a person who wasn't even entered in the derby. Ken Camp e-mailed Somerville on Aug. 3, reporting he had caught a tagged salmon between Aaron and Shelter islands and released it. He provided the number and it turned out to be one of the 11 $1,000 fish.

"The board decided to give him $200 for his honesty and support," Somerville said.

The 61st annual Golden North Salmon Derby is scheduled for Aug. 3, 4 and 5, 2007.

• Tony Carroll can be reached at tony.carroll@juneauempire.com.