Be safe, law abiding

When fishing by boat, ensure you follow all state and federal boating regulations, to include having the proper equipment and safety devices on your craft. Most state and federal regulations overlap, but some minor details may differ.

Don't be unprepared if the Coast Guard decides to board your vessel. To view Alaska and federal regulations, visit www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/boating and www.uscgboating.org. All boaters should file a float plan before heading out to sea as well. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

Derby participants must also comply with Alaska Department of Fish & Game sport fishing regulations. Contestants cited for violating these regulations while in the derby will be disqualified.

Acceptable salmon

Derby participants are encouraged to return pink and chum salmon unharmed to the water unless they are retained for personal consumption. Pink and chum salmon will not be accepted during the derby.

Entry fee and tickets

Derby entry tickets cost $40 for participants 13 years and older. Youths 12 and younger can purchase tickets for $10. Tickets are only valid during the derby from Aug. 8-10. No refund of entry fees will be made. Contestants must validate their tickets on the first day of their fishing and may stay out on the Derby grounds all three days. Tickets only need to be validated once.

Derby ticket vendors

Derby Tickets may be purchased at the following locations:

• Allen Marine
• Alaskan and Proud
• Fred Meyer
• Harri Plumbing and Heating
• Western Auto Marine

Juneau Empire file photo A fleet of zealous sport fishing vessels peel out of Auke Bay Harbor last year in search of a seminal catch at the start of the annual Golden North Salmon Derby.

Derby officials are at the boat docks, harbors and the official weigh-in fish packer in the Derby fishing grounds. The official weigh-in packer will be clearly marked. Contestants must take their fish to officials for checking and weighing to become eligible to enter the competition for one of the top 100 prizes.

Eligibility

Any person who has a validated entry ticket is eligible to fish in the derby. An adult who is at least 18 years old must accompany children age 15 and younger. Entrants may not fish with non-entrants. Non-entrants, regardless of age, may not fish in the same boat as entrants but may go along for the enjoyment of the outing.

The person turning in a fish for a prize must be the same person who actually caught that fish or they will be disqualified from the derby. Also, in the case of a protest, the angler may be requested to take a polygraph test.

Only lawful sport fishing tackle may be used. Also, the use of firearms during the derby will disqualify all contestants on the boat.

Boat fishing only

Derby participation is restricted to fishing from vessels. Fishing from shores and docks is prohibited. All fish must be delivered to an official weigh-in station by vessel only.

Weighing fish

The following stations will have the weighing scales that must be used by all derby fishermen:

• Amalga Harbor
• Auke Bay
• Douglas Harbor
• Packer

Shoreside weigh-in times are Friday and Saturday from 7:30am-7:00pm and Sunday from 7:30am-6pm. Packer will arrive on site mid-morning and leave the station late afternoon.

All salmon accepted for scholarship prizes become property of the Territorial Sportsmen, Inc. A contestant must show his or her validated derby ticket when presenting fish for weighing.

Fish should be weighed as soon as possible, as weight loss begins once the fish leaves the water. All fish, including scholarship fish, should be iced as soon as possible. Fish may be opened and checked in the presence of derby officials.

Validating tickets

Nine validating stations will be open but keep in mind that validation stations are not necessarily weigh-in stations. Validating stations and times are:

• Amalga Harbor, 7:30am-7pm
• Auke Bay, 7:30am-7pm
• Aurora Basin, 7:30am-8:30am (Fri and Sat only)
• Douglas Boat Harbor, 7:30am-7pm
• Fisherman's Bend, 7:30am-8:30am
• Harris Harbor, 7:30am-8:30am (Fri and Sat only)
• North Douglas Boat Ramp, 7:30am-8:30am (Fri and Sat only)
• Tee Harbor, 7:30am-1:30pm (Fri and Sat only)

Contestants may proceed directly to the fishing area after validating their entry Derby tickets.

Fish quality

Salmon that show evidence of contamination, sunburn, bruising and/or flesh deterioration will not be accepted. Dark fish will not be accepted and the decision of a derby official is final.

Suzy Lafferty / Juneau Empire Spencer Stekoll tosses a scholarship fish to Kami Bartness on the Auke Bay weigh-in station during last year's derby.

Derby participants are asked to help provide more money for scholarships by taking good care of their catch.

Do not clean your fish. Please turn in your fish in the round. Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation regulations do not allow cleaned fish to be accepted by the Derby.

Do everything possible to preserve the quality of your fish. The following guidelines have been provided by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for keeping your fish in the best possible condition so that the maximum value is retained:

• Keep fish moist and cool. Please ice your fish. Ice is available at all weigh-in stations and Tee Harbor.
• Please do not put fish in plastic bags. Use wet burlap if you do not have ice.
• Turn in your fish as soon as possible.

Signal bomb

A closing signal will be sounded near the three shore based official weigh-in stations (Douglas Harbor, Amalga Harbor, Auke Bay Harbor) at 6pm on Sunday, by which time all boats wishing to enter fish at the weigh-in floats for one of the top 100 prizes must be inside the finish line.

Boats, speed, and limits

Every vessel propelled by machinery, regardless of horsepower, must have its name or number clearly displayed. Speed of all vessels during the Derby, while within the reduced speed areas, is limited to five miles per hour or less to avoid large wakes. Markers to indicate the reduced speed zones near the three shore based weigh-in stations have been placed at reasonable distances from the Derby official's station.

Awards night

The awards ceremony will be held Aug. 14 at 7pm at Centennial Hall. Prize winners or designated representatives must attend to claim their prize. Wimmers must have their derby ticket and the winning scholarship ticket with them.

Prize policy and taxes

The Territorial Sportsmen, Inc. is not responsible for any prize promised by merchants who do not deliver as pledged. The values shown on the prize list are set by the donors. The Territorial Sportsmen, Inc. will not be responsible if any prizes prove to be less valuable than shown in the donor's estimate. Taxes on all prizes are the responsibility of the individual winner. In accordance with IRS rules, winners of prizes valued at $600 or more must provide their taxpayer identification number at the awards night. Failure to do so will result in withholding the prize. For a list of prizes see page 12.

Protests

Protests of any nature must be made in person at the Official's floats. Then the contestant must present his or her case personally to the Board of the Territorial Sportsmen, Inc. at their Derby certification meeting at noon on Tuesday following the Derby.

Certification

The certification meeting will be at the Goldbelt Hotel at noon on Aug. 12. Decisions of the board are final.