KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Kayla Desroches/KMXT
Children this weekend will cast their lines for another year of Salmon Derby.
According to event organizer Astrid Rose with the service organization, the Kiwanis Club, kids will gather at the Buskin River and try to tempt the biggest pink salmon to bite.
Rose says it’s her fourteenth salmon derby and, in her experience, the weather determines how many kids show.
She says the event in 2016 only attracted about 130 kids because of rain. It was also the year of the pink salmon disaster, but that didn’t seem to affect the young fishermen’s luck.
“Last year even though it was a small run for the fleet, we still had a successful season for the kids. I think the winning prize was a 12 pound pink salmon, which is kind of outrageous.”
The pink salmon run is looking up this year and Rose says she thinks there’ll be plenty of fish.
The Salmon Derby will be Saturday starting at 10 a.m. at the mouth of the Buskin River.
