The way I understand it, yes no new Derby permits will ever be issued, uhm that being the case, there must be a reason. The winter and spring Derby are grandfathered, miss a year and it's OVA, never again.

What the Spring Derby folks did last year was take the 2010 permit out but not excersize it, which covered them.

Also I believe Fish and Game had nothing to do with 2010 being cancelled. The story goes like this, the organizer witnessed the fall netting of 2009 and felt it would be in the "best interest of the Salmon fishery to not run the Derby in 2010". If there was any back room arm wrestling with F and G and the organizer not made public I couldn't say. Many feel the Derby was not held because it was not making the money it did in the past and it was sold before another bad Derby revenue year was experienced as participation was dropping every year and sponsor intrest was waining. The last sentence is only hearsay, but rumors of no more Derby for financial reasons were going on long before last yeas Derby was cancelled.

It was hoped by many that the new organizers would come up with some inovative ideas to take the pressure off the Salmon, same went for the winter Derby, so far didn't happen, winter or spring ?

I hope that answers the question as I understood it.

Big John

I personally am going to the derby and bringing my son along with me, this will be his first time. As far as people saying Hook wounds this hook wounds that, I personally want to know where the derby has anything to do with this? before I get a bunch of hate mail I want to know with the exception of the few who actually do just catch their limit and go home,who stops fishing after two? Most of the people that have posted above just keep right on a catching and releasing just as many as will take the Fly, live bait, or lure. I myself am guilty but no way am I ashamed to admit it nor should the others. I also would say I care as much for the salmon as anyone, but I like to catch salmon and trout and as long as they are biting I am going to keep catching,That is what the state puts them in the lake for, recreation (having Fun). We all try to take care of these fishRubber nets,single hooks? Barbless hooks? catch and release etc. but some get hooked wounded. it is a put and take after all, the state puts in more every year this is what our license money goes for. The season is open for six months roughly 180 days a year, out of those 180 days on a good year lets say maybe 50 I am able to go fishing, maybe 8 of those days which includes the derby are fished on Winni. If you want to stop hook wounds I think you better come up with a better excuse than blaming the derby. You know I have read a lot about how fish and game have not done a very good job and I have also seen alot of people defending the fish and Game the defenders say "they know what they are doing". Well Let me tell you I agree with the people who are in the fish and Game Dept's corner. So to all you who are in their corner ask yourselves this question, Do you think that the fish and game dept. would let this derby take place if it was as detrimental to the fishery as you want us to believe? come on you can't have it both ways. Good luck to all who go to that derby and Have fun.

I think the derby brings alot of fishermen to the lake that normally would not come here,which in turn stresses the resourse even more.How many people register for the derby(3000?)that's alot of hooking going on.If it wasn't about money for somebody, do you think anybody would have bought out the old derby organizer.MONEY TALKS AND YOU KNOW THE REST!!!What are the new organizers going to do for the resourse?

All good questions to ask at the F and G meeting this Friday night, I know I have a few.

I will not be fishing the derby this year, mostly because of work though. I don't know whether or not the derby, or lack there of, contributes to or harms the fishery. I do know that the quality of salmon in Winni was much better last season. Was not having a derby a factor in that? I really don't know, but if we see the quality in the 2 and 3 year old classes really take a nosedive this season maybe we will have to take another look at it. Good luck to all who enter and grill up some of those hook wounded fish they are delicious with the right garlic and butter!

This is a touchy subject. I do not believe the lack of last years derby had much effect on the Salmon fishery. If not for one of the derby founders, we would not be fishing for Salmon in Winni. Just my opinion but the catching of Salmon in 65 + degrees water is the biggest issue and should be addressed. Us two, other friends and family will be supporting the derby. My .02 cents Roland

Lets not forget the fishing pressure was also down quite a bit. At least it seemed to me it was. The few times we fished on winni last year. Didn"t see near the amount of boats as in the past years. If so this has to have helped the salmon also.