Western Outdoor Times - Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!

September 8, 2016

Contact: Larry Phillips 360-902-2721

Olympia – Anglers claimed more than 340 prizes during the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) first annual statewide fishing derby.

The trout derby ran from April 23 through Sept. 6, with more than 130 license dealers donating prizes, including charter fishing trips, gift cards, and rod and reel combos.

The department planted more than 700 tagged fish in lowland lakes this spring. Anglers lucky enough to catch one of these fish could exchange the tag for a corresponding prize.

With the potential for anglers to win more than $20,000 in prizes, the department provided more reasons to fish Washington this past spring and summer, said Larry Phillips, WDFW’s inland fish program manager.

“The fact that almost half the prizes were claimed indicates that many people fished hard this summer, and we hope the derby built excitement for fishing among both veterans and new anglers,” said Phillips.

Anticipation is already building for next year’s derby, said Phillips. “We want to thank the large pool of participating license dealers as well as all the anglers who fished for fun and prizes,” he added.

While finished for 2016, the department has begun planning to host the trout fishing derby again in 2017.

For a complete rundown on marine and freshwater fishing opportunities, visit WDFW’s fishing page: http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/ and Fish Washington http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/washington/.