TRUCK FIRE – Firefighters knock down a fire in a Ford Explorer truck in Arrowhead Trailer Park in the 1200 block of Sawmill Creek Road Saturday evening. One person received fire-related injuries and was taken to the hospital, Sitka Fire Department Chief Craig Warren said, and the truck was considered a total loss. The cause of the fire is under investigation, Warren said. The fire hall received the call about the fire at 5:33 p.m., and one fire engine with eight firefighters and an ambulance were dispatched, he said. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
The federal government owes Alaska more than $700 billion in comp [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
Sylvester Byrd Jr. served nearly three decades in prison for a [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Competing Sunday in a City League volleyball match, a short-handed Yellow Je [ ... ]
Heritage, Cultural
Tourism Event
Here this Week
The ninth annual Heritage and Cultural Tourism Conferen [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 15
At 4:30 a.m. a fender bender invol [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Rep. Rebecca Himschoot and School Board President Tri [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
With $20 million needed to complete the Katlian Bay r [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
A historically high herring return is forecast for Sit [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
After a year-long vacancy in the Sitka Superior Court [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, following through on an ultimatum, vet [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
For many of the women considered to be at high risk for breast ca [ ... ]
Climate Connection -- Cruise Tourism Choices
Citizen groups in many port cities have mobilized to pre [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 14
An Austin Street resident said a c [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Sitka Homeless Coalition and St. Michael’s Sist [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
Sitka’s annual Heritage and Cultural Tourism Confere [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
Language matters, the House agreed on Wednesday, when it advan [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
A new state revenue forecast that includes modestly higher oil pr [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 13
Vehicles left parked at Sealing Co [ ... ]
SFS, Coliseum
To Show 15 Shorts
The Sitka Film Society and Coliseum Theater will present the Oscar Sho [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Sitka Tribe of Alaska told the Assembly Tuesday that [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Among proposals presented to the Assembly Tuesday for [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The public is invited to a discussion Thursday on the [ ... ]
By BRYDEN SWEENEY-TAYLOR
Outer Coast executive director
In 1986, two linguists, Ron and Suzie Scollon, [ ... ]
Vigil on Saturday
At Roundabout
Community members are invited to attend the weekly Voices for Peace vi [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Perfect Fishing Weather – Rain – in Derby Forecast
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Rain is in the forecast for Memorial Day weekend. Not great weather for picnics, but it may translate into good fishing for opening weekend of the Sitka Salmon Derby, organizers say.
John McCrehen gets the Sitka Sportsman’s Association weigh-in barge ready for this weekend’s 63rd Annual Sitka Salmon Derby. McCrehen has been working at the Crescent Harbor barge for 18 years. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
“It could be good fishing weather,” said Fish Ladder Chairman Marsha Lysons. “I’m going to hope.”
The Sitka Sportsman’s Association 63rd Annual Salmon Derby kicks off Saturday, and the first weekend runs through Monday evening. Fishing resumes Saturday, June 2, for the second weekend, winding up the evening of Sunday June 3.
Rain and a high of 50 degrees are forecast for Saturday, with 10-20 mph wind. The forecast is the same for Sunday, and more rain is in the outlook for Monday.
The derby goes back to 1956 when Connie See not only won the derby with her 73-pound, 6 ounce, king, but set a size record that stands to this day.
Derby kings on average have been smaller in recent years, with the last fish over 60 pounds landed in 2002. Last year’s winner was longtime derby participant Paige Bernhardt, whose winning Chinook weighed 35 pounds, six ounces.
The top prize this year for the largest fish entered is $7,500. The Sportsman’s Association member catching the largest fish each day wins $500.
Other top prizes are two tickets on Alaska Airlines, a dinghy and outboard from Gary’s Outboard, and a cash prize of $2,000 from Delta Western. A number of other sponsors chipped in gift cards and cash prizes.
There are also prizes for total pounds entered, and “hidden weight” prizes.
All Alaska Department of Fish and Game sport fishing regulations will be in force during the derby, including the one king daily limit for both residents and nonresidents. There is an annual limit of three fish for nonresidents, but no annual limit for Alaska residents.
Bob Chadwick, F&G regional management coordinator for the Sport Fish Division, said sport fishing in general has been slow this season but there have been exceptions.
“There’s been some tides where anglers have caught fish,” he said. “It’s been slow, kind of an indication of the lower abundance compared to previous years.”
Kings have been on the smaller size, in general, but some larger fish have been landed this season, Chadwick said.
Tickets are available for one day or all five days of the derby, and a family pass is also available.
Contestants must stop fishing by 7 p.m. both tonight and next Friday, and ticket validation will start at 7 a.m. both Saturdays, in town and at the weigh-in stations.
Fish may be entered at the Crescent Harbor weigh-in station or at the remote stations at Goddard Hot Springs and Kalinin Bay. On the final days of both weekends fish must be turned in by 7 p.m. at Crescent Harbor.
Tickets and rules are available at Orion’s Sporting Goods, LFS Marine Supply (formerly Murray Pacific) and the Crescent Harbor derby barge.
Login Form
20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Businesses using the Centennial Hall parking lot testified Tuesday against a proposal to charge them rent in addition to the $200 annual permit fee. City Administrator Hugh Bevan made the proposal in response to the Assembly’s direction to Centennial Hall manager Don Kluting to try to close the $340,000 gap between building revenues and operational costs.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Alaska Native Brotherhood Grand President William S. Paul Sr. will be special guest and speaker at the local ANB, Alaska Native Sisterhood Founders Day program Monday at the ANB Hall.