Fish Derby Truck Winner finally announced

They were a couple of days behind schedule, but after going over their records the organizers of the Great Northern Salmon Classic have finally awarded their bright yellow truck.

The mid way prize was originally awarded on Sunday, but after a number of protests were lodged the organizers disqualified their original winner, sending them back to their records to find the next best candidate to drive home the Dodge Dakota.

For the record, an apparently verified and correct, the winner was John Karsten
of Houston, B. C. who won the truck with an 18.56 pound coho.

The Daily News had a full explanation (well everything but why the original fish was disqualified) of the confusion and the announcement of the eventual winner in its Wednesday edition.

DERBY IN HIGH GEAR AS TRUCK WINNER NAMED
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Wednesday, August 23, 2006.
Pages One and Three

A Houston man’s 18.56 pound coho has won him a Dodge Dakota truck, and if no larger coho is caught, he could exchange that for a $100,000 grand prize at the close of the Great Northern Salmon Classic.

“The person who has won at least the truck is John Karsetn of Houston,” said Bruce Wishart executive director of Tourism Prince Rupert. “His fish is 18.56 dressed.”

Karsten caught his fish in week two of the six-week fishing derby.

The fist largest fish in that category was disqualified from the derby by judges his weekend putting Karsten in the lead.

In the redistribution of prizes, following the disqualification, Karsten also claims the prize for the largest coho of week two, taking home a Getaway vacation package.

“I talked to Karsten last nigh. He was quite pleased. That’s the fun part of this job – telling people they’ve won these prizes,” said Wishart.

Under the derby rules, no great grand prize is awarded until Sept. 16 when the derby closes, said Wishart.

Only one great grand prize is awarded per fish, so if Karsten’s coho keeps its current place, he would then have to decide what prize he wants to claim.

“Technically, if he was largest coho of the derby, he would then have to decide which he would prefer to have - $100,000 or a Dodge Dakota,” said Wishart.

Meanwhile, Tourism Prince Rupert is not releasing the reason the other fish was disqualified.

“I can’t really comment on any fish that has been disqualified other that to say the judges looked at it, investigated it and it was determined it wasn’t an eligible salmon. I honestly don’t know beyond that and I don’t need to,” said Wishart.

The mechanism we have in place is we have witnesses who say they saw the fish caught using the proper gear and in the proper area. We allow fish to be weighed in if those conditions are met. If anyone challenges a fish, and says that the reason it was not caught in that manner – as long a they are willing to put that in writing – the judging panel forms a tribunal and establishes whether or not they feel it’s eligible.”

Prize winners for week one of the derby include Jeff Gladstone, largest Chinook - $500, Stephanie Haddad, largest pink under 18 - $500 and Marie-Ann Malfaire, largest coho – a Getaway vacation package.

In week two Kevin Wiley had the largest Chinook, Kristine West, under 18, the largest pink and John Karsten the largest coho.

In week three, Patrick Reilly had the largest Chinook, Katlyn O’Brien and the largest pink and Dorothy Briere had the largest coho.