Kenai Kicks Off the 5th Annual Silver Salmon Derby with Bigger Prizes and More Community Involvement

KENAI, Alaska, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kenai Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center and the City of Kenai are hosting the Fifth Annual Kenai Silver Salmon Derby to raise funds for management and conservation of riverbanks along the Kenai River. The family-friendly fishing tournament will run from September 14 through September 19.

As the popularity of the event has grown, so have the prizes. This year's overall adult first place prize is $5,000, with daily adult prizes of $100. The overall youth first place prize is $1,000, with daily prizes of $50.

The Kenai Silver Salmon Derby awards prizes using a Magic Weight that is randomly generated using two wheels of identical size. With any fish over four pounds eligible to win, almost any silver you catch in the Kenai River could earn prizes in the derby.

"I am really looking forward to this year's Derby," says City Manager, Paul Ostrander. "Fishing in the river has been really good this year, and with $5,000 going to the overall winner in the adult category, I think we will see a lot of folks out there trying to catch the 'one.'"

Named "The World's Most Responsible Fishing Tournament", the Kenai Silver Salmon Derby is a new kind of fishing tournament that reduces selective fishing practices that lead to catch-and-release injuries which compromise the health of the silver salmon population in the Kenai River. Net proceeds go to the Kenai Community Foundation to support management and protection of river banks and other riparian zones in the City of Kenai.

The business community is an integral part of The Kenai Silver Salmon Derby and have generously contributed to the cause. Sponsors include Three Bears Alaska, Sportsman's Warehouse, Phillips Scales, Marathon Oil, Tote Maritime, Kenai Coolers, First National Bank of Alaska, IGA Country Foods, Buckets, The Cannery Lodge, and more.

Tickets for the Derby are $10 for one day or $50 for the entire event. Tickets are now available at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center office, Three Bears Alaska in Kenai, and Sportsman's Warehouse in Soldotna.

To learn more about the Kenai Silver Salmon Derby, visit the website or the official Facebook page.

Media Contact:
Christine Cunningham                                                                       
907-283-8223
[email protected] 

SOURCE City of Kenai