Rules & Regulations

ALL SALES ARE FINAL NO REFUNDS NO TRANSFERRING OF TICKETS, We will make exceptions if necessary, contact us if you need to.

1. The Derby Committee must have you officially registered by Midnight on the Wednesday prior to fishing start on Derby Friday.  You will then be eligible for any cash and prizes.  IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A DERBY TICKET, a picture of the BARCODE WITH YOUR TICKET NUMBER is acceptable (i.e. lost, forgot, left in the boat, etc.) YOU WILL NOT BE ISSUED A DUPLICATE AND CAN NOT WEIGH ANY FISH.  This year, as we will be scanning the barcode on the tickets, you can have the barcode on your phone and it is acceptable at the derby weigh-in. When you buy your tickets on line after the purchase you will receive an email and in that email it has a link to download to receive your ticket which is a barcode with a number. The barcode is your ticket and the number is the ticket number. You must have this at the Derby when you check-in. Please have your wrist band as well. All registrations must include address  AND phone number or a ticket WILL NOT be issued.  New for the 2023 Derby we will be set up at the Wenatchee Valley Sports Show and Spokane Big Horn  Sports shows and will sell tickets there. Also, Mauk Fishing Stuff Bait and Tackle Store 1408 Sunset Drive Brewster will be selling tickets after April 1st, 2023
   WILL CALL this year will be to pick up tickets that were mailed in and will be at the Derby Headquarters Thursday.
2. Guides are welcome to fish the Derby, the only condition is you must only have one group for the entire derby. This is mandatory, if we find out you have more than one group you and your entire boat will be disqualified and will forfeit any and all winnings, and will be banned from all future events.
3.  All contestants must fish according to applicable Washington State laws and the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Regulations.  JIGGING:  Due to the “interpretation” of what’s legal “Jigging”, and the disqualification of participants some years ago, Jigging will not be allowed during the Derby. Any infractions to the law and regulations will result in disqualification from the Derby.   Any On-The-Water violations will also result in disqualification from the Derby. You will also be disqualified from all future Brewster Salmon Derby’s. We want everyone to be safe and have fun.  Safety is our #1 priority.  Be Smart, Be Safe & Have Fun!!
4.  Everyone in any boat fishing the derby MUST have a derby ticket and a wrist band.  If anyone in the boat is entered in the derby with a valid ticket, then everyone in the boat must have a derby ticket.  Any violation will result in not having any fish from that boat allowed to be weighed. And you and the whole boat will be disqualified from the event. This is non negotiable and is effective instantly  Your boat must have an approved marker visible to any and all Derby Marshall’s before you launch your boat. We will supply ribbons in your skipper pack.
5.  Official Derby Fishing times:  Friday of the Derby 5:00am-6:00pm.  Saturday 5:-00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. And Sunday 5:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. DERBY ENTRANTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO FISH INSIDE DERBY POOL BOUNDARIES OUTSIDE OF OFFICIAL DERBY HOURS, Meaning BEGINNING AT MIDNIGHT THURSDAY PRIOR TO DERBY FRIDAY.  ANYONE CAUGHT FISHING INSIDE DERBY BOUNDARIES; OUTSIDE OF DESIGNATED HOURS, WILL BE DISQUALIFIED. If a DERBY OFFICIAL requests to check your boat prior to fishing, it is mandatory for you to allow that or you will be disqualified for the event.
6.  All Derby King Salmon entries must be caught within the legal description boundaries between the Brewster Bridge, the Okanogan River Bridge and the Corps of Engineers Safety Zone Marker just above the Bridgeport Bridge. “Fishing from a floating device prohibited downstream of Chief Joseph Dam from the boundary marker to the Corps of Engineers safety zone marker.”  (2017-18 Regulations).  Fishing from Shore Upstream of the Bridgeport Bridge is Prohibited.
7.  Official Derby weigh-in station hours are Friday and Saturday 10:00am – 12:30pm and 2:30pm – 6:30pm,  Sunday 9am – 12:30pm.
8.  To certify each King Salmon, each entrant must present their Derby ticket and King Salmon to the check station weigh master.  There will be only one weigh-in station located at Columbia Cove boat launch in the park at Derby Event gazebo.  All Salmon weighed will be marked by a hole punch in a fin or cut tail fin.
9. All boats must motor into the Brewster City Boat launch and come to the weigh station with their catch. We do not allow anyone to trailer their boat into the event, even from Bridgeport or Pateros. We can not determine where the fish were caught once the boat leaves the Brewster Pool. This will be strictly enforced this year, the only exceptions are if the weather turns bad and it is unsafe to boat to Brewster, and you must call Derby headquarters and tell them in advance. This rule was an unwritten rule that now is WRITTEN and will be enforced. We will disqualify the whole boat from the event and will not be eligible for any prizes or money. No refunds, no excuses, no exceptions except as listed above.
10.  All Derby fish may be inspected at the time of weigh-in by Washington State Biologists and Derby Officials.  All fish may be subject to dissection.
11. We will be using a metal detector to scan all fish.
12.  Contestants observing violations of the Derby rules should immediately report to Derby Officials. Pictures and video with time stamp is accepted forms of evidence.  Violators will be disqualified from the Derby and could be barred from future competitions.  Derby Officials may be contacted at  509-449-0605 or report to the weigh station.  Any false reporting will also disqualify entrant from Derby.  WDFW agents and Derby Officials will be on the water during the Derby.
13.  Each Derby entrant may have only one fish eligible for Derby cash or prizes.  If you weigh in multiple Salmon, only the heaviest salmon qualifies the ticket for cash or prizes, except for the side pots where total weight is used.
14.  Each Derby entrant may weigh in-two King Salmon per day for the Total Weight Side Pot, or Team Average Total Weight Side Pot.
15.  FOR TEAM SIDE POTS THE TEAM IS THE ENTIRE BOAT. IF ONE PERSON IS IN THE SIDE POT EVERY PERSON ON THE BOAT HAS TO BE NO EXCEPTIONS -CHILD-YOUTH AND ADULT.   You will use the same “BOAT CAPTAIN” name you will use for your Derby tickets. THIS IS THE TEAM DAILY AND TEAM DERBY SIDE POTS, NOT THE INDIVIDUAL SIDE POTS
16.  Scoring will be by weight, length and girth.  Weight will be the initial factor and scored to the .01 lb. (ie25.06lb) Length will be the first tie-breaker measured from the snout to the V-notch in the tail.  Scoring will be to the 1/8”.  Girth will be the second tie-breaker scored by circumference just in front of the dorsal fin of the Salmon.   Scoring will be to the 1/8”.
17.  All Salmon must be fresh-caught by legal sport fishing rules.  No Gill or Dip-Netted or Foul-Hooked Salmon may be entered.  Any evidence of netting, spoilage, or frozen or foul–hooked Salmon will disqualify the entrant from the Derby.
18.  The Derby Committee shall have the final word on any and all disputes regarding Derby Rules and Award of Prizes. All violations may result in being banned from the Derby in all future events.
19. CLIPPED FISH- We will not weigh any fish that has any portion of the adipose fin. Unlike state rules we do not allow any mis clip it must be smooth. This is non-debatable,  dont even try to get us to change this rule it is set in stone.You know this when you sign up.
      ALL DERBY COMMITTEE DECISIONS ARE FINAL and NON NEGOTIABLE
20. You MUST have your Derby Wristband or ticket  to buy prize Tickets, only Derby entries will be allowed to purchase prize and giveaway tickets
21.  Award presentations and prize drawings will begin at approximately 1:00 p.m. on Sunday at the gazebo in Columbia Cove Park, Derby Headquarters.  All prizes must be collected at the awards presentation, by the ticket holder, unless prior arrangements are made with the Derby Committee.
22. This is an ALL-CASH event – ALL T-shirts and side pots must be paid in cash. We do not have a card machine
23. Fishing and Hunting Prizes donated for raffle drawings are not the responsibility of the Salmon Derby or Brewster Chamber of Commerce, it is the Sponsors that gave the donation that is responsible for all the details and up to the winner to accept or decline the donation and follow through or forfeit the prize. All prizes are non-refundable and have no cash value.
24. The Derby WILL NOT be canceled due to inclement weather.
25. RULES FOR YOUTH AGE 8 AND YOUNGER
    a. Child MUST do all reeling from “set to net”.  This means a parent may set the hook as long as the child keeps their hands on the pole, the parent may then hold one hand on the pole as the child reels.  Assistance to net the fish is allowed.
    b.  Any questions or clarifications of this rule should be directed to the Derby Director Mike Mauk.
    Contact Derby Officials: 509-449-0605
    THE DERBY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE AND TICKETS AND ENTRY TO ANYONE