TOURNAMENT RULES
How do I participate in the derby?
Ticket-holding participants should bring their fish to the Weigh-In Station at Three Bears in Kenai between the hours of 8:00am to 8:30pm (Tuesday to Saturday) and 9:00am to 7:30pm (Sunday).
To register for the daily derby prize at the Weigh-In Station, a participant should show a validated derby ticket and sign the official weigh-in ticket.
What are the rules for fishing?
Only fish caught on the Kenai River are eligible to be weighed.
All fish must be caught on rod and reel.
All fish must be presented in the round (fresh, whole, and uncut).
Fish must be in a container when brought into the weight station
No proxy fish allowed.
All fish must be caught in compliance with Alaska Department of Fish & Game regulations.
What is the limit?
Daily limit is three fish per day or the legal daily bag limit as established by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, whichever is less.
How does it work?
The Kenai Silver Salmon Derby awards prizes using a Magic Weight that is randomly drawn at the end of each derby day. Since any fish over four pounds is eligible to win, anglers of all skill levels have a chance to earn prizes!
How is the magic weight determined?
Every day at the close of the derby, the daily Magic Weight is randomly generated using two wheels of identical size. The first wheel is numbered 4-14 is spun once to signify pounds. The second wheel numbered 0-9 is spun once to signify tenths of a pound, and spun a second time to signify 100ths of a pound.
Why do we use this system?
The Magic Weight system reduces selective fishing practices that focus exclusively on the biggest fish, leading to catch-and-release injuries which compromise the health of the silver salmon population in the Kenai River.
How are prizes awarded?
The daily prize is awarded to the registered participant with a fish whose weight is closest to the daily Magic Weight.
All daily entries, regardless of daily winner status, are eligible to win the overall Magic Weight prize, which will be selected after the conclusion of the final day of the Derby.
Prizes are as follows:
Adult Daily Award: $100
Adult Overall Award: $5,000
Youth Overall Award: $1,000
Youth Daily Award: $50
All prizes will be awarded within 10 days of the close of the Derby