Great Ontario Salmon Derby 👎

[rcummings]

Haven’t fished the derby for a few years and after seeing the changes in prizes and rule changes with charter boat prizes I don’t really miss it at all.

I see that there is now a category for top charter boats and prizes for those top fish. That’s great but I’ve always been against those fish being entered in the overall contest.

Take this past week for example. A seasoned vet Tony B who puts in tons of hours leads for the week up until a 14 year old kid lands one from a charter boat and wins top prize for the week. I feel for you Tony that sucks man but it’s not the first time.

To me this derby has gone completely downhill. In the 80s and 90s there was a top 60 leader board each week with Starcraft centre consoles being the top prize for each week. The grand prize was a 30 foot wilker and a truck. All these prizes with derby tickets costing $25.

Now the tickets are $125 and the prizes keep going down and down. Where is all the money going to from ticket sales? Organizers must have some fun winters after the derby is over. I asked this question to the organizer at an award ceremony one year and he rudely ignored me and walked away. Surprise surprise.

Respect to all those in the derby who put in their time, effort and money. Best of luck in the last week!

[SpoonPullers.com]

[horsehunter]

Anyone know what $125 is in 1980 dollars . My truck listed for twice what I paid for my house 40 years ago.
If it wasn't for charter boats many  would have no opportunity to fish the big lake and if it wasn't for charter boats paying seasonal dockage many marinas would struggle to exist. People fishing from charters add many dollars to the economy besides what is spent on the charter and I question if they  would without the hunt. I don't buy a ticket because I'm a cheapskate who doesn't buy lottery tickets because I couldn't win the down payment on a free lunch .

I only fish salmon a couple of times a year out of Wellington where there is no longer a scale. 

[rcummings]

I have no issues with charters you are right they are great for the fishery etc however I don’t feel they belong in that derby. Most of their customers don’t even know what the salmon derby is yet alone book charters for the purpose of wanting to win the derby. The amount of customers they would have wouldn’t fluctuate too much with or without a derby.

[HBC]

People don't go on a charter to win the derby.  They go on charters for two reasons;

1 - To catch fish that they normally don't because they don't have the equipment or boat
2 - Fun with friends

If they catch one that will be able to make the top 10, it is a bonus - like winning a lottery.  Sure there is skill to know where the fish are and what will trigger them, but you can't predict what size will take it.

[horsehunter]

If the derby wasn't important to the charters they wouldn't pay $1000 dollars for their ticket . After the derby many pull their boats and move on to walleye or god forbid musky.

[horsehunter]

I have a friend that runs a charter he has a client that books 10 solo charters all during the Hunt. Used to fish from his own boat but is now older and lives in a condo. I think it's the Hunt

[riggerrob]

Wow!  To speak the unspoken.  Now you won't see that too often.  Few years back, it was 2,400 entries @ something like $115 = $276,000 approx.  Thought that was not nice.  Insurance, money for possible lawsuits(lawyers), prizes, fish-off & money to groups/interests, charities & time for people on punchclock & taxes & taxes, gas & more taxes.  Guess it is close to maybe walk away with a few bucks.  Only way to ease questions which people never ask is to see books or CRA files.  Lot's of winners ask same questions & talk about what you just put in print because of lack of info.  That is usually what happens when no open info about business or stuff like this.  Sometimes even tournaments get these questions.     

[rcummings]

Pretty sure all prizes are either donated or come at a big discount. Either way with those numbers there is no reason for prize decline.

[HBC]

It is still the cheapest derby on the face of this planet.  Don't like it, don't enter it, don't squawk about it.
 

[horsehunter]

Pretty sure all prizes are either donated or come at a big discount. Either way with those numbers there is no reason for prize decline.

You still haven't told me what 25 1980 dollars is in todays money after 38 years of inflation

[riggerrob]

1980 minimum wage - $3.10.  Today, min. wage is something like $14 bucks. Math says X(times) 4.67.  So quick estimate is $25 dollars times 4.67 =   $116.75.  Might be a few more dollars if government somehow taxes this stuff directly or indirectly.

[SunriseCottageResort]

People don't go on a charter to win the derby.  They go on charters for two reasons;

1 - To catch fish that they normally don't because they don't have the equipment or boat
2 - Fun with friends

If they catch one that will be able to make the top 10, it is a bonus - like winning a lottery.  Sure there is skill to know where the fish are and what will trigger them, but you can't predict what size will take it.

Forgot a number 3....to get educated

[rcummings]

@riggerrob...that sounds about right so then ticket price is around the same using that math. So then why have the prize quality decreased so significantly?

[HBC]

Tariffs

[aa13]

Great read!!!