MYRTLE POINT – A $1,000 fish is still out there. About 200 people participated in the Port of Coquille’s first bass derby July 16 and 17, reeling in more than 2,000 small-mouth bass. The catch put a welcome dent in the salmon-gobbling invasive predators. Six of those captured bass carried microchips that paid off with $50, $100 and $200 cash prizes. That leaves 40 chip-tagged bass still swimming, including one with a $1,000 chip. Derby organizer Fred Fry said the bounty is good until Labor Day weekend, when a second bass derby is planned. The port organized the derbies with help from the Coquille Indian Tribe, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and several generous sponsors. Reducing bass numbers is one of several strategies to help restore the river’s diminishing stock of fall Chinook salmon. Saturday (July 16) was a big “fish and chips” day for one Myrtle Point family. The Gulseths came out in force and accounted for two of the weekend’s prize bass. Rosie Gulseth collected $100. Thirteen-year-old cousin Payton Lee, visiting from Vancouver, Wash., bested her with a $200 catch. “That’ll pay for gas,” joked Payton’s mom, Misty Lee. A young Coquille couple, Kyle O’Hara and Michaela Campbell, hooked 34 bass while fishing from stand-up paddleboards. One of their fish carried a $50 microchip. The money will go into the couple’s wedding fund. The bass they caught had definitely been chowing down on juvenile salmon. Three of the couple’s fish spat up half-digested smolts. Fry described the derby as a solid first attempt. He expects the events to grow as more people learn about the opportunity to enjoy a day on the river while helping the salmon population. “Everyone was just really thrilled to be a part of it and contribute,” he said. “There’s a lot of people out there who want to help.” Most bass showing up at the riverside scanning station were too small to cook. Derby volunteers collected unwanted fish for use as crab bait. No one expects the fishing derbies to eradicate bass from the river altogether. But each bass caught is one less mouth devouring native salmon smolts. “You gotta try,” O’Hara said. “It’s fun, anyway,” his fiancée added. And a $1,000 fish is waiting for one lucky angler. Want to know more? The next Coquille River bass derby will take place Sept. 3 and 4. Admission is $20, payable at the boat ramp parking lot near the port district office, 170 River Road, Myrtle Point. Anglers who catch bass in the meantime should freeze them and bring them to the September derby to be scanned for prizewinning chips. More information is available on the port’s website, www.thepocrd.com. Sponsors of the July derby included the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Coquille Indian Tribe, Roseburg Forest Products, Timberline Taxidermy, 3J Ranches and Spruce Street Bar and Grill. The port welcomes additional sponsors to donate cash or merchandise for future events. Potential sponsors should contact Fry at 360-721-4513 or Beth Spencer at 541-572-2737.
