24-pound Chinook earns California angler $10,000 top prize in annual Westport Charter Association derby

Thousands more in prize money awarded for largest lingcod, halibut, coho, albacore

By Dan Hammock • October 10, 2017 7:00 pm
WESTPORT CHARTER ASSOCIATION A 24.15-pound Chinook salmon earned California angler Mike Vaughn the top prize in this year’s Westport Charter Association derby.
WESTPORT CHARTER ASSOCIATION A 24.15-pound Chinook salmon earned California angler Mike Vaughn the top prize in this year’s Westport Charter Association derby.

Mike Vaughn of Lakeside, California, received a check for $10,000 Sept. 23 for catching the largest Chinook salmon of the season in the Westport Charterboat Association Derby.

The 24.15-pound king earned Vaughn the whopper of a check, which he accepted with his wife and three daughters. He caught the fish Aug. 7 aboard the Hula Girl out of Westport Charters, skippered by Steve Westrick.

The $10,000 prize was the idea of Darris McDaniel owner of Westport’s Shop N Kart Grocery, according to derby manager Darlene “Doll” Camp. The $10,000 prize was donated by Westport Shop N Kart, Blackbeard’s Brewery, Brumfield Construction, Crown Distributing, Harbor Pacific, Washington Crab and Westport Seafood.

Other derby prizes awarded:

• $1,500 for the largest coho salmon, 13.20 pounds, caught July 12 by David Hinson of Richland while fishing aboard the Stardust out of Deep Sea Charters, skippered by Johnathan Banasky.

• $1,000 for the largest halibut of the season, 63.30 pounds, caught June 17 by Kevin Brown of Yelm while fishing aboard the Advantage out of Advantage Charters, skippered by Geoff Grillo.

• $1,500 largest lingcod to date, 39.55 pounds, caught May 4 by Larry Wilkinson of Vancouver while fishing aboard the Fury out of Deep Sea Charters, skippered by Mike Harris.

• $1,000 for the largest albacore tuna, 43.45 pounds, caught Sept. 27 by Mike Manning of Everett while fishing aboard the Tornado out of Westport Charters, skippered by Dwight Sawin.

“We couldn’t do it without our supportive community,” said Camp.

Additional prizes were donated by Aloha Alabama BBQ, Bank of the Pacific, Basket House Gifts, Bennett’s Fish Shack, Brady’s Oysters, Breakers Motel, Englund Marine, Five Star Dealership, Fishing Vessel Owners Association, Price n Price Realtor, Seafood Connection, Shoalwater Bay Casino, South Beach Buccaneers, Timberland Bank, Totem RV, Vacations By the Sea and Westport Winery.

Several local businesses also donated to the derby: Alaskan Motel, Bank of the Cascades, Coast Title, Granny Hazel’s Candy, Grayland Hardware, Harbor Resort, Holiday Motel, Hungry Whale Grocery, Gas & Deli, Mariners Cove Inn, McBee’s Silver Sands Motel, Merino’s Seafood, Original House of Pizza, Pacific Motel & RV, South Beach Dental, Westport Inn, Westport Subway and Windermere Reality.