For eighteen years the East Wenatchee Rotary Club has been putting on the Pike Minnow Derby, and it’s coming up again. This year’s event will be held on Saturday and Sunday, June 19th and 20th. There will be over $10,000.00 in cash and prizes handed out this year, and what is really neat about the Pike Minnow Derby is that anyone who catches even a small number of fish can win big. The event is not only a lot of fun it helps reduce the population of pike minnows from the Columbia River. These fish are primary predators of young salmon and steelhead. Knocking their numbers down contributes to good escapement of these fish to the ocean. Derby tickets are just $20.00 and kids age 14 and under can fish for free, as long as they are with an adult ticket holder. Tickets can be purchased at Hooked on Toys, Bi-Mart and Bob Feil Boats and Motors. The event has always been supported by the Chelan County PUD. Be sure to pick up a derby brochure when you purchase your tickets, and there is information and even maps of the weigh-in locations available on the PUD web site.