The annual Coastal Conservation Association’s (CCA) King of the Reach Derby is coming up on October 27th through the 29th this year. Sponsored the Tri-Cities Chapter of CCA, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Grant County PUD, the event is not only fun, but does serious work to improve brood stock Chinook numbers at the Priest Rapids hatchery. The purpose of the derby is to catch as many natural origin Chinook as people can and deliver them to hatchery trucks for transport to the hatchery. Pumps, aerators and fish tubes are provided to keep the fish alive in coolers until brought to shore. This program has delivered hundreds of brood stock each year, and greatly improved the wild to hatchery ratio of fry produced at Priest Rapids. Tri-Cities Chapter members are on hand to help anglers and gather lots of prizes as an incentive to participate. Only derby anglers are allowed to fish the designated areas on the Hanford Reach during the derby, with fish gathering stations at White Bluffs and above the Vernita Bridge. I strongly encourage anglers to participate in this important effort. For all information and to register visit www.ccawashington.org/kingofthereach.