Near the end of last month, I spent the last day of the 6th annual Costal Conservation Association’s King of the Reach Derby. The event is done with the joint cooperation of the WDFW and Grant County PUD. The derby is organized by the Tri-Cities Chapter of CCA and is done to help improve the fall Chinook brook stock at the Priest Rapids hatchery. Anglers catch wild Chinook and then deliver them to the shore, where WDFW staff are waiting to deliver the fish to hatchery trucks. The survival rate is excellent and really boosts the genetics of fish released from the hatchery. The previous record for the number of fish caught over the weekend during the derby was 541. This year anglers participating in the derby turned in an astonishing 1,200 wild fall Chinook! This was due to an excellent turnout for the event. A total of 279 anglers participated from 86 boats. The new King of the Reach angler for this year was Tyler Stahl, who accounted for 76 fish during the derby. Commissioner Barbara Baker and I fished the last day of the derby aboard Cap Couch’s boat, and she landed her first fall Chinook ever. She was thrilled!