The annual WDFW Trout Derby kicks off April 25th and runs through Oct. 31st this year. For the Trout Derby, the WDFW has placed special green tags near the dorsal fin on trout stocked in more than 100 lakes statewide. Anglers who catch a tagged trout win a prize donated from a nearby business. Now in its 11th year, the Derby features more than 900 prizes valued at nearly $45,000. Businesses have donated a wide variety of prizes including gift cards, fishing gear and tackle, Seattle Mariners tickets, rounds of golf, local aquarium admission, a kayak, a guided lake fishing trip for two, handheld GPS units, stays at local resorts and campgrounds, and more. According to the department, there are hundreds of prizes for those who catch a tagged fish, and they plan to stock most of the same lakes as they have in the past. The Trout Derby has been very popular over the past 11 years. The generosity of our license vendors and donors is what makes the Trout Derby a huge success, and something many anglers look forward to. Find more information on the WDFW Trout Derby webpage, and even see which lakes have tagged trout in them.