It's official.. The Michigan Salmon Spectacular derby is GOING FORWARD for 2013

[SeaCatMich]

After lots of debate and a very inopportune week in the hospital, every thing has worked out and I am very happy to be able to announce that the Michigan side of Lake Michigan will have a major derby for 2013!

The Michigan Salmon Spectacular derby is going forward for 2013.

The first year we have pretty good prizes but are keeping things pretty simple. The goal is to make this a big deal for Michigan that everyone can look forward to as an annual event and have a lot of fun. If Wisconsin and Lake Ontario can have big derbies for 20+ years... so can Michigan!

Here is a quick summary of the details:

Full Info: www.michigansalmonspectacular.com or www.salmonspectacular.com

When: August 24 through September 2 (Labor Day)

Where: Michigan waters of Lake Michigan from New Buffalo to Traverse City

Cost:

• Early Bird Discounts: For the next 2 weeks (through August 15) online derby tickets are discounted on the website.
  
• Weigh Stations will have tickets for sale by the end of next week (8/9/13)
  
• Adult Full Derby Ticket: $30 => $25
  
• Youth (12-17) Full Derby Ticket: $15 => $12
  
• Individual Single Day Ticket: $15 => $12
  
• Private Boat Full Tickete (anyone fishing on the registered boat can enter a fish): $150 => $125
  
• Charter Boat Full Derby Ticket (same as Private Boat ticket, but for Charter Boats): $200
  

Prizes:

• Over $33,000 in prizes total
  
• 1st: $5,000; 2nd: $2,500; 3rd: $1,500; 4th: $1250; 5th: $1,000... down to 100th at $50 (details on the web page or the downloadable flyer below)
  
• $100 per port payout for largest fish weighed each day
  
• $100 for largest fish entered per day across all ports
  

Ports/Port Groups & Weigh Stations:

• New Buffalo - St. Joe - Benton Harbor: Broadlow's Fishin Hole
  
• South Haven: Pyles Port Hole
  
• Saugatuck - Holland - Port Sheldon: Lakeshore Tackle Outfitters & Gold Coast Outfitters
  
• Grand Haven: Fish On Bait & Tackle
  
• Muskegon - Whiltehall/Montague: Shoreline Service & Tackle and Johnson's Great Outdoors
  
• Pentwater - Ludington: Capt. Chucks
  
• Manistee - Onekama: Tangled Tackle
  
• Arcadia - Frankfort - Leland - Traverse City & north: Frankfort Tackle Box and TC MC Sports Outdoor Center
  

Click for downloadable flyer: Derby Flyer PDF

[fishy1]

Great to see they have weigh stations all way up the coast.

[Killin' It]

Is there a ticket that I can buy for the whole time? or do I have to buy it by day?

What is the difference between:

Adult full and daily ticket

[rbradley]

looks like the adult full is the full derby ticket, or you can go by the day.

I think the whole boat ticket is pretty cool, charter for 200...seems like a little low

[danthebuilder]

looks like the adult full is the full derby ticket, or you can go by the day.

I think the whole boat ticket is pretty cool, charter for 200...seems like a little low

on the flier it says 300... I think he typoed here.

[SeaCatMich]

Is there a ticket that I can buy for the whole time? or do I have to buy it by day?

What is the difference between:

Adult full and daily ticket

Adult Full Derby is the ticket for one person to fish any/all days in the derby.

The Daily Individual ticket is intended for someone who is going for only one day. Maybe guys going on a charter or going to go with a friend... but for only one day.

This page on the website should explain it all: http://www.michigansalmonspectacular.com/#!ticketinfo/cipy

[SeaCatMich]

looks like the adult full is the full derby ticket, or you can go by the day.

I think the whole boat ticket is pretty cool, charter for 200...seems like a little low

I agree that $200 is low for the Charter Boat Ticket, but since we didn't/don't have a lot of marketing time to get it in front of the Captains, it was decided to try to make it an offer they can't refuse. Next year when they can plan on being a part of the derby it should let the Charters market it to their customers as a feature of going with them over another boat.

Personally, if I had a Charter Operation... I'd jump on it!

[SeaCatMich]

on the flier it says 300... I think he typoed here.

Nope, typo is that I pointed to an old copy of the rules and not the flyer. The charter boat derby ticket is $200.

[SeaCatMich]

Michigan Salmon Spectacular Derby Tickets are now available for purchase at all of the Derby Weigh Stations! They can also still be purchased online at the website.

Website: www.michigansalmonspectacular.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichiganSalmonSpectacular

Weigh Station (port)

Broadlow's Fishin Hole (St. Joseph)

Pyle's Port Hole (South Haven)

Lakeshore Tackle Outfitters (Saugatuck)

Gold Coast Outfitters (Port Sheldon)

Fish On Bait & Tackle (Grand Haven/Nunica)

Shoreline Service & Tackle (Muskegon)

Johnson's Great Outdoors (Whitehall/Montague)

Captain Chuck's (Ludington)

Tangled Tackle (Manistee)

Frankfort Tackle Box (Frankfort)

MC Sports Outdoor Center (Traverse City)

[joelsanders]

Sounds cool,i think i may try my luck on a daily entry

[SeaCatMich]

The current derby leader is 29# 4.7 oz weighed in at MC Sports in Traverse city.

Big fish in Ludington (Capt Chuck's) on day 1 was 26.6#.

This morning a 26# 15.2 oz King was weighed in at Shoreline Service & Tackle in Muskegon.

So far have some pretty good fish entered -- especially considering the lake was a little rougher than forcasted by NOAA. Getting the www.michigansalmonspectacular.com site updated as the weigh stations send in the information.

[SeaCatMich]

After some computer/website glitches the Michigan Salmon Spectacular standings page is now updated (http://www.michigansalmonspectacular.com/#!standings/c1ir9)

Direct link to PDF of full standings: http://media.wix.com/ugd/d71988_cc30910b8ae21273327d49d010a8992d.pdf

The new derby leader was weighed in at Capt Chuck's in Ludington Sunday morning with a King weighing in at 34# 12 oz.

[2UNREEL]

Will this derby take place in 2014?

[SeaCatMich]

I don't know yet. Still debating whether to try again. The 2013 entries were significantly below expectations and even with severly reduced payouts, resulted in $4000+ of unrecovered expenses. The late start on getting the word out was a major contributor but not sure if getting the number of entries needed is realistic. My being in the hospital for 3 weeks in late summer/fall didn't help either.

Opinions would be appreciated.

[Far Beyond Driven]

I will fish it again.

[penaltybox]

I will fish again. Loved these derby style tourneys. Fished them every year on lake O when I lived there.

I think getting the word out earlier would definitely help. I talked to a few people that would have fished it had they known about it sooner. I found out about it shortly before it started.