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Each year the Rotary Club of Gold Beach sponsors a Salmon Derby at Jot's Resort to benefit the Curry Sportfishing Association's Sea Lion Patrol. The derby is held on the third weekend of July each year and the entire club participates! Cash and prizes are awarded for various categories: Biggest Fish, Smallest Fish, Mystery Fish & Mens, Women's and Children's fields. It is a great event and everybody has fun! In 2011, the winning fish was over 35 pounds! Over 30 fish were caught and for a long while, the top 3 fish (until the winner came in) were all caught by the ladies! Go Ladies!!
The derby is followed up by dinner served on-site and a live auction. All to benefit the Sea Lion Patrol.
The Sea Lion Patrol employs non-lethal harassment activities - above & below water noisemaker pyrotechnics (cracker shells, seal bombs) and tactile devices (water hoses, rubber bullets/buckshot) to dissuade nuisance sea lions from entering the estuary and snatching the fish right off the hooks of the fishermen.
The Sea Lion Patrol has proven itself over the years yeilding impressive results. It has set the standard for future programs in other coastal areas. Pinniped encounters have drastically dropped with no negative impacts to salmon detected nor signs of injury to marine mammals.
This event is so well attended that not only fishermen come from all over, but visiting Rotarians visit to for their make-up meeting!
This fundraiser not only raises a significant amount of the annual budget for the Sea Lion Patrol but is also one of the club's largest funraisers of the year. 75% of the net proceeds are donated to the Curry Sportfishing Association and 25% stays with the Rotary Club.
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