Taking the final spin

Published 9:30 pm Sunday, September 19, 2021

Angela Covey and Joseph Craig were announced the winners of the fifth annual Kenai River Silver Salmon Derby on Monday night.

Covey, who was present at the final “magic wheel” spin at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, said it was exciting to win.

Her grand prize was $5,000 and Craig’s was $1,000.

“I was born and raised here in Alaska and my dad always took me out fishing,” Covey said. “So this year I actually finally got to take time to go fishing for silvers.”

This was Covey’s first derby, and she fished every day of the weeklong event.

Her winning fish weighed in at 4.96 pounds, coming in closest to the “magic wheel” number of 4.83 pounds.

Covey said Monday she wasn’t sure what she was going to do with the check coming her way.

Craig was not present on Monday night.

Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel, who gave the “magic wheel” its final spin, said this year’s silver run was better than last year.

“The years where you have more of (an) abundance of fish, I think it makes it more exciting to get people out there,” he said.

Paul Ostrander, Kenai city manager, said more people registered for the derby this year as well.

“We had a lot more participation than we had in the past years,” he said. “I think not only was participation better, but the fishing was a little bit better this year.”

Reach reporter Camille Botello at camille.botello@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/peninsulaclarion.