By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Sometimes one is all it takes.
Just ask Savanah Plank, who caught the sum total of one fish and currently stands at the top of the Sitka Salmon Derby leader board, with a 40.2-pound king.
She is in the number one spot after the first three days of fishing in the Sitka Sportsman’s Association 67th annual salmon derby. Two more days remain, in the coming weekend, June 4 and 5.
Savanah Plank stands with her family and derby-leading 40.2-pound king salmon at the Crescent Harbor weigh-in barge Sunday. Pictured are her husband Jeremy Plank and sons, Ryder and Jeremiah. (Photo provided to the Sentinel)
Riley Bernhardt is in second with a 33.5 pounder, and Caleb Gray is in third, with a 31-pound king.
Riley Bernhardt also is the leader in the total pounds category, with four fish weighing a total of 94.5 pounds.
Close to 200 kings were turned in over the three-day opening weekend, officials said.
“Fishing was slow, late getting started, but everyone was having a good time,” commented John McCrehin, SSA derby chairman. “I hope everyone turns out next weekend.”
The Plank family had gone to Piper Island to spend the weekend at the cabin and fishing in the area, but had no luck until Sunday afternoon.
“It was our last ditch effort,” said Plank, who spent Sunday trolling all day off Piper Island with her family aboard the 42-foot Rough Rider, an aluminum Maxweld.
But they had no bites on their lines until they were about to head back into town at 3 p.m., two hours after the tide changed on Sunday, and dropped lines just off of Middle Island.
“We were on our second pass and caught him,” Plank said. She noted that the fish didn’t jump but peeled the line a couple times. She and other family members thought it might be a big one as she reeled it in but they were shocked when it turned out to be the derby leader.
“I was elated,” Plank said.
The group’s main goal was catching a fish and turning it in, so to take the lead was “mind blowing” for the whole family.
Savanah, 38, is a lifelong sport fisherman. She was born and raised in Ketchikan, and participated in derbies there. She’s carried on the tradition with her family since moving to Sitka, where she and her husband, Jeremy, own Sitka Bulk Goods. Their sons Jeremiah, 7, and Ryder, 4, also took part in the weekend fishing and camping adventure, although Ryder was napping when the big one was brought aboard.
“Jeremiah was very excited,” Savanah said. “He was stoked, for sure.”
As to whether the Planks will be out on the water to defend Savanah’s lead, she wasn’t sure since the Rough Rider is currently for sale.
“If we don’t (still have it), we don’t,” she said. “We’ll have our fingers crossed and hope it holds.”
The top prize for the biggest fish is $5,000 and round trip tickets on Alaska Airlines. The second place prize is $2,000, and third place is an inflatable boat. Dozens of other prizes are available.
Results are unofficial until the awards ceremony 7 p.m. Thursday, June 16, at Harrigan Centennial Hall.
The top 10 on the ladder are as follows:
1. Savanah Plank - 40.2 lbs
2. Riley Bernhardt - 33.5 lbs
3. Caleb Gray - 31 lbs
4. Jonathan Barton - 26.4 lbs
5. Keri Gray - 25 lbs
6. Ron Davis - 25 lbs
7. Jackson McGraw - 24.5 lbs
8. Erin Kitka - 24.5 lbs
9. Mike Pountney - 24.5 lbs
10. Suzen Bowen - 23.5 lbs
In the total pounds category here are the standings:
1. Riley Bernhardt - 94.5 lbs (4 fish)
2. Scott Golden - 73 lbs (4 fish)
3. Jackson McGraw - 71 lbs (4 fish)
4. Suzen Bowen - 66.8 lbs (5 fish)
5. Gary Bernhardt - 63.5 lbs (4 fish)
6. Alec McGraw - 61.5 lbs (4 fish)
7. Keri Gray - 59.5 lbs (4 fish)
8. Steve Ramp - 59 lbs (4 fish)
9. Ron Davis - 58.6 lbs (3 fish)
10. Patrick Bean Jr. - 55 lbs (4 fish)
