Memories flow in abundance at 53rd annual Smelt Derby

The smelt weren’t running in La Conner Saturday, February 24, but 81 people were, as the took part in the annual smelt run. Six of the runners were under 14 years old. Run coordinator Peter Voorhees was satisfied, emailing “Considering the weather it went really well. Lots of happy people; we had over 160 people sign-up.”

There weren’t a lot of folks fishing for smelt. One couple came from Idaho, four guys came from Seattle, and several hailed from Alger, Bow and Bellingham. Maybe 30 people, spanning three generations, participated.

The Patsy Good family, scions of Pat and Janet Good, Fir Island farmers, anchored Derby sponsor La Conner Rotary Club’s volunteers. Marcus Tellvik, a fourth generation Good, and his children, fifth generation descendants, and thus a little gooder, measured the 20 or so smelt and herring turned in for the contest. Tellvik recalled his participation as a child, but said he “stopped fishing and started judging 10 years ago.” He pegged the decline of smelt running in the Channel to the 1992 closing of the Moore-Clark hatchery fish-food processing plant.

Memories were the most abundant catch. Moore-Clark was a common touchstone and the common sentiment among the old-timers, whose return matched in numbers the number of smelt caught. Kevin and Tina Carlstrom migrated the furthest, from Idaho. Kevin has made the annual return 17 times since moving from Samish Island in 2001. A four-time winner, he recalled being featured in the Channel Town Press. “There were some years,” he said, “they gave out more prizes than fish.” This was such a year

The Carlstroms came with fellow jiggers Mechel and Bill Bell, of Alger. Bill remembered “my dad used to bring us when we were little kids. It used to be elbow to elbow. It was tight. Dad took fish hooks out of people’s ears.” Bell is probably in his fifties.

The Chambers, from Burlington, shared The Port of Skagit Marina dock. It was son Steve’s first return since the 1970s. He said they were here to support the community, not for the catch. He said that was “less than a can of anchovies.”

At a dock south of The Port of Skagit Marina, three generations of Huntleys, from Bellingham, had their lines in the water. Son Jared recalled coming with his parents and camping out at the marina. “The fishing was a little better then,” he said, that they “caught a bucketful. One year my brother won for the smallest smelt.” Moments later his sons, Logan and Sam, caught two smelt. These catches turned out to be prize winners for the third generation Huntleys.

La Connerite Mike Ritchie was fishing with his son Conner. In 2017 Conner won second place for a herring. Ritchie also “remembered a lot more smelt when Moore-Clark was running.”

At the 1 p.m. close of the contest, Tellvik led his family’s measuring and judging with his mom. Kim Rubenstein, his aunt and Patsy’s sister, added to the Good vibes.

The 30 or so multi-generational fishermen gathered at Maple Hall for prize distribution. The table on the stage held about as many trophies as there were people. The big winners were six-year-old Tyler Wyman, of Bow, for largest smelt and largest and smallest herring – the same fish – and five year old Sam Huntley, of Bellingham, who won second place in both largest and smallest smelt. Claps, cheers and whistles greeted the winners.

The Derby was a family affair in prize winning as Logan Huntley, Sam’s seven-year-old brother, won smallest smelt and Tyler’s dad, Andrew, took third prize for smallest smelt.

Frank Handy of Burlington, was the big adult winner, for largest smelt and herring and smallest fish of any kind.

Derby coordinator Good admitted “this year was our worst year for smelt.” But neither that nor poor weather stopped the migration of fishermen, and their children and grandchildren, to La Conner. The odds are on a 54th annual Smelt Derby in 2019. That’s a Good bet to take.