A group of friends from Canada caught the first and third largest coho salmon during the Haines Sportsman’s Association’s first annual Coho Derby.

Curtis Woloshyn, a 41-year-old grain farmer from Saskatchewan, caught the first place 17.75 pound coho on his fly rod and took home a $1,000 prize. Woloshyn traveled to Haines with his friend Paul Hamilton who caught the third largest fish, weighing in at 12.45, two days after Woloshyn caught the big winner. He took home $250.

“We pulled into town and we had no idea the derby was even on,” Woloshyn said. “We were talked into it by Doug (Olerud) and Scott (Pattison) from the Sport Shop there. The derby wasn’t on our mind to tell you the truth. We just love the scenery and fishing up there. The derby was just kind of a bonus.”

Woloshyn spent about two weeks fishing in the area and it was his third trip to Haines. He said he caught the derby winning coho in the Chilkat River at about 14 Mile. Woloshyn landed the coho with a pink and chartreuse bunny leech streamer fly.

“It’s an amazing fight, catching these fish,” Woloshyn said. “It was a blast. I love it up there.”

Woloshyn caught several fish during his two-week trip and said he’s going to smoke some and freeze the rest.

The second place winner, Matt Schenk, took home $500. Local resident Seth Waldo caught the seventh largest salmon, the biggest fish caught by a Haines Borough participant.

The derby started in early September and lasted through Oct. 31. There was a $25 entry fee. The Haines Sportsman’s Association sold 71 derby tickets and 39 fish were turned in.

Sportsman’s association secretary Janis Horton said while they would have liked to have sold more tickets, they were pleased with the derby’s first year.

“We consider it to have been a success,” Horton said. “I believe we will be looking to run it again next year.”

The association’s annual king salmon derby has been canceled the past three years due to king population declines.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game area sport fish biologist Rich Chapell said catch rates were good through the month of October.

“The best catch rate was the last weekend in October,” Chapell said. “That’s just when the water gets low and fairly clear and it’s easier to target the fish.”

Chapell said coho escapement is 35,000 fish, about half of the average run. The escapement goal range is between 30,000 and 70,000.

“It’s a small run but it’s sustainable,” Chapell said. “It should produce good returns.”

This year’s commercial coho catch is at 29,790, which is about 9,200 fewer than the ten-year average.