In Anchor Point, Alaska we have just completed our 16th Annual Calcutta King Salmon International Tournament. If you are not familiar with a Calcutta Tournament. In this particular case, all of the boats entering the tournament are auctioned off the night before the tournament to the general public. The person that has the "high bid" on a boat and if that particular boat wins the tournament, the "high bidder" receives 50% of the funds generated by the auction. The boat or individual on that particular boat that weighs in the largest King Salmon will receive 25% of the auction funds. This amount is then normally divided equally with the other members on the boat. The tournament is restricted to one prize money for the largest King Salmon weighed in. The "one fish wins all" encourages catch and release of this great sport fish. The remaining 25% is of the funds is retained by the sportsman association to fund their "youth activities".
In the Sixteen year history of the Tournament, King Salmon in the 20 to 50+ pound class have won the tournament. Also, in the history of the tournament, only one boat has repeated as the "Calcutta Tournament" champion. The boat is the "Lauren A" skippered by Meryl Wolford.
However, that record was broken in the tournament this year when this same boat, skipper,and crew completed a "Three Peat". Meryl and his crew won the tournament in 2000 with a 31.1 pound King Salmon; again in 2006 they became the Champions with a 37.4 pound King Salmon.
This year, they achieved their Championship with a King Salmon weighing in at 30.5 pounds.
This crew fishes together every year, not necessarily to win the tournament but just to go fishing. They are all true gentlemen and sportsmen. I have known Meryl, for many years. I consider him as one of my best friends. He retired as a Sports Fishermen Guide a couple of years ago, however when fishing with him it was never a guide / client relationship. He always made you feel that you were on a fishing trip with a "buddy".
Meryl worked out of our tackle shop, the Anchor Angler on Anchor River for twenty three years. He was a "salmon troller" on Cook Inlet. During that time, we would book clients for him on a percentage basis. We never had a contract, our contract was a handshake. In that length of time and the hundreds of fishermen that we booked to fish with Meryl, we did not have a single complaint from anyone that fished with him. He is still the only man that I know that removes his hat when being introduced to a lady. He is "old school", a true gentleman. He is my friend and I feel very fortunate. He is a true "Champion" in so many respects.
Oh, Did I mention that it was just Meryl and I trolling off the beaches of Whiskey Gulch when I hooked up and landed the King Salmon of my "lifetime", a beautiful fish weighing in at 72 pounds.
In the Sixteen year history of the Tournament, King Salmon in the 20 to 50+ pound class have won the tournament. Also, in the history of the tournament, only one boat has repeated as the "Calcutta Tournament" champion. The boat is the "Lauren A" skippered by Meryl Wolford.
However, that record was broken in the tournament this year when this same boat, skipper,and crew completed a "Three Peat". Meryl and his crew won the tournament in 2000 with a 31.1 pound King Salmon; again in 2006 they became the Champions with a 37.4 pound King Salmon.
This year, they achieved their Championship with a King Salmon weighing in at 30.5 pounds.
This crew fishes together every year, not necessarily to win the tournament but just to go fishing. They are all true gentlemen and sportsmen. I have known Meryl, for many years. I consider him as one of my best friends. He retired as a Sports Fishermen Guide a couple of years ago, however when fishing with him it was never a guide / client relationship. He always made you feel that you were on a fishing trip with a "buddy".
Meryl worked out of our tackle shop, the Anchor Angler on Anchor River for twenty three years. He was a "salmon troller" on Cook Inlet. During that time, we would book clients for him on a percentage basis. We never had a contract, our contract was a handshake. In that length of time and the hundreds of fishermen that we booked to fish with Meryl, we did not have a single complaint from anyone that fished with him. He is still the only man that I know that removes his hat when being introduced to a lady. He is "old school", a true gentleman. He is my friend and I feel very fortunate. He is a true "Champion" in so many respects.
Oh, Did I mention that it was just Meryl and I trolling off the beaches of Whiskey Gulch when I hooked up and landed the King Salmon of my "lifetime", a beautiful fish weighing in at 72 pounds.
2010 Calcutta International King Salmon Tournament Champions
This entry was posted
on May 16, 2010
at Sunday, May 16, 2010
. You can follow any responses to this entry through the
comments feed
.
