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I agree with Slammer. My father has fished the derby for over 30 years and growing up I always enjoyed the stories he told. This weekend I got my first taste of the atmosphere and thought it was great. Even though I was only on the island for about 30 hours I enjoyed every second of it. Although I didn't register this year, I still went to #^&#^&#^&#^&'s with my father and brother as they registered, we then meet up with some long time fishing buddies at Big Bridge, were I only got frustrated because I couldn't reach the one decent school of albies I saw all weekend. That night we hit Menemsha and the next day we were in the boat all day. Although I didn't catch any monsters, it was a great experience and I can't wait until next fall when I can fish it longer.
Both the Striper Cup and the Derby are generally conservative for those who follow the regulations, and much of what is weighed in at the Derby is prepared for senior centers and shelters around the island. However, I do believe that the daily prizes result in smaller fish being weighed in. Since winning a key to the grand prize Whaler in 89, my father may have weighed in 20 fish, or about one fish per year. If done correctly, the Derby can be a great experience without any unnecessary killing of fish. That's my two cents.
I do think they should hold an annual turkey and skunk derby.
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