The 2026 Rotary Fishy Derby: Fishing, Fellowship and Community

There’s something special about staying somewhere that feels connected to the community around it.

Pacific Playgrounds Oceanside Resort is a comfortable home base for Vancouver Island getaways, with cottages and RV sites where guests can settle in, slow down and enjoy the coast at their own pace. It’s also a gathering place. Somewhere local traditions, shared meals and memorable summer days come together.

That community spirit was on full display this August when Pacific Playgrounds welcomed participants from the 11th annual Rotary Fishing Derby for its official weigh-in, awards and annual barbecue and corn roast.

A Vancouver Island Tradition on the Water

The annual Derby brings together members of two Campbell River Rotary clubs, along with the Courtenay and Comox clubs. Participants are Rotarians or guests invited by a Rotarian, with the event typically involving approximately 15 boats and four fishers aboard each one.

After a day on the water, the skippers, fishers and fellow Rotarians gathered at Pacific Playgrounds to see what everyone had brought back—and, perhaps just as importantly, to exchange stories about the ones that got away.

The competition included several categories based on weight:

• Largest salmon
• Largest lingcod
• Largest halibut
• Largest salmon caught by a participant under 16

The winners earned trophies and the most important prize of all: bragging rights until next year’s Derby.

In 2026, three fish reached the maximum retainable length of 80 cm. Dawn Gibbons, president of Daybreak Rotary, landed the heaviest—a 17.36 lb Chinook—to win the largest salmon category. Ava Murdoch won the under-16 category with an 11.7 lb Chinook. No qualifying catches were recorded in the lingcod or halibut divisions.

The Catch Was Only Part of the Day

Once the official weigh-in was complete, the event continued with a barbecue and corn roast at the Resort.

Every fisher received a prize donated by community supporters, while larger items were offered through silent and live auctions. The result was an afternoon filled with good food, friendly competition and the kind of easy conversation that happens when people come together after a shared day outdoors.

For organizers, that sense of fellowship is at the heart of the Derby. It’s an opportunity for Rotarians from neighbouring communities to reconnect, welcome invited guests and enjoy one of the experiences that makes coastal Vancouver Island such a remarkable place to call home.

Fishing for a Cause

The Derby is also designed to support the waters and communities that make the event possible.

Funds raised through entry fees, the barbecue and the auctions are donated to a different salmon-related program each year. The 2026 Derby raised $5,000, which Rotary will donate to the Quadra Island Salmon Enhancement Program.

Representatives from the selected program are invited to attend the barbecue and speak about their work, helping participants understand how the money raised will contribute to salmon enhancement and the health of local ecosystems.

As organizer Brian Brown explained, the day is about fellowship and fun—but also about helping the community by supporting programs that bring people together and protect an important part of life on Vancouver Island.

A Place Where the Community Gathers

We’re proud that Pacific Playgrounds could once again provide the setting for the Derby’s weigh-in and celebration.

Events like this offer a glimpse of what makes this part of Vancouver Island so special. The ocean and rivers may provide the setting, but it’s the people—the volunteers, organizers, boat owners, fishers and community supporters—who turn a day outdoors into a lasting tradition.

For our guests, that same combination of comfort, nature and community is part of every stay. You can begin the morning beside the water, head out to explore the Island, return to your cottage or RV site and let the evening unfold at a quieter pace.

Do everything…or do nothing. Either way, Pacific Playgrounds gives you a welcoming place to make yourself at home.