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Ocean Shores derby nets 286 pounds of invasive species on Saturday

Published 1:30 am Monday, August 10, 2026

By The Daily World

Frank Elduen Kenny Vansteenkiste and his wife pose for a photo with the prize fish from the 2026 Ocean Shores Carp Derby.

Frank Elduen

Kenny Vansteenkiste and his wife pose for a photo with the prize fish from the 2026 Ocean Shores Carp Derby.

Twenty-two invasive carp totaling 286 pounds were bagged by 32 participants at North Bay Park in Ocean Shores during the 2026 Ocean Shores Carp Derby on Saturday.

Carp hunters entered for the chance to win cash prizes in three categories — largest fish, combined weight of top five fish caught and total number of fish.

All the prizes winners were from Eastern Washington. The largest carp weighed in at a Washington state record 29.86 pounds for a grass carp and netted the winner Kenny Vansteenkiste $1,000.

The group that claimed the top 5 prize with 108 pounds earned $1,960, and the group that bagged that most fish, 13, took home $1,690. A portion of the prize money was donated by an anonymous donor and the rest came from the entry fees.

According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, grass carp are an Aquatic Invasive Species, organisms that have spread beyond their native range and present threats to our environment, economy, human health and way of life.

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