TELEGRAPH COVE—Jim Dawson did not haul in the largest fish during Sunday's annual Telegraph Cove Fishing Derby.
But he was the undisputed crowd favourite.
A tour group from Vancouver and Hong Kong, recently disgorged from their large bus, stopped to point and chatter animatedly while watching Dawson clean his 24-pound spring salmon at dockside.
To oblige them, he turned and hoisted the fish as some snapped photos and others cheered and applauded.
"That's the first time I've ever gotten a round of applause," Dawson said with a smile.
Jari Hyvarinen weighed in a 26-pound spring to take top honours in the derby, the Cove's annual fund-raiser for the Kokish River Salmon Enhancement project.
It wrapped up the traditional B.C. Long Weekend lineup of activities at the popular tourist destination, which included the annual Telegraph Cove Craft Fair and boardwalk salmon barbecue Saturday.
2012 Telegraph Cove Fishing Derby
Spring Salmon
1. Jari Hyvarinen, 26 lb.
2. Bill Airey, 25.25 lb.
t3. Rob Dawson, 24
t3. Harold Zayac, 24
5. Syd Smith, 23.5
Halibut
1. Harold Zayac, 14 lb.