Derby News - Week 14, 8/21- 8/28

North Pole Man catches first Halibut. His 236.9 Pound Halibut is currently Second Place in Derby Standings

A new fish has landed on the Halibut Derby leaderboard in Week #14 weighing in at 236.9 pounds. Thomas Broach of North Pole, Alaska reeled in his catch aboard No Excuses on August 24th. KVAK Radio fish reporter, Margaret Henry, had a chance to talk with Broach and he was all smiles. This was Broach’s first time halibut fishing and the first halibut he has ever caught. “It was 78 inches in length and took twenty minutes to reel in,” Broach commented. “Now all I have to do is hang in there until September 4th and probably won’t sleep until then”. If Broach’s fish stays in 2nd place, he will win $5,000 cash. Annette Gutierrez continues to lead the Halibut Derby and is in line to win $15,000 with her monster 335.7 pound flatfish. James Pohlman and the 214.8 pound halibut he reeled in July 20th aboard the Dan Orion, were knocked down to 3rd place.

The silver salmon have been a bit late to Valdez, but local fish fileter Corey Taylor reports he is now seeing a few silvers jumping in the harbor. The City Dock has been full of activity the last week with anglers fishing for herring and silvers. Taylor said he expects the silvers to be in the harbor and to Allison Point in the next few days. Alaska Department of Fish & Game reports that anglers fishing for coho salmon in the Valdez area are having luck at deeper depths. Boat anglers targeting silver salmon in the Valdez area are finding them just outside the Port.

The Valdez Silver Salmon Derby and Halibut Derby end Sunday, September 4th at noon. Prizes will be awarded at the Spawn ‘til Dawn Derby Awards Party at the Valdez Civic Center at 7pm. The person catching the largest fish in both the halibut and silver salmon derbies will each take home $15,000 cash. For those looking for additional incentive to go out fishing, Big Prize Friday is this Friday, September 2nd. The person catching the largest silver salmon that Friday, will take home $500 cash, in addition to the daily prizes.

The overall standings remain the same in the Silver Salmon Derby. Jack Yakura of Middleburg, Pennsylvania is currently in 1st place with the 18.68 pounder he reeled August 16th. In 2nd place is Lenore Groundwater of GreenValley, Arizona with a 16.58 pound silver and holding onto 3rd place is Jeanette Wakefield of Anchorage, Alaska with a 16.42 pound silver salmon.