Derby News - Week 4, 6/13-6/19

193.4 Pound Halibut Wins Halibut Hullabaloo

VALDEZ Alaska – A ten dollar derby ticket paid off for Brad Yates of Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Yates reeled in a 193.4 pound halibut aboard Lady Luck June 15th to win $1,000 in the Halibut Hullabaloo tournament and take the lead in the overall halibut derby standings. Yates also took home 1st place for the week in the regular Halibut Derby and won more than $300 in prizes.

Another large halibut was brought into Port Valdez and weighed in for the regular derby by Emmett Hamilton. Hamilton, a Valdez resident, reeled in a 164.4 pound flat fish aboard No Excuses on June 18th. Hamilton took 2nd place for the week and is currently in 2nd place in the overall standings. Knocking Greg Wojcik off the leader board is Erik Miller of Glendive, Montana. Miller brought in a 161.1 pound halibut aboard Dan Orion on June 19th.

According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, halibut are being caught near ocean entrances. Anglers have reported catches of large halibut around Port Bainbridge, Perry Island, and Middle Ground Shoal. There are anglers out fishing for kings in Port Valdez and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game says, trolling for kings around Valdez Narrows and Jack Bay is a good bet this time of year.

The Valdez Fish Derbies 4x4 Ford Truck from Seekins Ford has made its way to Valdez. Everyone who purchases a derby ticket is entered to win the truck at a drawing the final day of the derby, Sunday, September 5th.

Valdez Fisheries Development Association was out scouting for pink salmon this week. Dave Cobb said that the hatchery is expecting a return of about 18 million pinks to Port Valdez and he expects them to be thick in the Port well before the Kids Pink Salmon Derby Saturday, July 16th. The Women’s Silver Salmon Derby is set for Saturday, August 13th with a luau theme this year. The complete list of Valdez Fish Derbies prizes for both the halibut and silver salmon derbies can be found at HYPERLINK "http://www.valdezfishderbies.com" www.valdezfishderbies.com.