Derby News - Week #1

South Dakota Man Leads Valdez Halibut Derby with 162.7 Pound Flatfish

Saturday marked the start of the Valdez Halibut Derby, but Sunday was the day for big fish. Donald Pearson of Emery, South Dakota weighed in a 162.7 pound halibut Sunday to take the lead in the halibut derby and Crystal Donovan of Winter Park, Florida reeled in a 129.7 pounder the same day to find herself in 2nd place overall. The Valdez Halibut Derby runs through Labor Day so the odds of Pearson’s fish holding on for the $15,000 first place prize is not likely, but it could win the weekly prize if it remains in the lead through next Saturday. The first place prize package includes a Valdez Halibut Derby jacket along with an assortment of prizes valued at $125. The derby week runs through Saturday and weekly 1st and 2nd place prizes will be awarded to the largest halibut on the board at that time.

The first place prize for the largest Halibut and Silver Salmon caught in the Valdez derbies is $15,000. The second place prize for both derbies is $5,000 and third place is $2,000 cash. Derby tickets for both the salmon and halibut derbies are $10 each and are good for one day of fishing in the derby. A season ticket for either species is $50. Participants of the derby will also get their names put into a drawing for a 4x4 Ford Ranger truck from Seekins Ford. Each derby ticket purchased, gets you five entries in a drawing for a 4x4 Ford Ranger truck.

The weigh-in station for the Valdez Fish Derbies is kitty corner from the Valdez Harbormasters office and open 3pm to 9pm. In the Valdez Halibut Derby, tickets must be purchased before the angler goes fishing and it must be a season ticket or a daily ticket purchased for the day you catch the fish. A complete set of rules can be found in Valdez Fish Derbies brochures or online.