Derby News - Kids Pink Salmon Derby, July 19

Kids Pink Salmon Derby in Valdez Draws Close to 200 Young Anglers

If ever there was a day for kids to Fish Valdez, Saturday was the day. After a day of fishing for pinks, fathers took children with fish in hand to the Valdez Fish Derbies weigh-in station to register their fish and get a ticket for the free barbeque. Mothers could be overheard telling children not to be upset if they didn’t win a prize because they had already won a wonderful day fishing. Friends and family from everywhere put children first and the smiling faces of 400 people at a barbeque at Dock Point were evidence that not only the young ones enjoyed the day. Three of the top winners were from out of state, three from the Anchorage area, one from Fairbanks, one from Tok and four from Valdez.

When all was said and done, eleven-year-old Cole Lenart of Albert Lee, Minnesota had caught the largest pink salmon of the day. Lenart’s fish tipped the scales at 6.78 pounds. The first place winner in the 5 to 7 age division was Liam Kern of Anchorage with a 5.26 pound pink salmon. Annika Hansen of Seattle, Washington reeled in a 6.5 pound pink for first in the 8 to 10 age division and Joshua Curtis of Tok, Alaska took first place in the 14 to 16 age division with a 6.76 pound pink salmon. The first place winners took home a new bike from Valdez Fish Derbies. The 2nd place winners in each age division won a custom skateboard purchased by the Valdez Fish Derbies from Bahama Hawks and Prospector donated fishing poles for the 3rd place winners. While there was no grand prize for largest fish, Lenart was well aware he had the biggest one. When asked how he felt about that, he simply responded, “good!”.

“We had no idea what to expect because we haven’t done a kids derby for a long time”, said Valdez Fish Derbies committee member Debbie Yamakami. “Based on the turnout, I’d say it was a good idea. The main thing we wanted to do was get kids out to enjoy fishing and I think we accomplished that”. The Valdez Fish Derbies treated anglers and their adult fishing buddies to a barbeque at Dock Point where eleven-year-old Riley McNelly acted as emcee for the awards ceremony. Assisted by Josie McNelly and Justin Prax who shared the microphone for the awards ceremony all the announcements, awards presentations and music announcing was done by kids.

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5-7 Age Division Winners – Kids Pink Salmon Derby

8-10 Age Division Winners – Kids Pink Salmon Derby

11-13 Age Division Winners – Kids Pink Salmon Derby

14-16 Age Division Winners – Kids Pink Salmon Derby

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