Derby News - Week 11 (August 3 - August 9)

Women Reign after Women’s Silver Salmon Derby in Valdez

They ranged in age from five to eighty nine and they all had one thing in common… they wanted to catch a big silver salmon on Saturday. More than 550 women participated in the 2008 Women’s Silver Salmon Derby and after a day of fishing Lindsie King of Valdez emerged queen of the Silver Salmon Sisterhood. King reeled in a 17.54 pound silver to win the Women’s Derby and take the lead in the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby. King took home $1,000 in cash, a Carhartt wardrobe and Xtra Tuff boots from the Prospector, a commemorative Women’s Fish Derby vest and a solid gold Lady Liberty coin from Reynolds Alaska and Oxford Assaying. King smiled on stage at the Civic Center as she received her prizes and was fitted with fish slippers and a handmade beaded tiara. King is from Valdez and fully aware that she will win $15,000 in cash if her fish remains in the lead until the end of the regular derby August 31st.

Kristin Ogonowski of Wasilla, Alaska took 2nd place in the Women’s Derby with a 17.38 pound silver and Andrea Boschert of Fairbanks took 3rd place with the 17.0 pound silver she brought in. Ogonowski of Wasilla is currently 3rd place in the overall standings. All three top spots in the Valdez Silver Salmon derby are now held by women. Julie Larweth of North Pole was leading the regular derby after she caught a 17.38 pound silver Friday, but dropped to 2nd place when King brought her mammoth fish to the weigh-in. When two people weigh in a fish of the same weight, the fish that is weighed in first takes the higher spot, so Larweth is currently in 2nd place overall and Ogonowski is in 3rd, both with a 17.38 pound silver.

“There fish are a little late this year,” said charter captain Stacey Mitchell, “but there are some good size fish. They’re not in the usual places and we have to work harder to get them, but they should be in strong the rest of the season”. Mitchell said she caught 23 fish, just one short of the limit for her boat, and attributed their success to the dances the women were doing on the deck of the boat. At no other time of the year, does Valdez see so much enthusiasm for fishing, demonstrated in such a unique way. Women wearing matching hats, boots, t-shirts, scarves and accessories make their way to the opening ceremony where they hoot and holler in an effort to bid on single men in the Bachelor “filet-a-fish” auction”. Reports of “fish dancing” are rampant and, at the end of the day more than one group of women had developed their own Women’s Derby theme song and proudly sang it for whoever would listen. The Top 50 winners will be posted on the www.valdezfishderbies.com website this week.

Jan VanderVaart of Anchorage, AK is still leading the halibut derby with the 251.5 pound fish he caught last week. VanderVoart won 1st place for week number 11 and Steven Conzelman of Fairbanks took the 2nd place weekly prize with a 179.2 pound halibut he caught August 3rd. For more information on the Valdez Halibut Derby or Silver Salmon Derby and results of the Women’s Derby go to www.valdezfishderbies.com.

Halibut Derby Overall Leaders

Jan VanderVaart
Anchorage, AK
251.5 lbs, August 3
Dan Orion

Lorena Jenkins
Valdez, Alaska
244.2 lbs, June 14
No Excuses

David Gatch
Fairbanks, Alaska
207.2 lbs on June 9
Faithful

Halibut Derby Week #11 (August 4 - August 10)

Jan VanderVaart
Anchorage, AK
251.5 lbs, August 3
Dan Orion

Silver Salmon Derby Overall Leaders

Women's Silver Salmon Derby Winners

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