Derby News - Week 4 (June 15 - June 21)

15-Year-Old Robert Pfeil of Florida Catches 177.7lb

Fifteen-year-old Robert Pfeil demonstrated last Friday, that man, woman or child is capable of landing a mammoth halibut when he wrestled his 177.7 pound halibut aboard the Dan Orion. Pfeil became the youngest competitor to hit the derby board this season. Pfeil currently holds the overall 3rd place standing, and took home the 1st place prize for the biggest fish in week four of the derby. The second place honor for the week goes to Jeff Fladmark of Knife River Montana. A 175.4 pound halibut was brought into Port Valdez, but the angler who caught it didn’t have a derby ticket, so Fladmark’s 120.6 pound flatfish took the 2nd place prize for week number four of the derby.

The action in the Valdez Halibut Derby is heating up as more competitors emerge out of the woodwork. Lorena Jenkins, a Valdez local, still holds the 1st place spot with her 244.2 lb fish. David Gatch held on to his 2nd place standing this week with his 207.2 lb fish. The overall third place spot was captured by Robert Pfeil from Delray Beach Florida, who landed a 177.7 lb. halibut last Friday. The fish barely squeezed into the standings, and overtook the halibut caught by Bob Allen of Fairbanks by two tenths of a pound. The big motivation for reeling in the biggest halibut in Valdez is the $15,000 grand prize.

July 11th, 12th and 13th, the person catching the largest fish in the Valdez Halibut Derbies will win two round-trip tickets anywhere Alaska Airlines flies. Anglers can fish one day or fish all three days and there is no entry fee or additional costs. People can purchase a one-day Halibut Derby ticket for ten dollars or use their $50 season ticket”. The winner of the 3-day halibut tournament will be awarded their prize when the weigh-in station closes Sunday night at 9pm.

Fifteen-year-old Robert Pfeil managed to reel in a huge halibut and make the overall standings in the Valdez Halibut Derby. Chances are the winner the Kids Pink Salmon Derby July 19th won’t have as much trouble reeling in a pink salmon, but they could stand to win some cool prizes. Pinks are abundant and fairly easy to catch in Valdez and can be caught from a boat or from shore. There will be 4 age divisions: 5 to 7; 8 to 10; 11 to 13 and 14 to 16. Each division will produce a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prize winner. Free Kid's Pink Salmon Derby T-Shirt will be given to the first 125 participants who weigh in a fish. All participants will receive a ticket to a free barbecue at Dock Point at the weigh-in station. Weigh-in will be 10am to 5pm at the Valdez Fish Derbies weigh-in station. “With the improvements across the Bay at Allison Point, you can fish from shore for miles. It’s not combat fishing and it’s easily accessible”, said Valdez Fish Derbies chairman Joe Prax.