Derby News - 2009 Season Starting

Valdez Halibut Limit Two, Halibut and Kings Being Caught

Sunshine and blue skies have locals and visitors thinking about dropping a line in the water and charter captain and business owners in Valdez are working around the clock so they can. “The weather has been just unbelievable”, remarked Valdez Fish Derbies Chairman Joe Prax. “We’re getting everything ready for the start of the halibut derby and hoping that we can get the word out that Valdez still has a two halibut limit”.

Prax is referring to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service’s move early in the season to reduce the daily catch from two halibut to one in Southeast. Fishing out of Valdez and other Southcentral communities remains at a two fish limit.

The Valdez Halibut Derby begins this Saturday, May 23rd, but Brittany Blain of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports that Valdez had catches of numerous small halibut last week with a few larger fish being caught. Blain also reports kings have been caught near town and large amounts of orca and porpoise activity is being seen in Port Valdez.

Jan VanderVaart of Anchorage caught his first place 251.1 pound halibut on August 3rd last year, but June halibut fishing is worthy of consideration. Both the 2nd and 3rd place halibut winners were caught in early June last year. One lucky angler is guaranteed to take home a big prize in June as there’s an 11-day “Halibut Hullabaloo” tournament June 11th through 21st and the person catching the largest halibut during that time will take home two round-trip tickets anywhere Alaska Airlines flies. The first place prize for 2009 will be $15,000 cash, 2nd place is $5,000 cash and 3rd place will take home $2,000.

The Valdez Halibut Derby runs May 23rd through September 6th and features weekly 1st and 2nd place prizes. The Silver Salmon Derby begins July 25th and will run through September 6th with daily 1st and 2nd place prizes as well as Big Prize Fridays the first and last Friday of the silver derby. On Big Prize Fridays, the daily first place winner will receive $500 cash in addition to the daily prizes.

There will be a $500 prize for the vendor and operator selling the winning derby ticket in both derbies. Every derby ticket purchased for either the halibut or silver salmon derbies is entered for a chance to win a truck from Seekins Ford that will be on display throughout Valdez.

The Valdez Fish Derbies will be awarding prizes for the top 50 fish in the Silver Salmon Derby and the Women’s Derby to celebrate Alaska’s 50 years of statehood. The 5th Annual Valdez Women’s Derby is slated for Saturday, August 8th with an opening ceremony Friday, August 7th and the closing ceremony Saturday night.

The Kids’ Pink Salmon Derby is slated for Saturday, July 19th, children are encouraged to grab a pole and cast a line for a chance to win prizes. Eleven-year-old Cole Lenart of Albert Lee, Minnesota caught the biggest pink last year, tipping the scales at 6.78 pounds. There will be no entry fee, prizes in four age categories and a free barbeque for participants.