CLOSE TO 500 SILVER SALMON WEIGHED IN FOR VALDEZ WOMEN’S SILVER SALMON DERBY

VALDEZ, Alaska – When Chinda Heston of Valdez hooked into a 14.88 pound silver salmon she told everyone on the boat they were heading right back to Port to weigh-in for the Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby. Close to 600 women registered for the 2017 Women’s Silver Salmon derby and they cheered on Heston at the Valdez Civic Center as she was crowned “Queen of the Silver Salmon Sisterhood”. Heston said everyone on her boat caught several fish, but when she hooked into her big fish she told them, “Get back to the harbor now”. Heston, who is from Thailand and lives in Valdez now, said she caught her fish near the waterfalls by the narrows and they were fishing at a depth of about 50 feet. Heston said this is the biggest fish she has ever caught and it gave her a good fight for a solid 10 minutes before she brought it on board. There were 595 women registered for the Women’s Silver Salmon Derby and the weigh-in was hopping with close to 500 women weighing in their top fish for a chance to win a prize. The Women’s Derby awards prizes for the top 50 fish.

The fact that fish were plentiful by the Valdez narrows is good news for the Valdez silver salmon derby. The run of silver salmon into Port Valdez was disappointing last year, but it is looking good for the 2017 season. “There are a lot of fish out there and they are beautiful fish”, commented Rick Ballow as he waited with his wife and her friends to weigh-in fish Saturday. “I understand they caught really big silver out at Naked Island. I think we’re going to have a 20 pound winner this year”, he said.

With silver salmon already showing up at the narrows, the fishing should be good from shore at Allison Point and in Port Valdez the final weeks of the derby. Most of those trolling on Saturday had success trolling at a depth of 40 to 70 feet. Hot spots this weekend were Potato Point, Jacks Bay, Galena Bay and the Narrows.

Frieda Wiley is still leading the Valdez Halibut Derby with the 347 pound halibut she caught August 6^th. Her fish set a new record for the largest fish ever caught in the Valdez Halibut Derby. Her catch last week moved Tim Stadtmiller of Fairbanks down to 2^nd place overall in the derby with the 266.6 pound halibut he caught June 19^th. Grant Stultz from Reston, VA caught a 182.2 pound halibut August 8^th to get into the overall standings at 3^rd place.

Both the Valdez Halibut Derby and Valdez Silver Salmon Derbies boast a $15,000 first place prize for the largest fish and run through Sunday, September 3^rd at noon. More information about the Valdez Derbies can be found at www.valdezfishderbies.com.

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders

1^st        Frieda Wiley                Valdez, AK                  374.0 lbs.         Aug 6               Dan Orion
2^nd        Tim Stadtmiller                        Fairbanks, AK             266.6 lbs.         June 19                        Dan Orion
3^rd        Grant Stultz                  Reston, VA                  182.2 lbs.         Aug 8               Dan Orion

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners

1^st Frieda Wiley Valdez, AK 347.0 lbs. Aug 6 Dan Orion
2^nd Grant Stultz Reston, VA 182.2 lbs. Aug 8 Dan Orion

Silver Derby – Overall Leaders

1^st        Cole Baxter                 Fayetteville, GA         15.62 lbs.         July 26             Shark Tooth Charter
2^nd        Chinda Heston                        Valdez, AK                 14.88 lbs.         Aug 12                        Sandi
3^rd        H. Charles Sparks       Fairbanks, AK             14.50 lbs.         Aug 6             Patriot

Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby
2017 – TOP 50

Place	Name	Hometown	Fish Weight

1^st	Chinda Heston	Valdez, AK	14.88 lbs.
2^nd	Kristina Bragg	Fairbanks, AK	14.58 lbs.
3^rd	Sandra Virguez	Valdez, AK	13.44 lbs.
4^th	Corrine Garrison	North Pole, AK	13.00 lbs.
5^th	Shantel Weidner	Delta Jct, AK	12.98 lbs.
6^th	Rhetta Hosier	Delta Jct. AK	12.94 lbs.
7^th	Sara Williams	Valdez, AK	12.86 lbs.
8^th	Bonnie Saxum	Valdez, AK	12.76 lbs.
9^th	Lori Young	North Pole, AK	12.74 lbs.
10^th	Kamille Mulcaire	Cornville, AZ	12.68 lbs.
11^th	Abigail Creer	North Pole, AK	12.68 lbs.
12^th	Suzie Koklich	Valdez, AK	12.68 lbs.
13^th	Shawn Wise	North Pole, AK	12.66 lbs.
14^th	T.C. Corbin-Greene	Valdez, AK	12.64 lbs.
15^th	Marcia Cassino	North Pole, AK	12.56 lbs.
16^th	Dana McAlpine	Anchorage, AK	12.52 lbs.
17^th	Carrie Littlejohn	Fairbanks, AK	12.50 lbs.
18^th	Baily Bryant	Gillette, WY	12.48 lbs.
19^th	Marika Poor	Davenport, FL	12.44 lbs.
20^th	Bernadette Meyers	Cottonwood, AZ	12.38 lbs.
21^st	Jodi Blakley	Fairbanks, AK	12.28 lbs.
22^nd	Kay Homme	Valdez, AK	12.24 lbs.
23^rd	Samantha Boschert	North Pole, AK	12.22 lbs.
24^th	Mary Casey	Valdez, AK	12.16 lbs.
25^th	Sarah Rountree	Valdez, AK	12.16 lbs.
26^th	Kate Foster	Valdez, AK	12.10 lbs.
27^th	Paige Schell	Valdez, AK	12.08 lbs.
28^th	Karen Dullen	Fairbanks, AK	12.04 lbs.
29^th	Amber Poppe	Haywood, WI	11.94 lbs.
30^th	Bonnie Hinkle	Salcha, AK	11.88 lbs.
31^st	Jennifer Anderson	Delta Jct. AK	11.88 lbs.
32^nd	Antoinette Brewer	Fairbanks, AK	11.82 lbs.
33^rd	Bailey Carlson	Fairbanks, AK	11.82 lbs.
34^th	DaNell Prindiville	Andover, MN	11.78 lbs.
35^th	Serena Fitka	Valdez, AK	11.70 lbs.
36^th	Theresa Ace	Valdez, AK	11.60 lbs.
37^th	Laurine Regan	Valdez, AK	11.60 lbs.
38^th	Lorrie Mott	Valdez, AK	11.50 lbs.
39^th	Krystal Moulton	Valdez, AK	11.40 lbs.
40^th	Nancy Chaffin	Valdez, AK	11.38 lbs.
41^st	Diane St. Amand	Valdez, AK	11.36 lbs.
42^nd	Carey Fletcher	Wasilla, AK	11.36 lbs.
43^rd	Twilah Beck	Valdez, AK	11.28 lbs.
44^th	Donna Stream	Albany, OR	11.24 lbs.
45^th	Terri Olsen	Fairbanks, AK	11.22 lbs.
46^th	Sasithon Jenn	Valdez, AK	11.18 lbs.
47^th	Natalie Chamberlain	Fairbanks, AK	11.18 lbs.
48^th	Tamara Deming	Wasilla, AK	11.16 lbs.
49^th	Christine Canfield	Anchorage, AK	11.16 lbs.
50^th	Sherri Witzel	Fairbanks, AK	11.10 lbs.