2023 Derby Dates
Halibut Derby: May 27th through Sept 3rd
The Valdez Halibut Derby features a $10,000 cash Grand Prize for the largest halibut, $3,000 cash for 2nd place and $1,500 for 3rd place. In addition, the Valdez Halibut Derby features 1st and 2nd place weekly prizes. It all starts with a derby ticket and you can find out where to get one by visiting our Tickets page. The Valdez Halibut Derby week starts on Sunday and runs through Saturday Night!
Halibut Derby Events
Halibut Hullabaloo: June 2nd through June 11, 2023
CLICK HERE for Halibut Hullabaloo info
Prizes
CLICK HERE for 2023 Halibut Derby Prizes
Weekly News Release
CLICK HERE to read Weekly News Release
2023 Overall Winners
1st Place
Paul Casey
Shelbyville, TN
316.8 lbs on August 20
Dawn Treader
2nd Place
Jim Jack
Lacey, WA
252.0 lbs on July 28
Sentinel
Weekly Winners
Week 14 Winners – August 27 through September 3
1st Place
Terrence McCabe
Anchorage, AK
81.2 lbs on August 30
Only Fins
2nd Place
Steven Newsom
Valdez, AK
43.6 lbs on August 28
Reflection
Week 13 Winners – August 20 through August 26
1st Place
Paul Casey
Shelbyville, TN
316.8 lbs on August 20
Dawn Treader
2nd Place
Craig Hennager
Delta Junction, AK
153.8 lbs on August 21
Reflection
Week 12 Winners – August 13 through August 19
1st Place
Tom Jobe
Noble, OK
158.2 lbs on August 19
Nunatak
2nd Place
Katrina Mouser
Fergus Falls, MN
136.0 lbs on August 19
Chugach Girl
Week 11 Winners – August 6 through August 12
1st Place
Al White
Wasilla, AK
143.8 lbs on August 6
Dan Orion
2nd Place
Daniel Cotter
Platteville, WI
121.6 lbs on August 6
Dan Orion
Week 10 Winners – July 30 through August 5
1st Place
Claire Montgomerie
Fairbanks, AK
176.4 lbs on July 30
Only Fins
2nd Place
Augustus Kerr
Valdez AK
165.6 lbs on August 2
Reflection
Week 9 Winners – July 23 through July 29
1st Place
Jim Jack
Lacey, WA
252.0 lbs on July 28
Sentinel
2nd Place
Maren Russman
Erhard, MN
195.4 lbs on July 26
Chugach Girl
Week 8 Winners – July 16 through July 22
1st Place
Bill Roth
Fairbanks, AK
141.4 lbs on July 22
RockABilly
2nd Place
Briana Vera
Wasilla, AK
140.4 lbs on July 18
Reflection
Week 7 Winners – July 9 through July 15
1st Place
Andrew Haines
Eagle River, AK
151.4 lbs on July 15
Patriot
2nd Place
John Langer
Pheonix, AZ
140.8 lbs on July 15
Sentinel
Week 6 Winners – July 2 through July 8
1st Place
John Weiss
Fairfax, VA
124.4 lbs on July 6
Patriot
2nd Place
Chad Yanen
Anchorage, AK
119.0 lbs on July 8
Reflection
Week 5 Winners – June 25 through July 1
1st Place
Lucas Butkiewicz
Albemarle, NC
161.6 lbs on July 1
Patriot
2nd Place
Jeffery Poucher
Fairbanks, AK
128.4 lbs on July 1
Sentinel
Week 4 Winners – June 18 through June 24
1st Place
Becky Bakken
Tok, AK
132.0 lbs on June 18
Lena Claire
2nd Place
Kristi Baker
Anchorage, AK
122.6 lbs on June 19
Chugach Girl
Week 3 Winners – June 11 through June 17
1st Place
Kenneth Jordan
Fairbanks, AK
102.2 lbs on June 18
Dan Orion
2nd Place
Carl Tilton
Fairbanks, AK
95.6 lbs on June 13
Reflection
Week 2 Winners – June 4 through June 10
1st Place
Troy Dolge
Copper Center, AK
203.0 lbs on June 4
Reflection
2nd Place
Matthew Peterson
New Castle, CO
125.4 lbs on June 10
Only Fins
Week 1 Winners – May 27 through June 3
1st Place
Erin Cruz
Wasilla, AK
147.2 lbs on June 2
Arctic Spirit
2nd Place
Michael Simmons
North Pole, AK
120.6 lbs on June 1
Nunatak
General Information
The Valdez Halibut Derby features a $10,000 cash Grand Prize for the largest halibut, $3000 cash for 2nd place, and $1500 for 3rd place. In addition, the Valdez Halibut Derby features 1st and 2nd place weekly prizes. It all starts with a derby ticket and you can find out where to get one by visiting our Tickets page.
The halibut charter season starts in May and runs into September. During May and June, halibut charters head to the icy waters of Prince William Sound in search of halibut and rockfish, but once it hits July charters also target lingcod. Halibut are found throughout Prince William Sound waters, on or near the bottom over mud, sand, or gravel banks and below steep drop-offs.
Anglers will catch halibut near Valdez in the Narrows and along the coastlines of the islands in Prince William Sound. Some of the closer popular fishing spots include Knowles Head and Red Head, Galena Bay, and Sawmill Bay. Further out, halibut can be found on the outside of Hinchinbrook entrance and the edge of the Gulf of Alaska. The preferred method for fishing halibut is anchoring and using bait. There are 32 species of rockfish that live in the Gulf of Alaska and lingcod up to 30 pounds are caught regularly. Fishing for salmon sharks out of Prince William Sound has also become quite popular, although there is not a shark derby.
The average halibut is 30 to 35 pound range, but several over 300 pounds have been brought back to Port Valdez. There is a two-fish daily bag limit for halibut. Charter vessel anglers may keep one fish of any size per day and one fish that is no more than 32 inches in length The Valdez Small Boat Harbor has numerous fish cleaning stations available that feature high-pressure hoses and disposal chutes.
While fishing in Valdez and Prince William Sound, anglers can expect to see majestic mountains, eagles, many species of birds, seals, sea lions, and sea otters. Dall porpoise and humpback whales are also residents of Prince William Sound likely to make an appearance.