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Halibut Derby

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 11th
CLICK HERE for Halibut Hullabaloo info

Prizes

CLICK HERE for 2022 Halibut Derby Prizes

Weekly News Release

CLICK HERE to read Weekly News Release

 


 2022 Overall Winners


1st Place
Jeremy Smith
North Pole, AK
170.0 lbs. on June 23
Chugach Girl

2nd Place
Al White
Wasilla, AK
166.8 lbs. on Aug 5
Dan Orion

3rd Place
Chris Milles
Melbourne, FL
150.0 lbs. on May 28
Halibut Grove


Weekly Winners


Week 15 Winners – August 28 through September 4

1st Place
Meira Pedersen
Valdez, AK
106.8 lbs. on Aug 28
Krusty Krab

2nd Place
Patrick Etter
Cloquet. MN
98.4 lbs. on Aug 30
Reflection


Week 14 Winners – August 21 through August 27

1st Place
Daks Bowman
Fairbanks, AK
145.5 lbs. on Aug 27
Sea Hunter

2nd Place
Lawrence Ladd
Fairbanks, AK
53.4 lbs on Aug 27
Orion


Week 13 Winners – August 14 through August 20

1st Place
Donald Shaw
Fairbanks, AK
100.0 lbs. on Aug 15
Dutch Treat

2nd Place
Dwight Probasco
Wasilla, AK
82.2 lbs. on Aug 19
Blew By You


Week 12 Winners – August 7 through August 13

1st Place
Katie Oates
Fairbanks, AK
98.6 lbs. on Aug 12
Dawn Treader

2nd Place
Cordell Myron
Dickerson, ND
84.4 lbs. on Aug 9
Chugach Girl


Week 11 Winners- July 31 through August 6

1st Place
Al White
Wasilla, AK
166.80 lbs. on Aug 5
Dan Orion

2nd Place
Ellery Villabbos
Ester, AK
119.0 lbs. on Aug 5
Reflection


Week 10 Winners- July 24 through July 30

1st Place
Terrence McCabe
Valdez, AK
113.5 lbs. on July 29
Only Fins

2nd Place
Terrence McCabe
Valdez, AK
104.2 lbs. on July 27
Only Fins


Week 9 Winners- July 17 through July 23

1st Place
Ryan Schmidt
Anchorage, AK
114.4 lbs. on July 17
Reflection

2nd Place
Mike Coppens
De Pere, WI
108.0 lbs. on July 17
Reflection


Week 8  Winners – July 10 through July 16

1st Place
Joseph Montes
Silverdale, WA
148.0 lbs. on July 16
Dan Orion

2nd Place
Daesha Erickson
Fairbanks, AK
144.8 lbs. on July 13
Reflection


Week 7 Winners – July 3 through July 9

1st Place
June Serrato
Walsenburg, CO
141.8 lbs. on July 4
Arctic Warrior

2nd Place
Micah Eason
Wasilla, AK
127.8 lbs. on July 3
Jaime Lynn


Week 6 Winners – June 26 through July 2

1st Place
JT Summar
Fairbanks, AK
124.0 lbs.  on July 2
Debra J

2nd Place
Nate Hammond
Laurel, MD
106.0 lbs. on June 30
Reflection


Week 5  Winners – June 19 through June 25

1st Place
Jeremy Smith
North Pole, AK
170.0 lbs. on June 23
Chugach Girl

2nd Place
Vanessa Gilbertson
North Pole, AK
131.4 lbs. on June 25
Patriot


Week 4 Winners – June 12 through June 18

1st Place
Jason Waller
Fairbanks, AK
136.8 lbs. on June 13
Patriot

2nd Place
Jessica Kerr
Salcha, AK
106.0 lbs. on June 12
Bluff Watch


Week 3 Winners  – June 5 through June 11

1st Place
Kamille Mulcaire
Fairbanks, AK
149.8 lbs. on June 9
Six Gun

2nd Place
John Oliver
Fairbanks, AK
106.8 lbs. on June 6
Nseafishnt Funds


Week 2  Winners – May 28 through June 4

1st Place
Shannon Curtis
Mosca, CO
132.6 lbs. on June 3
Reflection

2nd Place
Maxwell Garchow
Ft. Wainwright, AK
96.0 lbs. on May 29
Go Get Her


Week 1 Winners – May 21 through May 28

1st Place
Chris Milles
Melbourne, FL
150.0 lbs. on May 28
Halibut Grove

2nd Place
Stuart Wygant
North Pole, AK
110.8 lbs. on May 28
Chugach Girl

 


General Information

huge-halibut-derbyThe 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.

https://www.valdezfishderbies.com/wp-content/uploads/Brad-Burch-296.2-Pound-Halibut.mp4

 

 

 

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