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
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.