2025 Derby Dates
Halibut Derby: May 24th through August 31st
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 6th through June 15
CLICK HERE for Halibut Hullabaloo info
Prizes
CLICK HERE for 2024 Halibut Derby Prizes
Weekly News Release
CLICK HERE to read Weekly News Release
2024 Overall Winners
1st PlaceNatalie Cevasco
Fairbanks, AK
205.0 lbs on Aug 8
Gettin Some
2nd Place
Gregory Potting
Osceola, WI
204.6 lbs on Aug 16
Alaskan Adventurer
3rd Place
Gary Nygren
Westminster, MD
198.2 lbs on Aug 3
Sentinel
Weekly Winners
Week 14 Winners- August 25 through Sept 1
1st Place
Kathy Young
Fairbanks, AK
89.8 lbs on Aug 26
Reel Dreams
2nd Place
Colin White
Mossyroad, OR
82.0 lbs on Aug 25
Mary Red
Week 13 Winners- August 18 through August 24
1st Place
Sergio Alverez
North Pole, AK
118.4 lbs on Aug 23
Only Fins
2nd Place
Jayson Pasillas
Fairbanks, AK
115.4 lbs on Aug 18
Lena Claire
Week 12 Winners- August 11 through August 17
1st Place
Gregory Potting
Osceola, WI
204.6 lbs on Aug 16
Alaskan Adventurer
2nd Place
Tren Lyons
Osceola, WI
113.8 lbs on Aug 16
Alaskan Adventurer
Week 11 Winners- August 4 through August 10
1st Place
Natalie Cevasco
Fairbanks, AK
205.0 lbs on Aug 8
Gettin Some
2nd Place
JC Koss
Ft. Meyer Beach, FL
151.6 lbs on Aug 6
Christie Lynnie
Week 10 Winners- July 28 through August 3
1st Place
Gary Nygren
Westminster, MD
198.2 lbs on Aug 3
Sentinel
2nd Place
Scott Clifford
Carson, VA
123.2 lbs on July 28
Lena Claire
Week 9 Winners- July 21 through July 27
1st Place
Sammy Hubbard
Wasilla, AK
170.2 lbs on July 21
Lena Claire
2nd Place
Bradley Swope
North Pole, AK
111.4 lbs on July 21
Patriot
Week 8 Winners- July 14 through July 20
1st Place
Brady Cape
Mary Esther, FL
128.6 lbs on July 14
Dan Orion
2nd Place
Kassandra Hall
Wasilla, AK
126.6 lbs on July 14
Tipsea
Week 7 Winners- July 7 through July 13
1st Place
Dennis Moore
Bremerton, WA
190.4 lbs on July 13
Dan Orion
2nd Place
James Reynolds
Grapeview, WA
115.6 lbs on July 13
Dan Orion
Week 6 Winners- June 30 through July 6
1st Place
Alex Filos
North Pole, AK
118.0 lbs on June 30
VO3
2nd Place
Jeff Poucher
Fairbanks, AK
117.8 lbs on July 5
Sentinel
Week 5 Winners- June 23 through June 29
1st Place
Jeff Smith
Tucson, AZ
160.8 lbs on June 29
Connie B III
2nd Place
Tim Bouchard
Valdez, AK
153.4 lbs on June 28
Alaskan Adventure
Week 4 Winners- June 16 through June 22
1st Place
Tim Abney
Hamilton, MT
145.6 lbs on June 21
Alaskan Adventurer
2nd Place
Jason Waller
Fairbanks, AK
142.2 lbs on June 17
Sentinel
Week 3 Winners – June 9 through June 15
1st Place
Frieda Wiley
Valdez, AK
133.8 lbs on June 14
Dan Orion
2nd Place
Zach Gorg
Stacy, MN
120.6 lbs on June 14
Alaskan Adventures
Week 2 Winners – June 2 through June 9
1st Place
Michael Olson
North Pole, AK
151.6 lbs on June 8
Big Fish
2nd Place
Hope Krauser
Wasilla, AK
129.0 lbs on June 8
Arctic Warrior
Week 1 Winners – May 25 through June 1
1st Place
Summer Ruge
Fairbanks, AK
159.4 lbs on May 27
Chugach Girl
2nd Place
Kathy Young
Fairbanks, AK
152.8 lbs on May 26
Reel Dreams
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.