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 Leaders
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
3rd Place
Jason Waller
Fairbanks, AK
101.6 lbs on June 3
Bold Eagle
Weekly Leaders
Week 2 Leaders – June 4 through June 10
1st Place
Coming Soon!
2nd Place
Coming Soon!
Weekly Winners
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.