2017 Derby Dates
Silver Derby: July 22 through September 3rd
Big Prize Fridays: July 28 & Sept 2
The Valdez Silver Derby features a $15,000 cash Grand Prize for the largest Silver, $5,000 cash for 2nd place and $2,000 for 3rd place. In addition to daily 1st and 2nd place prizes, all anglers who purchase a derby ticket have a chance to win $10,000 cash in a drawing at the end of the season.
It all starts with a derby ticket and you can find out where to get one by visiting our Tickets page.
Prizes
Click Here for List of Daily Prizes
2016 Overall Winners
Jacob Marquardt
Valdez, AK
17.52 lbs. on September 1
Boat Harbor
John Neitzke
Grand Rapids, MN
17.26 lbs. on September 1
Allison Point
Dawn Osmonson-Sturm
Wankee, IA
17.18 lbs. on August 30
Allison Point
Daily Winners – September 4th
Pat Selanoff
Anchorage, AK
13.44 lbs. on September 4
Boat Harbor
Dan Garncarz
North Pole, AK
10.42 lbs. on September 4
Boat Harbor
Daily Winners – September 3rd
Jay Fulf
Rose Hill, KS
13.74 lbs. on September 3
Allison Point
Dawn Osmonson-Sturm
Wankee, IA
13.08 lbs. on September 3
Boat Harbor
Daily Winners – September 2nd
Don Sturm
Waukee, IA
16.28 lbs. on September 2
Allison Point
Drew Cutlip
Grand Rapids, MN
14.62 lbs. on September 2
Boat Harbor
Daily Winners – September 1st
Jacob Marquardt
Valdez, AK
17.52 lbs. on September 1
Boat Harbor
John Neitzke
Grand Rapids, MN
17.26 lbs. on September 1
Allison Point
Daily Winners – August 31st
Alexandria Harris
Valdez, AK
14.98 lbs. on August 31
Seaward
No Picture Available
Kathy Watson
Fairbanks, AK
13.42 lbs. on August 31
Watson
Daily Winners – August 30th
Dawn Osmonson-Sturm
Wankee, IA
17.18 lbs. on August 30
Allison Point
Alexander Timchak
Fairbanks, AK
16.54 lbs. on August 30
Allison Point
Daily Winners – August 29th
Nick Mow
Juneau, AK
13.42 lbs. on August 29
Boat Harbor
Jeff Koontz
Valdez, AK
12.34 lbs. on August 29
Boat Harbor
Daily Winners – August 28th
Wyatt Bartlett
Fairbanks, AK
16.64 lbs. on August 28
Allison Point
Dolly Haddow
North Pole, AK
14.84 lbs. on August 28
Kitty Wake
Daily Winners – August 27th
Jacequeline Moyer
Wasilla, AK
14.26 lbs. on August 27
Seaclusion
Devin Warren
Tok, AK
14.00 lbs. on August 27
Boat Harbor
Daily Winners – August 26th
Dale Buehler
North Pole, AK
15.02 lbs. on August 26
Rapid City, SD
Pravat Phumiin
Valdez, AK
14.76 lbs. on August 26
Seagall II
Daily Winners – August 25th
Brad Davis
Anchorage, AK
15.56 lbs. on August 25
Offshore Bank
Allison Burand
Anchorage, AK
13.06 lbs. on August 25
Dawn Treader
Daily Winners – August 24th
Mary Hall
Wasilla, AK
15.04 lbs. on August 24
Fox
Gus Munet
Belt, MT
13.34 lbs. on August 24
Tango
Daily Winners – August 23rd
Jim Currie
Fairbanks, AK
16.54 lbs. on August 23
Jayme Sunday
Teddy Aivarzian
Bay Point, CA
15.68 lbs. on August 23
Wild Iris
Daily Winners – August 22nd
Richard Steichen
Albuquerque, NM
13.10 lbs. on August 22
Lip Ripper
Brent Kelley
Grand Junction, CO
12.80 lbs. on August 22
Eielson #1
Daily Winners – August 21st
Ashley James
Valdez, AK
14.90 lbs. on August 21
Private Boat
Dean Theel
Nenana, AK
14.56 lbs. on August 21
Duckworth
Daily Winners – August 20th
Sophia Longoria
Valdez, AK
15.30 lbs. on August 20
Private Boat
Jerry Hall
Wasilla, AK
15.14 lbs. on August 20
Fox
Daily Winners – August 19th
Bryan Briggs
Valdez, AK
15.22 lbs. on August 19
MSO I
Barbara Gray
Wasilla, AK
15.14 lbs. on August 19
Beaver’s Fever
Daily Winners – August 18th
Larry Hamsley
Fairbanks, AK
15.36 lbs. on August 18
Kayla GIRL
Steve Schabel
North Pole, AK
15.34 lbs. on August 18
Faithful
Daily Winners – August 17th
Tommy Jobe
Washington, OK
16.96 lbs. on August 17
Wild Goose
Pravat Phumiin
Valdez, AK
16.52 lbs. on August 17
Seagall II
Daily Winners – August 16th
Chuck Goman
Duluth, MN
15.42 lbs. on August 16
Chinook
Weston Brashaw
Valdez, AK
15.34 lbs. on August 16
Highmark
Daily Winners – August 15th
Karen Phillips
Fairbanks, AK
15.24 lbs. on August 15
Derby Girl
Grace Keller
Valdez, AK
15.20 lbs. on August 15
Alaskai
Daily Winners – August 14th
Patrick Chalstrom
North Pole, AK
14.70 lbs. on August 14
Mallard
Garrette Francis
Valdez, AK
13.32 lbs. on August 14
3-G’s
Daily Winners – August 13th
Nana Matsui
Valdez, AK
15.90 lbs. on August 13
Summer School
Cindy Unger
Valdez, AK
14.58 lbs. on August 13
See n Things
Daily Winners – August 12th
Christine Canfield
Anchorage, AK
13.98 lbs. on August 12
Adventure Series
John Galbreath
Fairbanks, AK
13.96 lbs. on August 12
Sea Duction
Daily Winners – August 11th
Wallace Turner
Reno, NV
14.30 lbs. on August 11
A-Salt-Weapon
Elizabeth Varela
Eagle River, AK
13.78 lbs. on August 11
Texas Pirate
Daily Winners – August 10th
Bobby Ross
Giddings, TX
11.98 lbs. on August 10
Faithful
Mary Ross
Giddings, TX
11.62 lbs. on August 10
Faithful
Daily Winners – August 9th
Jensen Rhoades
Valdez, AK
14.58 lbs. on August 9
From Shore
Jessica Miranda
Anchorage, AK
12.88 lbs. on August 9
Black Pearl
Daily Winners – August 8th
Steve Mock
Delta Junction, AK
12.00 lbs. on August 8
Got to Go
Steve White
Delta Junction, AK
11.36 lbs. on August 8
Dawn Treader
Daily Winners – August 7th
No 1st Place Daily Winner
No 2nd Place Daily Winner
Daily Winners – August 6th
Anthony Cunningham
Valdez, AK
14.28 lbs. on August 6
From Shore
Stephanie Wenner
Valdez, AK
13.68 lbs. on August 6
From Shore
Daily Winners – August 5th
Bill Keeney
Yuma, AZ
13.26 lbs. on August 5
From Shore
Lori Day
Valdez, AK
11.10 lbs. on August 5
Highmark
Daily Winners – August 4th
Anthony Cunningham
Valdez, AK
11.20 lbs. on August 4
From Shore
Mick Madden
Fairbanks, AK
9.56 lbs. on August 4
Seaclusion
Daily Winners – August 3rd
Michael Kropushek
FT. Wainwright, AK
13.56 lbs. on August 3
Seaclusion
Josh Fog
Copper Center, AK
12.28 lbs. on August 3
Excalibur
Daily Winners – August 2nd
No 1st Place Daily Winner
No 2nd Place Daily Winner
Daily Winners – August 1st
Tommy Jobe
Washington, OK
10.14 lbs. on August 1
Wild Goose
Leon Meeks
Snowflake, AZ
10.10 lbs. on August 1
Wild Goose
Daily Winners – July 31st
No 1st Place Daily Winner
No 2nd Place Daily Winner
Daily Winners – July 30th
No 1st Place Daily Winner
No 2nd Place Daily Winner
Daily Winners – July 29th
Crista Andersen
Valdez, AK
10.84 lbs. on July 29
Crista June
Lotus Jobe
Washington, OK
9.60 lbs. on July 29
Wild Goose
Daily Winners – July 28th
No 1st Place Daily WinnerAmarillo, TX
No 2nd Place Daily WinnerValdez, AK
Daily Winners – July 27th
David Crabtree
Amarillo, TX
7.82lbs. on July 27
Seclusion
No 2nd Place Daily WinnerValdez, AK
9.48 lbs. on July 24
Seawar
Daily Winners – July 26th
William Ferrier
Fenton, Michigan
7.52lbs. on July 26
Alaskai
No 2nd Place Daily Winner
Valdez, AK
9.48 lbs. on July 24
Seaward
Daily Winners – July 25th
No 1st Place Daily Winner
No 2nd Place Daily Winner
Daily Winners – July 24th
Clayton Harris
Valdez, AK
9.48lbs. on July 24
Seaward
No 2nd Place Daily Winner
Valdez, AK
9.48 lbs. on July 24
Seaward
Daily Winners – July 23rd
Mike Seminario
Fairbanks, AK
9.76lbs. on July 23
Alaskai
Clayton Harris
Valdez, AK
8.50 lbs. on July 23
Seaward
General Information
Fishing for silvers in Valdez is a great sport. With the Solomon Gulch Hatchery releasing millions of coho fry each year, the silvers swim right past Valdez and are fairly easy to catch either from shore or by trolling by boat. Silvers put up a good fight and are popular with the locals as they taste great and freeze well. These fish can weigh from 6 to 20 pounds and are between 24 and 30 inches long.
When fishing for silvers use a medium weight 7-8.5′ rod with a high quality bait or spin-casting reel. Utilize at least 200 yards of 10 to 25-pound test, and keep a variety of swivels and weights available. Boat anglers in saltwater can troll with a flasher, herring dodger, pink lady or hootchie in addition to herring. Coho will also strike at roe, flies, spoons, spinners and plugs. At Allison Point, Pixies and Vibrax lures work well.
Silver salmon or Coho have dark metallic blue or greenish backs with silver sides and a light belly. There are small black spots on their baks and upper lobe of the tail when you find them in the ocean. Spawning river coho have reddish-maroon on their sides. To tell them apart from a pink, the gumline in their lower jaw has lighter pigment.