Week 3: New Jersey Man Leading Valdez Halibut Derby With 152.8 Pound Fish

Derby News – Week 3, 6/01-6/07

VALDEZ, Matthew West and Bonnie Woods came back to Port Valdez June 2nd with a couple nice fish. They were fishing with Dave Wiley aboard the Dan Orion and West brought back a 152.8 pound halibut. Woods brought in a 126.2 pound halibut. West is currently in 1st place overall in the derby and Woods is currently in 3rd place. Nicholas Baker of Gatesville, Texas is 2nd place with the 145.6 pound fish he caught aboard the Jamie Lynn back on May 26th. West and Woods also picked up the 1st and 2nd place weekly prizes.

The first place weekly prize includes a Valdez Fish Derbies winner jacket, t-shirt, and certificates. A complete list of prizes for the Valdez Halibut and Silver Salmon Derbies can be found at www.valdezfishderbies.com.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports that halibut fishing is getting better and better in Prince William Sound and said a few anglers have reported catching lingcod and releasing them. Lingcod season is closed until July 1st to protect nest-guarding males.

The Halibut Hullaballoo fishing dates are set for June 13th through the 22nd. The angler catching the largest halibut during that time period will win $1,000 cash in addition to the weekly prizes and any overall prizes for which they might qualify. The weekly prizes during the Halibut Hullabaloo are also amped up said Derby Clerk Dana Morales. “We’ve added a halibut charter to the weekly prizes one week and a Stan Stephens Cruise to the 2nd week to make it exciting”.

The Kids Pink Salmon Derby will be held July 19th with prizes for Kids in four different age divisions. The Kids derby is free and open to children ages 5 to 16. The Silver Salmon Derby in Valdez again boasts a $15,000 first place prize, as well as daily prizes. The Silver Salmon Derby begins July 19th. The Annual Valdez Women’s Derby is slated for Saturday, August 9th with an opening ceremony Friday, August 8th and the closing ceremony Saturday night. The theme for the Women’s Derby this year is “Fairy Tales”.

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