Prince William Sound Fishing Report

14.72 – Lyric Leverenz – Fairbanks, AK[/caption]

Saturday was not just the first time Leverenz had been ocean fishing, it was the first time she had seen the ocean at all. “I’ve never seen the ocean before so that was pretty cool.” From the drive through Thompson Pass to the colors of the ocean and the beauty of the mountains to the unexpected warm temperatures, Leverenz was soaking in the experience. “I was really amazed. It’s gorgeous. The water it just looks different, the colors,” When asked about the experience of winning $1,500 she responded, “That’s just the cherry on the top.”

The Valdez Silver Salmon Derby 3^rd place winner was John Oliver of Fairbanks with a 14.42 pound silver.The Valdez Halibut Derby was won by Mickia Cenker of Fairbanks. August 16^th, Cenker reeled in a 224 pound halibut August 16^th and said she didn’t realize the magnitude of the fish until the Captain told her it was the biggest fish, he had caught in 17 years. Cenker works at the ER in Fairbanks and said she is building a house so her $5,000 derby winnings will likely go toward siding her new house. Jim Rothenbuhler of Salcha, who caught a 201.2 pound halibut June 23^rd, took 2^nd place and Kenny Tussey of North Pole took 3^rd place in the halibut derby with a 193.4 pound fish he caught July 5^th.

Next year’s dates, as well as pictures and information about the 2020 winners, can be found at www.valdezfishderbies.com.

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st        Mickia Cenker – Fairbanks, AK – 224.0 lbs.- Aug 16 – Halibut Grove
2^nd       Jim Rothenbuhler – Salcha, AK – 201.2 lbs. – June 23 – The Bucketlist
3^rd       Kenny Tussey – North Pole, AK – 193.4 lbs. – July 5 – Dan Orion

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners
1^st        Heidi Kampwerth – Fairbanks, AK – 115.8 lbs.- Sept 5 – Halibut Grove
2^nd       Judy Skipworth – Anchorage, AK – 79.0 lbs.- Sept 5 – Sue Q

 Silver Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st        Alisa Mac Innes – Tampa, FL – 14.88 lbs. – Aug 7 – Josie Whales
2^nd       Lyric Leverenz – Fairbanks, AK – 14.72 lbs. – Sept 5 – Shore
3^rd        John Oliver – Fairbanks, AK – 14.42 lbs. – Aug 14 – Nseafish nt funds

Valdez Outfitters
September 7, 2020

All the boats brought in great loads of fish yesterday for our final day of the year. Capt. Andy even getting a little artsy with his layout of the catch. An awesome last day of the season!

Valdez Outfitters
September 6, 2020

The salmon are still getting caught on the Guskee and Noname too!

Happy Labor Day weekend everyone, we are still out here doing work! Amazing weather, great people and piles of fish on all the boats yesterday!

Valdez Outfitters
September 5, 2020A great late season haul of fish for the crew on the Nunatak yesterday!

Valdez Outfitters
September 4, 2020

The bad weather won’t quit, but neither will we! Some happy clients who toughed it out on the Lena Claire and Nunatak today!

Valdez Outfitters
September 3, 2020It was a wet one out there today, but the guys stuck it out and got into some nice silvers on the Guskee!

Valdez Fish Derbies
August 31, 2020

VALDEZ PORT BUSY AS ANGLERS TRY TO CATCH THE BIG ONE
BEFORE THE END OF THE DERBIES SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6^th
VALDEZ, Alaska – It’s a pretty sure bet that there’s a silver salmon bigger than 14.88 pounds swimming around in Prince William Sound but whether an angler with a Valdez Fish Derby ticket will catch it and weigh it in before the end of the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby is anyone’s guess. Currently Alisa Mac Innes of Tampa, Florida is leading the derby with a 14.88 pound silver she caught August 7^th aboard the Josie Whales. Silver salmon have moved into Port Valdez and fishing has been productive at Allison Point. Five of the Silver Salmon daily prize winners have caught their fish from shore in the last seven days. Boat anglers are having success as far out as Goose Island and as close in as inside of the Valdez Narrows according to reports from Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

If MacInne’s silver is at the top of the leader board at the end of derby Sunday, September 6^th at noon, she stands to win the $5,000 first place prize. The angler taking 2^nd place in the Silver Salmon Derby will win $1,500 and the 3^rd place derby angler will win $750. The smallest silver to ever win the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby was Jim Burzinski’s 15.11 pound silver caught back in 1971. The largest silver salmon ever caught in the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby weighed in at 22.14 pounds. John Oliver of Fairbanks is currently in 2^nd place on the leader board with a 14.42 pound silver and Charles Young of Fairbanks is hanging onto 3^rd place with a 14.20 pound fish. The final Big Prize Friday is this Friday, September 4^th. The person catching the largest Silver Salmon for the day will win $250 cash in addition to regular prizes.

Halibut fishing has been good to excellent when weather permits getting out further, but you don’t have to travel too far. Salmon spawning in creeks have drawn halibut further and shallower into Prince William Sound. Using chum bags and having patience helps catch halibut in the Sound. Anglers have reported catching larger halibut by using oversized baits such as salmon heads.

Mickia Cenker of Fairbanks is leading the Valdez Halibut Derby with a 224.0 pound halibut she caught August 16^th aboard Halibut Grove. Jim Rothenbuhler of Salcha is currently in 2^nd place with a 201.2 pound flat fish and Kenny Tussey of North Pole is in 3^rd place overall right now with a 193.4 pound halibut. The Valdez Halibut Derby ends Sunday, September 6^th at noon.

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st        Mickia Cenker – Fairbanks, AK – 224.0 lbs. – Aug 16 – Halibut Grove
2^nd       Jim Rothenbuhler – Salcha, AK – 201.2 lbs. – June 23 – The Bucketlist
3^rd        Kenny Tussey – North Pole, AK – 193.4 lbs.- July 5 – Dan Orion

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners
1^st        Karen Deal – Fairbanks, AK – 94.6 lbs. – Aug 28 – Bold Eagle
2^nd       Cole Read – North Pole, AK – 93.6 lbs. – Aug 23 – Dan Orion

Silver Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st        Alisa Mac Innes – Tampa, FL – 14.88 lbs. – Aug 7 – Josie Whales
2^nd       John Oliver – Fairbanks, AK – 14.42 lbs.- Aug 14 – Nseafish nt funds
3^rd       Charles Young – Fairbanks, AK – 14.20 lbs. – Aug 14 – Reel Dreams

Valdez Outfitters
August 31, 2020

The weather hasn’t been playing nice for us lately, but we are still getting out and getting people on fish as much as we can! Fun groups of people on the Nunatak and the Lena Claire yesterday!

Valdez Outfitters
August 30, 2020

Rough weather didn’t stop the fishing for Lena Claire and the Nunatak yesterday!

Valdez Outfitters
August 29, 2020

Some nice late season hauls off the Lena Claire and the Nunatak yesterday!

Valdez Outfitters
August 28, 2020Another day, another rack of salmon for the crew off the Guskee!

Valdez Outfitters
August 27, 2020Capt. Bill still putting his clients on the silvers on the Guskee!

Valdez Outfitters
August 26, 2020Pretty good haul of fish for a “bad weather” day for the guys on the Lena Claire yesterday!

Valdez Fish Derbies
August 25, 2020

LESS THAN TWO WEEKS LEFT IN THE VALDEZ DERBIES
VALDEZ, Alaska – With less than two weeks left in the Valdez Halibut and Silver Salmon Derbies, only time will tell if Mickia Cenker of Fairbanks, Alaska will remain in the lead through September 6^th and win the Valdez Halibut Derby. Cenker caught a 224 pounder aboard the Halibut Grove. Cenker came down to Valdez to and ended up finding herself on top of the leaderboard. “I came down here for some birthday fishing and obviously got a pretty good present,” Cenker said. Cenker will end up with an even bigger gift if her halibut holds out to the end of the derby for that $5,000 1^st place prize. Cenker went on to describe her odds, saying, “There are a lot of people out there, lots of fish to catch, and there’s definitely a bigger one out there.” The Valdez Silver Salmon Derby began in 1971 and the smallest winner on record is Jim Burzinski’s 15.11 pound silver caught the first year of the derbies in 1971. In the last 20 years, winners have been in the 17 to 22 pound range.

Silver salmon are being caught just off the City Docks and at Allison Point so there will be a lot of opportunities for anglers to catch salmon the last two weeks of the derby. Boat anglers are still having success out toward Goose and Glacier Island.

In the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby Charles Young of Fairbanks, AK caught a 14.20 pound silver salmon and is currently in 3^rd place overall on the leaderboard. Although his fish was not small, Young plans to do even better, “We’ll be back this coming weekend to try to do it again.” This wasn’t Young’s first time on the leaderboard and it doesn’t look like it will be his last either. Ten years back, Young and his son caught an 18.9 pound silver to win third overall in the silver derby. Young, a seasoned fisherman, knows what he’s doing. “25 years of fishing for silvers, you tend to get that sixth sense.” Young said the secret to silver fishing is to fish deep and be patient.

Currently in 2^nd place overall in the Halibut Derby is Jim Rothenbuhler of Salcha with a 201.2 pounder and currently holding onto 3^rd place in the derby is Kenny Tussey of  North Pole with a 193.4 pound flat fish. Both the Valdez Halibut and Silver Salmon derbies will end at noon on Sunday, September 6^th. Last year’s winning halibut was 285.6 pounds caught by Christina Ives from Fairbanks, AK.

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st        Mickia Cenker – Fairbanks, AK – 224.0 lbs. – Aug 16 – Halibut Grove
2^nd       Jim Rothenbuhler – Salcha, AK – 201.2 lbs. – June 23 – The Bucketlist
3^rd        Kenny Tussey – North Pole, AK – 193.4 lbs. – July 5 – Dan Orion

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners
1^st        Mickia Cenker – Fairbanks, AK – 224.0 lbs. – Aug 16 – Halibut Grove
2^nd       Brayden David – Montgomery, MN – 109.0 lbs. – Aug 19 – Nunatuk

 Silver Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st        Alisa Mac Innes – Tampa, FL – 14.88 lbs. – Aug 7 – Josie Whales
2^nd       John Oliver – Fairbanks, AK – 14.42 lbs. – Aug 14 – Nseafish nt funds
3^rd       Charles Young – Fairbanks, AK – 14.20 lbs. – Aug 14 – Reel Dreams

Valdez Outfitters
August 25, 2020Pretty good haul of fish for a “bad weather” day for the guys on the Lena Claire yesterday!

Valdez Outfitters
August 24, 2020The “Olsen” crew had themselves A DAY this past weekend out on one of our rental boats!

Some nice fish for the crew on the Lena Claire yesterday!

Valdez Outfitters
August 23, 2020

ValdezOutfitter_8-23 to b The guys from Fairbanks caught themselves a pile of halibut on a rental boat this weekend!

Valdez Outfitters
August 21, 2020

Amazing weather and awesome fishing for all the boats yesterday!

Valdez Outfitters
August 20, 2020
An awesome day of fishing on the Nunatak yesterday!

A great week of fishing for the crew from Wyoming on one of our rental boats all last week!

Great people, good weather and fun fishing aboard the Lena Claire yesterday!

The Olsen crew had fun out on the water catching silvers on one of our rental boats this past weekend!

Valdez Outfitters
August 18, 2020

Nice loads of fish off the Lena Claire and the Nunatak yesterday!

Valdez Outfitters
August 16, 2020
Fun day our on the water fishing for the group on the Nunatak yesterday!

Great group and fun fishing on the Lena Claire yesterday!

Capt. Bill is keeping his clients on the salmon! Nice weather and good fishing on the Guskee yesterday!

Valdez Fish Derbies
August 10, 2020

SILVER SALMON GETTING BIGGER, NEW LEADER IN VALDEZ HALIBUT DERBY

VALDEZ, Alaska – Silver Salmon are moving closer to Valdez and competition in the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby is expected to get fierce in the final weeks. Alisa Mac Innes of Tampa, Florida still has the largest salmon on the board with the 14.88 pound silver she caught August 8th. John Oliver of Fairbanks is a close 2^nd with a 14.42 pound silver he caught last Friday and Charles Young of Fairbanks reeled in a 14.20 pound silver the same day aboard a different boat to land himself in 3^rd place in the overall standings.

A 14.88 silver is a respectable fish but far from the weight of the fish that have taken home first place over the last few years. The Valdez Silver Salmon Derby features a daily 1^st and 2^nd place prize and the majority of daily winners have been in the 11 to 13 pound range. With the derby running through September 6^th, there’s a good chance the $5,000 derby winner is still swimming in Prince William Sound.

The Valdez Silver Salmon Derby began in 1971 and the smallest winning fish on record in the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby was a 15.11 pound salmon caught that first year by Jim Burzinski. In the last 30 years of the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby, only three fish in the 15 pound range have won the derby. Only six fish weighing in at the 16 pound range have won the big money in the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby. The vast majority of winners have weighed in at 17 to 21 pounds. The Valdez Silver Salmon Derby runs through Sunday, September 6^th at noon and there are prizes for the top 3 fish as well as daily prize winners.

In the Valdez Halibut Derby, Mickia Cenker is the new leader on the board with a 224 pound catch August 16^th aboard the Halibut Grove. Cenker knocks Jim Rothenbuhler to 2^nd place in the overall standings. Rothenbuhler, caught a 201.2 pound halibut almost two months ago on June 23^rd. Andy Eiman of Valdez is currently 3^rd place in the halibut derby with a 180.4 pound flatfish caught July 18 aboard the Crista June.

Silver salmon fishing has been productive at Gold Creek and Mineral Creek. The final weeks of the derby should be good fishing from shore as well as from a boat. Both the Valdez Halibut and Silver Salmon derbies will end at noon on Sunday, September 6^th.

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st        Mickia Cenker – Fairbanks, AK – 224.0 lbs. – Aug 16 – Halibut Grove
2^nd       Jim Rothenbuhler – Salcha, AK – 201.2 lbs. – July 5 – The Bucket List
3^rd        Kenny Tussey – North Pole, AK – 193.4 lbs. – July 5 – Dan Orion

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners
1^st           Terrence McCabe – Valdez, AK – 173.0 lbs. – Aug 13 – Private
2^nd        David Scott – Valdez, AK – 162.0 lbs. – Aug 9 – Deep Sea Angel

Silver Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st        Alisa Mac Innes – Tampa, FL – 14.88 lbs. – Aug 7 –  Josie Whales
2^nd       John Oliver – Fairbanks, AK – 14.42 lbs. – Aug 14 – Nseafish Nt Funds
3^rd       Charles Young – Fairbanks, AK – 14.20 lbs. – Aug 14 – Reel Dreams

Valdez Outfitters
August 16, 2020

The Olsen crew had fun out on the water catching silvers on one of our rental boats this past weekend! 

Valdez Saltwater Adventure
August 15, 2020

Another recent triple digit slab!

A recent overnight trip for a group of 5 on the Bold Eagle.

Catching up on some recent fishing pics. This was an epic day.. 3 fish over 100lbs and our smallest around 70lbs.

Some more heavy lifting on the Arctic Warrior.

An exceptionally large Yelloweye Rockfish from a recent trip.

Valdez Outfitters
August 15, 2020

Fun day our on the water fishing for the group on the Nunatak yesterday

Valdez Outfitters
August 13, 2020
Good day out for salmon on the Guskee yesterday!

Valdez Fish Derbies
August 10, 2020

FIRST FISH OF THE DAY WINS LISA CRONK THE DERBY CROWN
VALDEZ, Alaska – Well over 400 lady anglers hit the waters out of Valdez Saturday in hopes of catching the largest silver salmon and bringing home the coveted Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby crown. At the end of the day, it was Lisa Cronk of Valdez who captured the crown and she was more excited about the title and pink bathrobe than the prize money. “I am, well, tired but besides being tired I am ecstatic. I have dreamt about sitting in that throne and it’s just mind-blowing” Cronk said. The theme of this year’s Women’s Derby was “Namaste Safe”. In an effort to mitigate large crowds, derby organizers did not hold opening and closing ceremonies at the Civic Center and limited numbers at weigh-in by limiting winners to top three fish and encouraging only those with a fish big enough to get on the leader board to weigh in.

When asked what it meant to have an outlet like fishing this year, Cronk responded “It was really important. We love to be outside. During the pandemic with everything going on we really relied on our boat …a lot to get out of the house, to be together as a family. We started off the season with a lot of shrimping and we get to end it with what we love, we love to fish”. The fishing season might be over for Cronk as she’s a teacher going back to school, but fishing should be hot through the end of the derbies.

Cronk caught her silver salmon out by Glacier Entrance on a wiggle wart at a depth of about 150 feet. Cronk won $1,000 cash and $1,000 in prizes from Prospector Outfitters in addition to the tiara and bathrobe. Dezirae Wiley of Valdez took 2^nd place in the Valdez Women’s Derby with a 12.58 pound silver she caught aboard her Dad’s boat and Nedra Buck of Valdez captured 3^rd place with a 12.22 pound silver salmon she caught fishing with her daughter’s family.

This weekend silver salmon were schooled up out at Glacier Island and scattered throughout the about Sound. As August continues, silver salmon will move toward the narrows and into Port Valdez. Currently holding onto 2^nd place overall in the silver salmon derby, Tom Hall reeled in a 12.70 pounder trolling at a depth of 60 feet. “It was a great fish; I thought it was a king at first and then we did a double take on it and there it was a silver,” said Hall. “I was like wow! We may be on the board!”

In the Valdez Halibut Derby, Jim Rothenbuhler of Salcha is still leading with the 201.2 pound halibut he caught June 23^rd. Kenny Tussey of North Pole, Alaska is currently in 2^nd place overall with a 193.4 pound halibut and Andy Eiman of Valdez is holding onto 3^rd place right now with a 180.4 pound halibut.

Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby WINNERS
1^st        Lisa Cronk  – Valdez, AK – 13.20 lbs. – Aug 8 – Private
2^nd       Dezirae Wiley – Valdez, AK – 12.58 lbs. – Aug 8 – Dan Orion
3^rd        Nedra Buck – Valdez, AK – 12.22 lbs. – Aug 8 – Private

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st        Jim Rothenbuhler – Salcha, AK  – 201.2 lbs. – June 23 – The Bucketlist
2^nd      Kenny Tussey – North Pole, AK – 193.4 lbs. – July 5 – Dan Orion
3^rd       Andy Eiman – Valdez, AK – 180.4 lbs. – July 18 – Crista June

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners
1^st         Brett Nelson – Palmer, AK – 115.0 lbs. – Aug 2 – Dan Orion
2^nd      Brett Nelson – Palmer, AK – 91.6 lbs. – Aug 2 – Dan Orion

Silver Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st        Alisa Mac Innes – Tampa, FL – 14.88 lbs. – Aug 7 – Josie Whales
2^nd      Michael Murphy – Delta Junction, AK – 13.58 lbs. – Aug 4 – Faithful        3^rd       Lisa Cronk – Valdez, AK – 13.20 lbs. – Aug 8 – Private

Valdez Outfitters
August 9, 2020

Fun day yesterday with all the ladies for the women’s silver derby!

Valdez Outfitters
August 7, 2020

Full racks of salmon off the boats yesterday!

Valdez Outfitters
August 6, 2020
Some really great hauls of fish coming off our rental boats all this past week. Nice job everyone!

Valdez Outfitters
August 5, 2020

The salmon fishing is GOOD right now! Great hauls on both our salmon boats today!

Valdez Outfitters
August 4, 2020

Piles of salmon off both our boats yesterday!

The crew made the best of a rough weather day on the Lena Claire yesterday!

Valdez Outfitters
August 3, 2020
Nice box full of fish off one of our rentals this past weekend!

Congrats to Michael for winning the daily with his big silver he caught on the Lena Claire with Capt. Brian yesterday! 

Valdez Fish Derbies
August 3, 2020

VALDEZ, Alaska –There are a few changes this year, but the Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby is happening and a Queen will be crowned. Valdez Fish Derbies will give cash and prizes to the Women catching the three biggest fish. Leaders for the day will be posted at weigh-in and derby officials are asking that only those with a fish close to the top weight go to the weigh-in in order to minimize the number of people at weigh-in. Registration is going on at the Valdez Prospector August 1^st through August 8^th.

The current leader in the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby is an 11.48 pound fish caught by James Sayre of Valdez. The 2^nd place leader is BJ Williams of Barron Wisconsin with a 11.36 pound silver and 3^rd place is being held by Steve Tuttle of Anchorage with an 11.34 pound silver. The grand prize for the largest silver salmon caught in Valdez is $5,000 cash. Women’s Derby anglers purchase a ticket for the regular derby, in addition to the $20 fee for Women’s Derby, so they will be eligible for prizes in the regular derby as well as the Women’s Derby. The Women’s Derby Grand Prize is $1,000 cash plus Prospector Prizes valued at $1,000.

There will be no in-person events for the Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby, but Door Prizes will be announced on the Women’s Derby Page of the Valdez Fish Derbies website and Women will get a small gift and can register for one of three prize packages at registration. Check the leader boards just below the Harbor Masters Office and on the weigh-in shack.

The Halibut coming into the weigh-in station have been sizeable since the start of the derby and this week was no exception. Jason Long of Fairbanks reeled in a 179.2 pound halibut aboard the Halibut Grove. His fish was just shy of the top three overall, but was large enough to win the 1^st place weekly prizes. Jay Jeppson of St. George, Utah took 2^nd place for the week with a 166.4 pound halibut caught July 31^st. Although his fish didn’t stay on the leader board for long, Ryan McCune reeled in a 129.8 pound halibut out by Wessels Reef. “We had an awesome day out there,” McCune said. “It was really nice. Waves were really small and we had a good time catching big fish all day.”

In the Valdez Halibut Derby, Jim Rothenbuhler of Salcha, Alaska is leading with a 201.2 pound fish he caught June 23^rd. Kenny Tussey of North Pole is currently in 2^nd place with a 193.4 pound halibut caught July 5^th and Andy Eiman of Valdez is holding onto 3^rd place with a 180.4 pound halibut he caught July 18^th. The Halibut derby runs through September 6^th. More information on Valdez Halibut Derby can be found at: www.valdezfishderbies.com.

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st         Jim Rothenbuhler – Salcha, AK – 201.2 lbs.- June 23 – The Bucketlist
2^nd        Kenny Tussey – North Pole, AK – 193.4 lbs. – July 5 – Dan Orion
3^rd        Andy Eiman – Valdez, AK – 180.4 lbs.- July 18 – Crista June

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners
1^st           Jason  Long  – Fairbanks, AK  – 179.2 lbs. – July 29 – Halibut Grove
2^nd        Jay Jeppson – St. George, UT – 166.4 lbs. – July 31 – The Reflection

Silver Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st        James Sayre – Valdez, AK  – 11.48 lbs. – July 25 – Rental VO
2^nd      BJ Williams  – Barron, WI – 11.36 lbs. – July 30 – Kai Moana
3^rd       Steve Tuttle – Anchorage, AK – 11.34 lbs. – July 31 – Reflection

Valdez Fish Derbies
July 20, 2020

Week 9 Valdez Fish Derbies Press Release
VALDEZ, Alaska – James Sayre of Valdez, Alaska made his way to the Valdez Fish Derbies weigh-in station Saturday to weigh-in the first silver salmon in the Valdez Derby. When asked what the secret was to landing a nice silver salmon this early in the season, Sayre responded: “Actually I tried mooching for the first time out at Knowles Head. He hooked up, brought him in. Pretty good fish!” Saturday was also the Valdez Kids Pink Salmon Derby day but Sayre didn’t have to wade through a sea of kids this year to weigh his fish as the Kids Derby was virtual. Kids fished in Valdez but to eliminate crowds at weigh in, kids posted their pictures on the Fish Derbies website for a chance to win prizes. Sayre reeled in his 11.48 pound silver salmon aboard a Valdez Outfitter rental boat to win the daily 1^st place prize and take first place on the overall Silver Salmon Derby leader board. “You gotta have a derby ticket, said Sayre. “Gotta be in it to win it!”

Travis Garren of JBER, Alaska took the 2^nd place daily prize with a 9.28 pound silver salmon caught aboard the Josie Whales. Crista Anderson, who won the 1^st place daily prize on the first day of the Silver Salmon Derby last year, caught a 6.42 pound silver Saturday and is currently in 3^rd place on the leader board.

The Valdez Silver Salmon Derby runs through September 6^th and features daily 1^st and 2^nd place prizes, as well as a $5,000 Grand prize for the largest fish caught during the season. The cost of a daily derby ticket is $10 and a season ticket is $50.

The Valdez Halibut Derby is going strong and boats are still returning to Port Valdez with nice catches of halibut, lingcod and other bottom fish. Now that silver season has started many charters are picking up silver salmon also on their way back to town. John Axhelm of North Pole won the weekly 1^st place price in the halibut derby with a 153.4 pound halibut he caught aboard the Fish Whacker. Glenn McDowell of Kalamazoo, MI took 2^nd place for the week with a 139.8 pound halibut. Glenn McDowell was very excited to reel in his sizeable fish: “We were just in the fish immediately; nailing halibut left and right. We got lingcod, yelloweye, different species. I needed one more big fish and I hooked into the halibut and we fought it for quite a long time; It was an absolute beast!” Jim Rothenbuhler of Salcha, Alaska is still in the lead in the Valdez Halibut Derby with a 201.2 pound fish he caught June 23^rd.

Valdez Fish Derbies is now gearing up for Silver Salmon Big Prize Friday and the 2020 Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby. Big Prize Friday is July 31^st and the angler catching the largest silver salmon that day will win $250 in addition to the regular prizes. The Women’s Silver Salmon Derby is Saturday, August 8^th The Women’s Silver Salmon Derby Page on the Valdez Fish Derbies website has all the information.

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st         Jim Rothenbuhler – Salcha, AK – 201.2 lbs. – June 23 – The Bucketlist
2^nd        Kenny Tussey – North Pole, AK – 193.4 lbs. – July 5 – Dan Orion
3^rd        Andy Eiman – Valdez, AK – 180.4 lbs. – July 18 – Crista June

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners
1^st         John Axhelm – North Pole, AK – 153.4 lbs. – July 25 – Fish Whacker
2^nd       Glenn McDowell – Kalamazoo, MI – 139.8 lbs. – July 21 – Arctic Warrior

Silver Salmon Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st        James Sayre – Valdez, AK – 11.48 lbs. – July 25 – Rental VO
2^nd        Travis Garren – JBER, AK – 9.28 lbs. – July 25 – Josie Whales
3^rd        Crista Anderson – Valdez, AK – 6.42 lbs. – July 25 – Crista June

GREAT FISHING AND BIG SMILES DURING
2020 VIRTUAL VALDEZ KIDS PINK SALMON DERBY
VALDEZ – The joy of fishing took center stage in this year’s Valdez Kids Pink Salmon Derby. Derby organizers adapted the event for 2020 so anglers posted pictures to the Valdez Fish Derbies website for a chance to win cash and prizes. By midnight Saturday, hundreds of pictures of smiling kids sporting a Valdez Fish Derbies hat and holding a pink salmon flooded the site.

While the pictures posted on the web made the event virtual, the fishing was definitely real. “This is probably the best thing I’ve done all summer,” said Paden Kraus of Fairbanks. Fifteen year-old Kraus said he found a Barbie fishing pole in a shed and decided he wanted to catch a fish with it. And catch a fish he did. “I had my Barbie fishing pole with me. It was my second cast and I reeled a fish in. We took a picture and posted it and next thing I knew I was right here winning a hundred dollars.” Four lucky anglers won $100 cash and eight others won fishing poles.

It didn’t take a special fishing pole to reel in pink salmon on Saturday. The fish were plentiful and easy to catch. Anglers spread out for miles along the shoreline at Allison Point while others fished from boats in the Port of Valdez. Tatum O’Brien, an eight-year-old from Valdez was fishing with her family when her fish bit, “I knew I was going to get it in the boat because cause it caught on pretty good when I saw it,” O’Brian said. “It was fun touching the fishes. I really like winning.” O’Brien won a fishing pole and when asked if she would compete in next year’s Kids Pink Salmon Derby, her answer was an enthusiastic, “Of course!”

In lieu of the Annual Kids Pink Salmon Derby Barbeque, KVAK Radio allowed kids to take over the airwaves for a live one-hour radio show. Members of the KVAK Kids Club produced elements for the show, broadcast live and encouraged kids to call in to win 10 pounds of jellybeans. Several of the young on-air callers were clearly excited to talk about their day fishing so the Valdez Fish Derbies mission statement to ‘promote sport fishing in Valdez’ was realized.

Bill Bentti of Wasilla submitted a picture of his daughter’s fish for the 8 to 10 year-old age division and commented, “This is her very first fish EVER. Thanks to the derby she had so much fun and has now been bitten by the fishing bug! Such a cool event.” Grady Putman of Anchorage, whose son Logan caught a fish in the 5 to 7 year-age division, said “Gave up counting the number of fish we caught. Great way to get the little guy hooked on fishing”.  Cat Miler of North Pole said, “We all went out as a family and enjoyed fishing but Andrew never wanted to stop casting. She said Andrew, who fished in the 5 to 7 year-old age division, thought all the fish were “fat and huge”.

Even without a fish weigh-in or big awards event derby marketing coordinator Laurie Prax said she feels the event brought people together to enjoy fishing and the outdoors. Prax spent the day uploading photo submissions and reading comments. She said reading messages about kids loving to fish so much they wouldn’t stop until their arms couldn’t hold the pole anymore made it worth the effort organizers put into the event. Valdez Fish Derbies is a self-sustaining non-profit organization run by seven individuals in Valdez with the help of a small but vibrant staff and a lot of volunteers. For more information about Valdez Fish Derbies or to see photos, visit www.valdezfishderbies.com

WINNERS OF THE 2020 VALDEZ VIRTUAL KIDS PINK SALMON DERBY

5 to 7 Age Division

$100 Winner
Katrina Bak
Delta, AK

Fishing Pole Winner
Noah Garcia
Valdez, AK

Fishing Pole Winner
Violet Bristow
Fairbanks, AK

8 to 10 Age Division

$100 Winner
Krista Vink
Palmer, AK

Fishing Pole Winner
Tatum O’Brien
Valdez, AK

Fishing Pole Winner
Andrew Slats
Fairbanks, AK

11 to 13 Age Division

 $100 Winner
Gabe Caruthers
Valdez, AK

Fishing Pole Winner
Turner Greenwood
Fairbanks, AK

Fishing Pole Winner
Andrew Slats
Fairbanks, AK

14 to 16 Age Division

 $100 Winner
Paden Kraus
North Pole, AK

Fishing Pole Winner
Kevin Hasley
Eagle, CO

Fishing Pole Winner
Sarah Curry
Fairbanks, AK

Valdez Fish Derbies
July 20, 2020
VALDEZ, Alaska – Anglers are already catching pink salmon at Allison Point in Valdez and young anglers will have a chance to catch fish and win prizes this Saturday in the Valdez Kids Pink Salmon Derby. This year the derby will be Virtual with Kids submitting pictures on the Valdez Fish Derbies website for a chance to win prizes. This free one-day kids derby is open to kids age 5 to 16.

Kids can qualify for the derby by picking up a FREE Valdez Fish Derbies hat between 6am and 10am this Saturday at the Valdez Fish Derbies weigh-in station. Anglers need to take a picture of themselves with the hat and a pink salmon caught in Valdez Saturday and post on the Valdez Fish Derbies website by midnight for a chance to win. Winners will be chosen at random. There will be a $100 cash winner in each of the four age categories as well as eight fishing poles given away. Visit www.valdezfishderbies.com for complete details. CLICK HERE for Info Sheet.

The Valdez Silver Salmon Derby also starts this Saturday and the grand prize for the largest fish is $5,000 cash, 2^nd place is $1,500 and 3^rd place overall is $750 cash. Valdez Fish Derbies will also award daily 1^st and 2^nd place prizes this Saturday through September 6^th for the largest Silver Salmon caught each day.

Halibut fishing continues to be good out in Prince William Sound. Jim Rothenbuhler of Salcha is leading the derby with a 201.2 pound halibut he caught June 23^rd. Kenny Tussey of North Pole is currently in 2^nd place overall with a 193.4 pound halibut he caught July 5^th. Andy Eiman of Valdez broke into the standings July 18^th with a 180.4 pound halibut caught aboard the Crista June.

The Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby is just around the corner. Registration will begin August 1^st and the event will be held Saturday, August 8^th. There will be no big events this year, but there will be a day of fishing and a Queen of the Silver Salmon Sisterhood will be crowned. The grand prize is $1,000 cash and $1,000 in prizes from Prospector. The ticket price has been reduced due to the cancellation of the opening and closing event at the Civic Center, but fishing is on. Registration for Women’s Derby begins August 1^st. Visit the Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby page on the Valdez Fish Derbies website for more information on this year’s event.

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st        Jim Rothenbuhler – Salcha, AK – 201.2 lbs. – June 23 – The Bucketlist
2^nd       Kenny Tussey – North Pole, AK – 193.4 lbs. – July 5 – Dan Orion
3^rd        Andy Eiman – Valdez, AK – 180.4 lbs. – July 18 – Crista June

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners – July 12^th through July 18^th
1^st        Andy Eiman – Valdez, AK – 180.4 lbs. – July 18 – Crista June
2^nd       Terrence MCabe – Valdez, AK – 134.2 lbs. – July 12 – The Refraction

Valdez Fish Derbies
July 6, 2020
VALDEZ, Alaska – Elias Sturm of Fairbanks had a good feeling before he went fishing last Monday. “I bought a derby ticket before I started fishing because I had a good feeling about the day,” Sturm said. “I didn’t know how big it was until it got to the surface and even then we weren’t sure. It seemed big; you never really know.” Sturm reeled in a 152 pound halibut aboard the Halibut Grove and won the 1st place weekly prize for the 6th week of the Valdez Halibut Derby and was in 3rd place overall until a big fish came in Sunday night that knocked him off the leader board. Jim Rothenbuhler of Salcha is still leading the halibut derby with a 201.2 pounder he caught June 23rd and Kenny Tussey of North Pole is currently in 2nd place with a 193.4 pound halibut. Debbie Coates of Fairbanks grabbed a spot on the leader board with a 164.4 pound fish caught aboard the Billie Sue.

Big hauls of halibut, lingcod, and rockfish are being laid out on the docks at the Valdez Harbor. Ling Cod season opened July 1^st and some nice lingcod have been brought to Port Valdez. Incredible weather this past week allowed anglers to get to the fishing grounds toward Montague Strait and Elrington Island. For those fishing closer to Port Valdez, Perry, Naked and Lone Islands have been productive. Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) reports good catches of lingcod toward Seal Rock and Wessel Reef.

King salmon are also swimming around Prince William Sound. ADF&G suggests trolling or mooching in Passage Canal. If fishing by boat, try trolling 20 to 50 feet down with a small to medium sized herring and an oversized flasher.

Pink Salmon are starting to come into the Port of Valdez. More fish should be arriving over the coming weeks. Valdez Fish Derbies is holding a Virtual Kids Pink Salmon Derby Saturday July 25^th. Kids age 5 to 16 can get a free hat, fish in Valdez and enter their picture on the valdezfishderbies.com website for a chance to win prizes. There will be a $100 Grand prize winner chosen by random in four different age divisions and eight other lucky kids will win a fishing pole. This is a free event sponsored by Valdez Fish Derbies to get kids involved in fishing. Anywhere from 7 million to almost 22 million pink salmon are forecast to return to the Hatchery in Valdez so there are plenty of pink salmon to catch. Anglers can catch pink salmon trolling the waters but there are also miles of accessible shoreline at Allison Point and anglers need only a fishing pole and a pixie, spinner or vibrax to hook a good one. CLICK HERE for more information about the 2020 Valdez Kids Pink Salmon Derby.

The Silver Salmon Derby will start July 25^th and the Women’s Derby is Saturday, August 8^th. Valdez Fish Derbies dates, prizes, rules, winners, pictures and more can be found at www.valdezfishderbies.com.

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st        Jim Rothenbuhler – Salcha, AK – 201.2 lbs.- June 23 – The Bucketlist
2^nd       Kenny Tussey – North Pole, AK – 193.4 lbs. – July 5 – Dan Orion
3^rd        Debbie Coates – Fairbanks, AK – 164.4 lbs. – July 5 – Billie Sue

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners – June 28^th through July 4^th
1^st        Elias Sturm – Fairbanks, AK – 152.0 lbs. – June 29 – Halibut Grove
2^nd       Jason Howell – Delta, AK – 132.0 lbs. – July 2 – Treemendous

Valdez Saltwater Adventure
July 5, 2020
Welcome aboard deckhand Mark! Mark is a fellow military veteran I had the pleasure to serve with. Making the most of these crazy times with a voluntary layoff from his full time job so he can chase giant fish!

Valdez Saltwater Adventure
July 3, 2020A fond farewell to deckhand Dan after filling in for a month of solid fishing. Thank you for your hard work and dedication! See you again soon!

Valdez Saltwater Adventure
July 3, 2020

It was a pleasure to fish with the KTUU crew.

Valdez Fish Derbies
June 22, 2020

VALDEZ, Alaska – “Put the time in. If you’re willing to be patient, most of the time you’ll end up with nice fish,” said Jim Rothenbuhler shortly after catching the 201.2 pound halibut that puts him in the lead in the Valdez Halibut Derby. “Fishing is one of those things. You can hit it real hot one time one year and you think you have it figured out; and the next year you go back and you might as well of stayed in bed. I think that that’s the magic of fishing is that you never know. It’s always a challenge. It’s always a challenge to try and figure it out or at least be successful at it. That’s what it’s all about really,” said Rothenbuhler.

Rothenbuhler is from Salcha, Alaska and has been fishing Valdez for years aboard his own boat, the “Bucket List”. He won the 1^st place weekly prize in the Valdez Halibut Derby and is currently leading the overall derby and stands to win $5,000 cash if his fish stays in the lead through the Sunday of Labor Day. Sometimes it doesn’t take a huge fish to take home a weekly prize. Just ask Debbie Peters of Valdez. Her 108.6 pound halibut took the 2^nd place weekly prize. Jeff Saxe is currently in 2^nd place in the Halibut Derby with a 157 pound halibut and Charles Young of Fairbanks is holding on to 3^rd place with the 128.8 pound halibut he caught May 24^th.

Rockfish and halibut are the favorites to catch in Prince William Sound and lingcod season opens July 1^st. According to Alaska Department of Fish and Game, halibut fishing has been good when weather permits getting out further. Montague Strait and Elrington Island have been producing steady catches of halibut. When you can’t get out further, ADF&G suggests anglers try around Perry, Naked, and Lone islands.

Valdez Fish Derbies is hosting a free Kids Pink Salmon Derby on Saturday, July 25^th. The Valdez Silver Salmon Derby starts July 25^th so there will be a few weeks where anglers can catch both pink and silver salmon in Valdez. There will be four grand prizes of $100 cash awarded in the Kids Derby. Eight kids will also win fishing poles. The Kids Pink Salmon Derby is open to kids age 5 to 16 and this year anglers will enter pictures via the Valdez Fish Derbies website for a chance to win prizes. CLICK HERE for information on the Kids Pink Salmon Derby.

The Women’s Silver Salmon Derby is slated for August 8^th.  There are a few changes for the 2020 Women’s Derby. CLICK HERE for details on the Women’s Derby. The Valdez Convention & Visitors Bureau has put together a webpage with lodging, tours and tourism discounts in Valdez. CLICK HERE to check out the page.

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st        Jim Rothenbuhler – Salcha, AK – 201.2 lbs. – June 23 – The Bucketlist
2^nd       Jeff Saxe – Valdez, AK – 157.0 lbs. – May 30 – Go Get Her
3^rd        Charles Young – Fairbanks, AK – 128.8 lbs. – May 24 – Reel Dream

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners – June 21^st  through 27^th
1^st        Jim Rothenbuhler – Salcha, AK – 201.2 lbs. – June 23 – The Bucketlist
2^nd       Debbie Peters – Valdez, AK – 108.6 lbs. – June 27 – Final One

Valdez Saltwater Adventure
June 28, 2020
Our 1st family photo in quite a while. It’s always a welcome sight to see these 2 back at the dock when we return. #captainintraining #bestwifeever

Another lingcod caught and released. Caught on a @columbiarivertackle custom head and a @optimum_baits tail with @berkleyfishing scent.

Just a few more days before we can start keeping some of these! 

Fishing has been good and the combo of @optimum_baits magnum octopus behind a @columbiarivertackle sculpin jig head with some @berkleyfishing herring scent has been deadly!

Valdez Fish Derbies
June 22, 2020

THE FISHING IS ON IN VALDEZ, ALASKA

VALDEZ, Alaska – Diane Jewkes of North Pole won the 1^st place weekly prize in the Valdez Halibut Derby with a 117.2 pound fish she caught June 17^th aboard the Moscato Myst. Bonnie Saxum of Valdez took 2^nd place weekly with a halibut weighing in at 111 pounds. Saxum has made it into the top 10 for the Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby on two occasions but had never made it on the Valdez Halibut Derby leader board. Saxum caught her fish aboard the Nunatak out in the Gulf June 16^th and said she didn’t really realize it was a big fish until the Captain started getting excited. Jeff Saxe of Valdez is leading the overall derby with a 157 pound halibut.

While halibut is the prize catch in Valdez this time of year, anglers are doing quite well with rockfish and other fish as well. Matt Kraska of Fairbanks picked up a nice 45.8 pound king salmon this past Saturday out by Hinchinbrook. “Today we got kind of lucky and we caught ourselves a nice big saltwater king,” said Kraska. “Boy did that thing fight; wow was that a kick in the pants! It took easily 200 to 250 yards of line. It picked up the bait at about 80 feet and it was gone”.

Out in Prince William Sound, rockfish are a bonus catch for many charters. Rockfish limits year-round are four fish per day, eight in possession of which only one per day, one in possession, may be a nonpelagic rockfish. Some nice size yellow eye rockfish have been brought into Port Valdez so catching a few can make for lots of tasty rockfish tacos.

Pink Salmon are expected to be available by the 4^th of July weekend and should be in the Port of Valdez for the Annual Kids Pink Salmon Derby. While pinks can likely be caught July 4^th weekend, there’s a Kids Pink Salmon Derby in Valdez Saturday, July 25^th when the fish are thick in the Port. The Kids Derby barbeque will not be happening this year, but kids can still go fishing in Valdez and enter their catch virtually for a chance to win prizes. Valdez Fish Derbies will be giving away hats Saturday morning, July 25^th and kids age 5 to 16 need to submit a picture of themselves with the hat and a fish for a chance to win. Winners will be chosen at random for one of four $100 cash prizes or one of eight fishing poles. Visit https://www.valdezfishderbies.com/kids-derby/ for more information. The Kids Pink Salmon Derby is free and some great Valdez discounts can be found at www.valdezalaska.org

The Valdez Silver Salmon Derby starts July 25^th, the same day as the Kids Derby, so anglers wanting a great family trip can fish for both pinks and silvers in the same weekend. The Women’s Silver Salmon Derby is slated for August 8^th. There will be some changes for 2020, so check out Derby page at https://www.valdezfishderbies.com/womens-derby/.

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st        Jeff Saxe – Valdez, AK – 157.0 lbs. – May 30 – Go Get Her
2^nd      Charles Young – Fairbanks, AK – 128.8 lbs. – May 24 – Reel Dream
3^rd       Cody Buchanan – Hamlin, TX – 127.0 lbs. – June 7 – Jamie Lynn

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners
1^st        Diane Jewkes – North Pole, AK – 117.2 lbs. – June 17 – Moscato Myst
2^nd       Bonnie Saxum – Valdez, AK – 111.0 lbs. – June 16 – Nunatak

Valdez Saltwater Adventure
June 16, 2020
A beautiful Yelloweye Rockfish caught a couple of days ago.

A nice halibut brought aboard the Bold Eagle this past week!

Valdez Saltwater Adventure
June 13, 2020

Nice halibut coming in and we still have seats available! Book online on our website or call 907-304-3474!

Valdez Fish Derbies
June 15, 2020

HALIBUT FISHING HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS IN VALDEZ
VALDEZ, Alaska – Jeff Saxe of Valdez has his own boat and fishes in Valdez every Summer. As the owner of Eagle’s Rest RV Park, Saxe probably talks to more tourists each year than anyone in Valdez and he is really excited about how good the halibut fishing is this year. Saxe reeled in a 157 pound halibut May 30^th and he wasn’t the only angler to reel in halibut the day he caught the derby leader, “We got our eight fish by noon and we were done and headed back to town,” said Saxe. Many halibut charters are open and have availability this year due to out of State cancellations, so hopping on a charter has been a welcome opportunity for many locals as well as Alaskans from around the State. As a local business owner facing low occupancy rates at his RV Park due to restricted Inter-state travel, Saxe is trying to make the best of a bad situation by inviting Alaskans to come see Valdez, “Valdez is open and we enjoy our customers from Fairbanks, Delta, Mat-Su and the rest of the State,” commented Saxe.

Charles Young of Fairbanks, Alaska made the trip to Valdez and enjoyed his visit. “It was my granddaughter’s fifth birthday; we had a party for her and then it was shortly after that I hooked into a big fish,” said Charles. “We picked up a couple of rockfish and two more halibut that day.” The 128.8 pound halibut he caught May 24^th is currently in 2^nd place overall. Cody Buchanan of Hamlin, Texas reeled in a 127 pound halibut on June 7^th and is currently holding onto 3^rd place.

Cody Buchanan of Hamlin, Texas reeled in a 127 pound halibut on June 7^th to win the Halibut Hullabaloo. The Halibut Hullabaloo tournament was June 5^th through 14^th. Buchanon caught the largest halibut and took home $500 cash in addition to the regular cash and prizes. A daily halibut derby ticket is $10 and a season ticket is $50. The regular Valdez Halibut Derby runs through September 6^th. The Silver Salmon Derby is slated to begin July 25^th.

The Valdez Fish Derbies will be hosting the Kids Pink Salmon Derby Saturday, July 25^th and the Women’s Silver Salmon Derby is August 8^th. The big events are not happening this year and the derbies have a few changes for 2020 to allow for physical distancing but we will have both a Kids Pink Salmon Derby fishing day and a Women’s Silver Salmon Derby fishing day. For more information on the Valdez Derbies, visit: www.valdezfishderbies.com

 Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st        Jeff Saxe – Valdez, AK – 157.0 lbs. – May 30 – Go Get Her
2^nd      Charles Young – Fairbanks, AK – 128.8 lbs. – May 24 – Reel Dream
3^rd       Cody Buchanan – Hamlin, TX – 127.0 lbs. – June 7 – Jamie Lynn

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners – Week #3
1^st        Cody Buchanan – Hamlin, TX – 127.0 lbs. – June 7 – Jamie Lynn
2^nd       Travis Frisk – Anchorage, AK – 125.0 lbs. – June 13 – Red Head

Valdez Fish Derbies
June 8, 2020

SPORTFISHING OPEN IN VALDEZ, SMALL NUMBERS VENTURING OUT FINDING A WELCOME ESCAPE FROM COVID AND BIG FISH

 VALDEZ, Alaska – A normal weekend with the sun shining in Valdez would generally mean a town full of people enjoying scenery, fishing and tours. This year, the RV Parks, lodging and charters are open and trying to get by with far less business. The sportfishing industry is open and, while business is down, they are showing in-state visitors a good time. Melissa Schmidt is from Wasilla and decided to make the trip to Valdez. “We weren’t quite sure coming into it, going into a smaller community we definitely want to be respectful and careful”, said Schmidt.

Schmidt ended up catching an 86.4 pound halibut and getting on the Valdez Fish Derbies leader board for a few days. “We’re just happy to spend the day with our friends on the boat doing things that we love to do,” said Melissa. “It was definitely something to look forward to and the day was just really, really exceptional”.

For those venturing into Prince William Sound, the fishing has been great. Jeff Saxe of Valdez is leading the Valdez Halibut Derby with a 157 pound halibut he caught Mary 30^th aboard his private boat. “Within 15 minutes we started getting bites,” said Saxe. “That 157 pounder was my first fish. We got our eight fish by noon and we were done and headed back to town”.

Weather over the weekend was great and allowed anglers to get out further into Prince William Sound, but Alaska Department of Fish and Game suggests that anglers try around Perry Island for a closer option. There have been some tremendous rockfish coming into the Port of Valdez. Alaska Department of Fish and Game suggests the best bet for getting pelagic black rockfish is out toward Montague Island and the west side of Hinchinbrook island. According to ADF&G fish have been feeding at the surface on free swimming pelagic snails.

For those wanting to do a bit of camping and toss a line, Blueberry and Thompson Lakes will be stocked in the next couple of weeks. Ruth Pond will also be stocked late June.

Those with a halibut derby ticket are eligible to participate in the Halibut Hullabaloo tournament for no additional cost. The angler catching the largest halibut in the derby between June 5^th and 14^th  will win $500 cash in addition to the regular derby prizes. For more information on Valdez Fish Derbies, visit: www.valdezfishderbies.com.

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st        Jeff Saxe – Valdez, AK – 157.0 lbs. – May 30 – Go Get Her
2^nd      Charles Young – Fairbanks, AK – 128.8 lbs. – May 24 – Reel Dream
3^rd       Robert Miller – Fairbanks, AK – 125.8 lbs. – June 5 – Dan Orion

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners – Week #2
1^st        Robert Miller – Fairbanks, AK – 125.8 lbs. – June 5 – Dan Orion
2^nd       Ryan Woods – Valdez, AK – 125.4 lbs. – June 6 – See Ya

Valdez Saltwater Adventure
June 8, 2020
A solid haul of fish from the Bold Eagle this past week.

Some heavy lifting on a recent trip aboard the Arctic Warrior fishing with Captain Bud! 

Valdez Saltwater Adventure
June 5, 2020
Good fishing yesterday on the Bold Eagle. We still have plenty of availability, but the floodgates have opened and we have been filling up. Call 907-304-3474 to book or reserve on our website.

Valdez Fish Derbies
June 1, 2020

VALDEZ HALIBUT DERBY UNDERWAY AND VALDEZ SILVER SALMON DERBY SLATED TO START AS SCHEDULED IN JULY

VALDEZ, Alaska – The Valdez Halibut Derby kicked off Memorial Day weekend and three Fairbanks anglers filled the top three spots on the leaderboard. Charles Young of Fairbanks keeps his boat in Valdez and has fished in Prince William Sound for years. Young spent the day out on the water with his family celebrating his granddaughter’s 5^th birthday. Fishing in Valdez, catching big halibut and participating in the Valdez Fish Derbies is something Young said he does every year, but this year he said it was especially nice to get away from everything and be out on the water. “There’s just a lot of things going on, it was nice to just get away for a couple of days and forget about it,” Young said. “We didn’t have to see the headlines; we didn’t have to hear the news… It’s real, it’s not going to go away, but it was very therapeutic to relax for a bit.” Young reeled in a 128.8 pound halibut and holds the distinction of being the first angler on the leaderboard for the 2020 season.

Jeff Saxe of Valdez is currently in first place overall with a 157.0 pound halibut he reeled in on May 30^th aboard the Go Get Her. Charles Young of Fairbanks holds second place with a 128.8 pound halibut he reeled in on May 24^th aboard the Reel Dream, and Derek Stivers of Fairbanks is in third place overall with a 123.4 pound halibut he reeled in on May 24^th aboard the Dan Orion.

 The weigh-in station has undergone some changes for the 2020 season, but Young said it was easy to weigh in a fish, and socially distancing was pretty easy. For 2020, the weigh-in is call-in only, but derby volunteers are close by and Young said volunteers were there quickly to weigh-in his fish. “She had a mask on, she took my fish, we helped wrench it up, slapped the weight on it, took a picture and got it cut up,” said Derek Stivers.  Halibut Derby tickets are $10 for the day and $50 for the season and available at ticket vendors around town. Ticket locations can be found at www.valdezfishderbies.com

The grand prize for catching the largest fish in the Valdez Halibut Derby is $5,000 cash. The 2^nd place prize is $1,500 and 3^rd place is $750. Halibut derby anglers can also win weekly 1^st and 2^nd place prizes in the derby. The Halibut Hullabaloo is slated for June 5^th through 14th. The angler catching the largest halibut during this period will win $500 in addition to the daily prizes. Weekly prizes include tours, accommodations and retail gift certificates, fishing charters, and Valdez Fish Derbies apparel.

Valdez Fish Derbies will also hold a “Tagged Fish Contest” August 7^th through September 6th. If an angler catches a tagged silver salmon during that time period and turns it into the Valdez Fish Derbies weigh-in shack, they win cash or prizes. All silver salmon derby rules apply for the “Tagged Fish Contest” and rules and more information can be found at www.valdezfishderbies.com

There will be a $500 prize for the vendor and operator selling the winning derby ticket in both derbies. For more information on the Valdez Derbies, visit: www.valdezfishderbies.com

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders
1^st    Jeff Saxe – Valdez, AK – 157.0 lbs. – May 30 – Go Get Her
2^nd    Charles Young – Fairbanks, AK – 128.8 lbs. – May 24 – Reel Dream
3^rd    Derek Stivers – Valdez, AK – 123.4 lbs.- May 24 – Dan Orion

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners – Week #1
1^st   Jeff Saxe  – Valdez, AK – 157.0 lbs. – May 30 – Go Get Her
2^nd  Charles Young – Fairbanks, AK – 128.8 lbs. – May 24 – Reel Dream

Valdez Saltwater Adventure
June 1, 2020
The overnight bite was good and we had a great time fishing with this group!

Valdez Saltwater Adventure
May 31, 2020

The fishing is great and we have seats available!

Valdez Saltwater Adventure
May 27, 2020

A Nice Memorial Day haul on the Bold Eagle! We have a lot of open space on the calendar and the fishing is excellent right now! Book online at Valdez Saltwater Adventures or give us a call at 907-304-3474.

Valdez Saltwater Adventure
May 26, 2020

Captain Bud with a solid haul on the Arctic Warrior yesterday! We have a lot of open space on the calendar and the fishing is excellent right now!