Sara Cox – Fairbanks, AK
VALDEZ, Alaska – The Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby is this Saturday, and one lucky woman will be crowned “Queen of the Silver Salmon Sisterhood”. Valdez Fish Derbies will give away $1,000 cash and $1,000 in prizes from Prospector Outfitters to the Woman catching the largest fish Saturday. The 2nd place winner will get $500 in cash and $500 in prizes and the 3rd place winner $300 cash and $300 in prizes. A Women’s Derby ticket is just $30, and they are required to also have a silver salmon derby ticket for Saturday. A daily Valdez Fish Derbies ticket is just $10, and it makes anglers eligible to win the overall Silver Salmon prize of $10,000 cash. On Saturday, leaders for the day will be posted at the weigh-in station 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 10th through August 13th.
The current leader in the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby is a 12.30-pound fish caught by Sara Cox of Fairbanks, Alaska. The 2nd place leader is by John Henderson of Pierre, South Dakota with a 12.00-pound silver and 3rd place is being held by Casey Walsh of Nevils, Georgia with a 11.74-pound silver. The grand prize for the largest silver salmon caught in Valdez is $10,000 cash. The Silver Salmon 2nd place prize is $3,000 and 3rd place is $1,500.
This year’s Women’s Silver Salmon Derby will feature a Friday Night “Coho Cruise Night “event that will have participants visiting sponsor locations to see if their dog tag numbers (everyone woman gets a dog tag at registration) are posted to win prizes. There will also be an opportunity for women to upload selfies at specific locations for prizes and compete in a Group Costume contest by taking a picture at the weigh-in station. There will still be Door Prizes announced on the Women’s Derby Page of the Valdez Fish Derbies website and women will register to win one of three prize packages at registration. Check the leader boards just below the Harbor Masters Office and on the weigh-in shack on Saturday for current standings. Women’s Derby Weigh-In closes at 6pm on Saturday and all the winners will be posted at www.valdezfishderbies.com and at the weigh-in boards down at the Valdez Harbor. The theme of this year’s Women’s Derby is “Silver & Scales and participants are encouraged to dress up for the Friday night event and even while fishing Saturday.
In the Valdez Halibut Derby, Jeremy Smith of North Pole is still leading with a 170-pound fish he caught June 23rd. Al White of Wasilla, Alaska is currently in 2nd place with a 166.8-pound halibut caught August 5th and Chris Milles of Melbourne, Florida is currently in 3rd place with a 150-pound halibut caught May 28th. The Halibut derby runs through September 4th. More information on Valdez Halibut Derby can be found at: www.valdezfishderbies.com.
Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders
1st Jeremy Smith North Pole, AK 170.0 lbs. June 23 Chugach Girl
2nd Al White Wasilla, AK 166.8 lbs. August 5 Dan Orion
3rd Chris Milles Melbourne, FL 150.0 lbs. May 28 Halibut Grove
Silver Salmon Derby – Overall Leaders
1st Sara Cox Fairbanks, AK 12.30 lbs. August 4 Guskee
2nd John Henderson Pierre, SD 12.00 lbs. July 30 4 Reelin
3nd Casey Walsh Nevils, GA 11.74 lbs. July 27 Bounty Hunter