Nathan Kennedy of Fairbanks, AK, Currently 1st Place in the
Valdez Halibut Derby
VALDEZ, Alaska – Memorial Weekend started off cold and wet but visitors who make the Trek to Valdez were rewarded with bluebird skies and big fish. The Valdez Halibut Derby got off to a great start Saturday with Nathan Kennedy of Fairbanks reeling in a 103.6-pound halibut. Kenndy and his wife went halibut fishing for the first time and did not expect to make the leader board but he is glad he bought a ticket. Now that he is on the leader board, he said he will check out the prize list and watch the standings on valdezfishderbies.com. Kennedy’s fish is probably not big enough to take home the big $10,000 1st place prize for the largest halibut of the season but it definitely could win the weekly 1st place prize valued at about $400 this week or the 2nd place weekly prize is that’s worth about $300 the first week of the Halibut Derby.
Last year Lloyd Fanter of Eagle River won $10,000 in the Valdez Halibut Derby when he hooked a 364.8-pound halibut aboard the Chugach Girl. In 2024, it was a 205-pound halibut caught by Natalie Cevasco that won the $10,000 first place prize. This year, Valdez Fish Derbies is again offering a $10,000 prize to the person catching the largest halibut in the popular derby. To be eligible, anglers need to purchase a Valdez Halibut Derby ticket which costs $10 for a day of fishing or $50 for a season ticket. The Valdez Halibut Derby features a $3,000 second place prize and a $1,500 third place prize.
Back in 2017, Frieda Wiley set the record for the largest halibut caught in the Valdez Derbies with a mammoth 374-pound fish. The Halibut Hullabaloo Tournament will run June 12th through 21st this year and the angler catching the largest halibut during the 10-day period will win $1,000 cash in addition to overall prizes.
In addition to the top three cash prizes in the Valdez Halibut Derby, the Valdez Fish Derbies will award more than twenty weekly prizes in the Halibut derby and give away more than forty silver derby daily prizes. The Valdez Kids Pink Salmon Derby is slated for July 25th, the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby will begin July 25th, the Women’s Silver Salmon Derby is August 8th, and the Silver Salmon Slam tournament is August 28th through September 6th. For more information on the derby and events, visit www.valdezfishderbies.com.
The Valdez Fish Derbies are run by a non-profit committee of seven individuals that live and work in Valdez. This year’s Derby Coordinator is Dana Morales, and she will be coordinating weigh-in employees and volunteers to cover what looks like a busy summer season. From May 23rd to July 24th the weigh-in is call-in only from 4pm to 8pm. Starting July 25th the derby weigh-in hours will be 1pm to 8pm daily. Media inquiries can be directed to valdeznews@kvakmedia.com.
2026 Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders
1st Nathan Kennedy | Fairbanks, AK | 103.6 lbs. | May 23 | Chugach Girl
2nd Casey McManus | Wasilla, AK | 83.6 lbs. | May 24 | Hooked Up
3rd Nicole Mott | Wasilla, AK | 54.8 lbs. | May 24 | Hooked Up