Angler unknown. (right)
VALDEZ, Alaska – The Valdez Halibut Derby saw two new leaders in the overall standings this week, but Shane Miller of Fairbanks is still holding onto first place with the 184.6-pound halibut he caught June 19th aboard the Devil Dog. Brett Nelson of Palmer, Alaska broke into the standings and is currently in 2nd place with a 143.8-pound halibut he caught June 29th aboard the Orion. Dan Williams of Palmer, Alaska also made it onto the leader board in 3rd place overall with a 139.8-pound halibut he caught aboard the Hofstorm on Friday. Nelson and Williams won the 1st and 2nd place weekly prizes in the halibut derby.
Brett Nelson said he has fished Valdez several years now and that the group of anglers he fishes with has been fortunate enough to have a lot of weekly winners. “I think two of our group have even ended up in the top three for the year,” Nelson said. When asked why he buys a derby ticket Nelson responded, “having a derby ticket just adds a little spice to the whole adventure.” Nelson took home a prize, but he could have easily been knocked off the leader board by a mammoth halibut that was brought to Port.
Captain Josh Hughes said he saw the biggest halibut he had ever seen in Valdez last week. Hughes said he was down on the dock when an older couple pulled up in a private boat and asked him to help hang a fish. Hughes said he couldn’t believe the size or mass of the fish. Although it was never weighed, Hughes said he thought it was close to, if not over, four hundred pounds. The largest halibut on record in the Valdez Halibut Derby is a 374-pound fish caught by Frieda Wiley. Hughes said the couple didn’t buy a derby ticket and he had no clue how they managed to get the fish into their boat.
Halibut fishing has been steady and salmon are coming soon. Valdez Fisheries Development Association reported last Friday that test fishing in the Narrows yielded sets of 6-12 pink salmon. The 2026 Valdez Kids Pink Salmon Derby is Saturday, July 25th and is open to kids aged 5 to 16. Kids qualify for prizes by picking up a free Valdez Fish Derbies hat and posting a picture of themselves with the hat and a pink salmon in Valdez. Winners will be chosen at random to win cash prizes and fishing poles. The Kid’s Derby is sponsored by Valdez Fish Derbies and there is no entry fee. Pink salmon fishing is generally productive at Allison Point and along the shorelines. Pixies, spinners, and Vibrax are all good options.
The Valdez Silver Salmon Derby will start Saturday, July 25th with a grand prize of $10,000 cash for the largest fish caught. The Women’s Silver Salmon Derby is slated for Saturday, August 8th and a “TaTa’s, TuTu’s and XtraTuff” theme will be featured during a Breast Cancer Awareness Walk and Art Scramble Friday, August 7th. CLICK HERE for more information.
Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders
1st Shane Miller | Fairbanks, AK | 184.6 lbs. | June 19 | Devil Dog
2nd Brett Nelson | Palmer, AK | 143.8 lbs. | June 29 | Dan Orion
3rd Dan Williams | Palmer, AK | 139.8 lbs. | July 3 | Hofstorm
Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners – June 29 through July 5
1st Brett Nelson | Palmer, AK | 143.8 lbs. | June 29 | Dan Orion
2nd Dan Williams | Palmer, AK | 139.8 lbs. | July 3 | Hofstorm
For more information on the Valdez Derbies, visit: www.valdezfishderbies.com