Episodes

Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Hannah Bethel and her band are coming from Nashville all the way to Valdez to play in “The Opener” Music Festival!

Hannah Bethel, Alaska Band Area 907 and local bands Moon Doggies, 32 Degrees and solo indie artist David Reynolds will be rocking the stage in the Kelsey Dock Parking Lot across from Ruth Pond.

DJ Kamila from Brazil will be there as well.

Performances will start at 7pm Friday Night and 1pm on Saturday.

Included in the Fest – “Beer on the Pier”– a beer garden hosted by The Fat Mermaid on the Kelsey Dock.

Vendor Market will be open at the new plaza.

Seating is limited so bring a chair!

Kick off Summer in our little town like you’ve never seen before!

CLICK HERE for more information

VALDEZ, Alaska – “It feels incredible! It doesn’t even feel real right now”, said Christina Ives a couple days after reeling in a 285.6 pound halibut. “It happened two days ago and I’m still ecstatic about it It doesn’t even feel real. It’s crazy I can’t believe it’s happening”. Ives won the 1^st place weekly prize and is currently in 1^st place overall in the derby. If her fish hangs on as the largest through the end of the Valdez Halibut Derby September 1^st, she could win $10,000 cash. Ives moved from Wisconsin to Alaska four years ago as a student and is currently working as a Corrections Officer in Fairbanks. “I’m just trying to live the Alaska Dream, I guess”, said Ives.

Ives said she has checked the previous winners out on the valdezfishderbies.com website and is aware that her catch is big enough to potentially hold on through the end. When asked about her chances, Ives responded, “I think they’re pretty good. I hope they’re pretty good but I don’t want to get my hopes up. But I feel like I have a really good chance of at least placing, whether it’s 1^st or 3^rd. I’ll be happy with either one …but of course I’m hoping for 1^st. If Ives wins cash, she said she is not sure what she would do with the money but thought that she would like to use some to go fishing again and to pay off student loans.

David Stack of Tyler, Texas reeled in a 158. 2 pound halibut on June 6^th and is currently in 2^nd place overall. Stack caught his 158.2 pound halibut aboard the Sea Walker June 6^th. Edward Wahmann of Tok, Alaska is currently in 3^rd place overall with a 126.2 pound halibut caught June 8^thaboard the Nunatak. Ives wins the 1^st place weekly prize and Stack wins the 2^nd place weekly but they missed the Halibut Hullabaloo tournament by just one day. The Halibut Hullabaloo tournament runs June 7^th through 16^th and the angler catching the largest halibut within that time period will take home $1,000 cash in addition to the regular cash and prizes. A regular daily or season derby ticket is all an angler needs to purchase to participate in the Halibut Hullabaloo tournament.

Charters are heading out further for halibut, but Alaska Department of Fish and Game suggests that you don’t have to travel far to land a catch. They suggest trying fishing on a muddy bottom off a rock slope in 150 to 300 feet of water.  ADF&G also suggests that shrimp flies might be a good option for Rockfish. “With a little added bait and targeting rocky pinnacles, you shouldn’t have trouble getting into some fish”, says ADF&G.

The Valdez Fish Derbies will be hosting the Kids Pink Salmon Derby Saturday, July 20^th and the Women’s Silver Salmon Derby is slated for August 10^th with an opening event Friday, August 9^th. For more information on the Valdez Derbies, visit: www.valdezfishderbies.com

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders

1^st        Christina Ives                  Fairbanks, AK            285.6 lbs.         June 6              Nunatuk

2^nd        David Stack                            Tyler, TX              158.2 lbs.         June 6               Sea Walker

3^rd        Edward Wahmann                   Tok, AK             126.2 lbs.         June 8                Nunatuk

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners – Week #3

1^st        Christina Ives                  Fairbanks, AK            285.6 lbs.         June 6              Nunatuk

2^nd        David Stack                            Tyler, TX              158.2 lbs.         June 6               Sea Walker

The slide that occurred three miles past the bridge at the start of the trail is significant and unstable.

(CHITINA, Alaska) – A rock slide has occurred on the O’Brien Creek to Haley Creek Trail about three miles beyond the O’Brien Creek bridge at the start of the trail. The slide, consisting primarily of slate, is significant and unstable, with the possibility of continued movement. It is currently unsafe for crossing by four-wheeler or on foot.

The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) and the Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) urge the public not to cross the slide. If individuals do cross the slide, they do so at the risk of being injured during crossing or being trapped beyond the slide. Due to operator safety concerns and the location of the slide, DOT&PF will not be able to clear the slide during the 2019 fishing season. DOT&PF tentatively plans to address the rock slide this fall.

The O’Brien Creek to Haley Creek Trail is frequently used by dip netters traveling by four-wheeler. The popular Chitina Personal Use Dip Net Salmon Fishery is open periodically between June 7 and September 30. The schedule can be found on the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website here.

In 2018, DOT&PF, in cooperation with Chitina Dip Netters Association and ADF&G, improved and maintained several miles of the trail with plans to continue improvements in the fall of 2019. This slide will now be added to the work list for these trail improvements.

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities oversees 239 airports, 10 ferries serving 35 communities, over 5,600 miles of highway and 731 public facilities throughout the state of Alaska. The mission of the department is to “Keep Alaska Movingthrough service and infrastructure.”

Sean and Trisha Montgomery welcomed Samuel Beo Tobias Montgomery to the world May 30th, 2019 at 6:05am.

He weighed 8 lbs. 8 oz. and was 18 inches long.

Congratulations!

Evening Performances

SATURDAY JUNE 8th

11am to 2pm

501 E.Bremner Street, 835-8777

Meet the team, get an autograph from Bill Kazamier – Three-Time World’s Strongest Man, enjoy food and beverages, a Free chair massage, and get your picture with the Arctic Bear!

Life is good when you’re pain free!

VALDEZ, Alaska – An angler from the interior is holding 1^st place on the Valdez Fish Derbies leaderboard in the early stages of the Valdez Halibut Derby. Doris Miller of North Pole, Alaska is currently in first place overall with a 109.6 pound halibut she caught aboard the Dan Orion May 21st. Amanda Von Imhof of Anchorage, AK is currently in 2^nd place with a 107.8 pound halibut caught May 26^th aboard the Go Get Her and Rosina Mancari of Anchorage, AK  is currently in 3^rd place with a 107.4 pound halibut caught May 24^th aboard the Reel Nuts.

The investment to compete in the Valdez Halibut Derby and have the chance to win the $10,000 first place prize is $10 for a daily ticket. Those who fish a lot can pick up a halibut season ticket for $50. The 2^nd place prize in the Halibut Derby is $3,000 and 3^rd place prize is $1,500.

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 7^th through 16^th will win $1,000 cash in addition to the regular derby prizes.

A huge bonus for anglers hitting the waters early this year is the opportunity to see whales and wildlife in the Port Valdez and throughout Prince William Sound. Stan Stephens Cruises operates a glacier and wildlife cruise out of Valdez and this past week alone have reported sightings of humpback whales, Dall’s porpoise, Stellar Sea Lions, mountain goats, black bear as well as shorebirds such as the surf scoter, puffins and oystercatchers.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports that halibut fishing has been good and suggests that you don’t have to fish deep to get into some rockfish. Rocky areas are a favorite for rockfish. Rockfish limits year-round are 4 fish per day and 8 in possession of which only one per day and possession can be nonpelagic rockfish. The shrimp season began April 15^th and will close on September 15^th. You are required to have a shrimp permit with you and you must record your catch immediately after you harvest shrimp. ADF&G recommends that you stick to a depth range of around 300 to 400 feet for shrimp pots if you are just starting out. For those wanting to fish along the road system, Blueberry and Thompson Lakes will be stocked toward the end of June. Ruth Pond in Valdez will also be stocked toward the end of June.

The Valdez Fish Derbies will be hosting the Kids Pink Salmon Derby Saturday, July 20^th. There will be a 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place prize for four different age divisions. The Kids Derby is free and open to kids five to 16 years of age. Valdez Fish Derbies tickets are available at the weigh-in shack down by the harbor and at various locations throughout town. For more information visit: www.valdezfishderbies.com.For more information on the Valdez Derbies, visit: www.valdezfishderbies.com

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders

1^st       Doris Miller                North Pole, AK                       109.6 lbs.         May 21                        Dan Orion

 2^nd    Amanda Von Imhof                     Anchorage, AK        107.8 lbs.      May 26                      Go Get Her

3^rd        Rosina Moncari                       Anchroage, AK           107.4 lbs.         May 24                        Reel Nuts

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners – Week #2

1^st        Amanda Von Imhof    Anchorage, AK           107.8 lbs.         May 26            Go Get Her

2^nd       Craig Villante             Lakeland, FL                  98.6 lbs.       June 1              Sea Quester