Episodes

VALDEZ, Alaska – In addition to winning the 1^st place daily prize and being the new 3^rd overall leader, Crista Andersen of Valdez won Big Prize Friday and took home $500 cash in addition to her daily prizes. Cole Baxter of Fayetteville, GA caught a nice fish Wednesday to put him at the top of the leader board in the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby. Baxter weighed in his 15.62 pound catch aboard Shark Tooth Charters. Currently in 2^nd place in the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby is Weston Branshaw of Valdez who caught a 12.42 pound silver on July 22^nd aboard the High Mark. Currently in 3^rd place is Crista Andersen of Valdez, Alaska who reeled in 12.18 pound silver July 28^th aboard the Crista June.

As the silvers return to Port Valdez in larger numbers during the coming weeks, expect the size of daily winners to increase. The largest fish on record to win the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby was a 22.14 pound fish. It doesn’t always take a huge fish to win the Valdez Derbies. The smallest silver salmon to win the derby according to records dating back to 1971 is Jim Burzinski of Valdez who reeled in a 15.11 silver to win back in 1971. Visit the Valdez Fish Derbies Silver Salmon Derby “Previous Winners” page for complete list of winners and weights.

There have been several trophy size lingcod and rockfish brought to Port Valdez. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Trophy Fish program has been going since the 1960’s and gives special recognition to anglers taking fish that meet a minimum weight within a species. The minimum weight to have a trophy lingcod is 55 pounds. The largest lingcod on record in Alaska is a 81 pound, six ounce monster caught by Charles Curny out of Monty Island in 2001. A rockfish needs to tip the scales at 18 pounds to be considered a trophy fish. Henry Liebman reeled in a 39 pound, one ounce rockfish in 2013 and currently holds the record for largest trophy rockfish.

The trophy weight for halibut is 250 pounds so Tim Stadtmiller of Fairbanks, Alaska made the grade when he caught his 266.6 pound halibut earlier this year. Stadtmiller caught his 266.6 pound halibut June 19^th and is still leading the Valdez Halibut Derby.

The Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby should bring in some bigger fish, and a lot of lady anglers. The opening ceremony is scheduled for Friday, August 11^th and a closing awards ceremony on Saturday, August 12^th. The theme of this year’s Women’s Derby is “Adventures on The High Seas” and there will be a group costume contest Friday. Live music and awards are planned for Saturday and derby organizers are expecting another exciting year. CLICK HERE to visit the Women’s Derby registration page at www.valdezfishderbies.com.

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders

1st        Tim Stadtmiller                        Fairbanks, AK             266.6 lbs.         June 19                        Dan Orion

2nd      Daniel Schmitz                        Wasilla, AK                 176.6 lbs.           June 12                        Jamie Lynn

3rd       Hali Lombardi             Valdez, AK                                176.4 lbs.         July 11                          Amanda Rose

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners

1^st           Thomas O’Leary          Manhattan, MT                        167.0 lbs.         July 28             Sea Quester

2^nd        Jim Miland                   Boyd, WI                                  152.0 lbs.         July 23             Dan Orion

Silver Derby – Overall Leaders

1^st        Cole Baxter                  Fayetteville, GA         15.62 lbs.         July 26             Shark Tooth Charters

2^nd      Weston Branshaw      Valdez, AK                  12.42 lbs.         July 22             High Mark

3^rd       Crista Andersen          Valdez, AK                  12.18 lbs.         July 28             Crista June

VALDEZ, Alaska – Alex Plowman said he knew the fish he caught for the Valdez Kids Pink Salmon Derby was a big one, but he had no idea it would set a record. Plowman reeled in a 10.12 pound pink salmon Saturday to win the 8 to 10 year old age division. The Valdez Kids Pink Salmon started in 2008 and the record prior to fishing Saturday was an 8.08 pound pink salmon caught by Christian Wingert of Fairbanks. After the derby closed on Saturday night Wingert dropped to 6^th place in the overall standings and the top five fish ever caught in the derby were caught this year.

(CLICK HERE for Top 10 All Time) Plowman won a longboard skateboard as the 1^st place winner in the 8 to 10 year old age division. Bryndi Beck of Valdez, Alaska took top honors in the 5 to 7 year age division with a 10.08 pound pink salmon. Andrew Hayse of Wasilla, Alaska took 1^st place in the 11 to 13 age division with a 8.20 pound pink salmon and Fred Sinnok of Shishmaref, Alaska took top honors in the 14 to 16 age division with a 7.66 pound pink salmon. The first place winner in each division won a longboard skateboard courtesy of Bahama Hawks and Valdez Fish Derbies. The 2^nd place winners in each division received a fishing pole from Prospector and the 3^rd place winners in each division received fishing gear from Prospector. All of the winners won a free subscription to Fish Alaska Magazine.

The Valdez Kids Pink Salmon Derby is a free event open to kids age 5 to 16. The weigh-in station gave away 300 free t-shirts to kids age 5 to 16 that got a line wet and hosted a free family barbeque attended by 500 people at Dock Point picnic area.

Valdez Kids Pink Salmon Derby – 2017 Winners

5 to 7 Age Division

1^st        Bryndi Beck                            Valdez, AK                  10.08 lbs.

2^nd        Caleb Horschel                                    Valdez, AK                  7.90 lbs.

3^rd        Lillia Horschel                         Valdez, AK                  7.74 lbs.

8 to 10 Age Division

1^st        Alex Plowman                         Fairbanks, AK             10.12 lbs.

2^nd        Ava Mitchell                            Fairbanks, AK             9.40 lbs.

3^rd        Paul Eiman                              Twin Falls, ID              8.40 lbs.

11 to 13 Age Division

1^st        Andrew Hayse                         Wasilla, AK                 8.20 lbs.

2^nd        Alex Wease                             Salcha, AK                  7.68 lbs.

3^rd        Dominik Bredonger                 Switzerland                  7.58 lbs.

14 to 16 Age Division

1^st        Fred Sinnok                             Shishmaref, AK                       7.66 lbs.

2^nd        Alexa Jenkins                          Fairbanks, AK             7.18 lbs.

3^rd        Jordan Calderara                      Fairbanks, AK             7.02 lbs.

For more information on the Valdez Derbies, visit: www.valdezfishderbies.com

VALDEZ, Alaska – The Valdez Silver Salmon derby began Saturday and the largest fish weighed in so far is a 12.42 pound silver salmon caught by Weston Branshaw of Valdez aboard the High Mark. Amid the chaos of hundreds of kids weighing in pink salmon for the Kids Pink Salmon Derby, one young lady brought a silver salmon to the weigh-in. She did not have a derby ticket and her fish weighed in at more than 16 pounds. The young lady declined an interview, but did say she caught her big fish by Goose Island.

There are daily 1^st and 2^nd place prizes in the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby as well as a $15,000 first place prize. Branshaw took 1^st place for opening day and Kim Keller was 2^nd place for the day with a 12.04 pound silver she caught aboard the Alaskai. The fish are not yet to the narrows but are expected to make an appearance soon.

In the Valdez Halibut Derby, Tim Stadtmiller of Fairbanks is still leading the way with the 266.6 pound halibut he caught June 19^th. Weekly winners were Trent Gustafson of Fairbanks with a 152.4 pound halibut and Angel Seafler of Eagle River with a 141.2 pound halibut. Halibut anglers are doing well. Charters have been able to reach the fishing grounds and have been bringing back numerous rock fish and lingcod in addition to their halibut.

Lots of Pink Salmon are being caught in Valdez. The biggest pink salmon caught in the Valdez Kids Pink Salmon Derby this past Saturday was the biggest on record for the Kids Derby since it started in 2008. Alex Plowman of Fairbanks reeled in a 10.12 pound pink salmon to win his age division and make the record books. A detailed list of Valdez Kids Pink Salmon Derby Winners, Top 10 History and Pictures can be found on the Kids Derby Page of the Valdez Fish Derbies. The pinks will be around awhile for everyone to catch, but there are also some trout fisheries that have been fun for kids. Ruth Pond and Blueberry Lake were recently stocked with catchable size rainbow trout.

Valdez Fish Derbies is now gearing up for Silver Salmon Big Prize Friday and the 2017 Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby. Big Prize Friday is July 28^th and the angler catching the largest silver salmon that day will win $500 in addition to the regular prizes. The Women’s Silver Salmon Derby is Saturday, August 12^th with an opening event on Friday, August 11^th. The theme of this year’s Women’s Derby is “Adventures on the High Seas”. Valdez Fish Derbies Women’s Derby Page on the Valdez Fish Derbies website has all the information.

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders

1^st        Tim Stadtmiller                        Fairbanks, AK             266.6 lbs.         June 19                        Dan Orion

2^nd        Daniel Schmitz                        Wasilla, AK                 176.6 lbs.         June 12                        Jamie Lynn

3^rd        Hali Lombardi                         Valdez, AK                  176.4 lbs.         July 11                          Amanda Rose

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners

1^st        Trent Gustafson                       Fairbanks, AK             152.4 lbs.         July 17             Lena Claire

2^nd        Angel Seafler                          Eagle River, AK           141.2 lbs.         July 17             Dan Orion

Silver Salmon Derby – Overall Leaders

1^st        Weston Branshaw        Valdez, AK                  12.42 lbs.         July 22             High Mark

2^nd        Kim Keller                   Valdez, AK                  12.04 lbs.         July 22             Alaskai

3^rd        Scott Hicks                  Valdez, AK                  11.40               July 22             Sound Affair

For more information on the Valdez Derbies, visit: www.valdezfishderbies.com