North Pole Angler Takes Lead In Valdez Silver Derby With Biggest Derby Fish Since 2010

The following is courtesy of Valdez Fish Derbies:

10-DAY VALDEZ SILVER SALMON SLAM TOURNAMENT STARTS AUGUST 28

VALDEZ, Alaska – Chase Edstrom of North Pole was fishing with his wife and three kids out at Knowles Head when he caught a mammoth 18.80-pound silver salmon. “It was about the biggest silver I had ever seen,” Edstrom said. “We were just mooching, just sitting there. Mooching’s a lot easier when you’ve got a boat full of kids because they’re running around all crazy. I don’t have to worry about trolling, trying to avoid other boats. Edstrom’s fish is the largest silver caught in the Valdez derby since 2010 and, with such a solid lead, Edstrom’s fish looks like a shoo in to win the $10,000 first place prize.

If Edstrom’s fish wins the $10,000 prize, he said he would pay the taxes on it and donate the rest to “The Door” in Fairbanks, an emergency shelter for homeless and at-risk youth. Edstrom has been fishing Valdez for 12 years and says he always buys season tickets for both the Silver Salmon and Halibut Derbies. When asked for advice on catching a big silver, Edstrom said, “It was just dumb luck.”

Silver salmon fishing in Valdez has been hot and Edstrom is not the only angler catching big fish. Warren Blood of Valdez is currently in 2^nd place with a 16.80-pound fish she caught August 15^th, and Cheryl Wagner of Copper Center is currently in 3^rd place with a 16.02-pound fish she caught August 7^th. Anglers are finding schools of coho salmon near Goose, Glacier, Naked and Culross Island and having success both trolling and mooching. Coho salmon have started to push into Port Valdez and the Valdez Harbor.

The Valdez Silver Salmon Derby runs through September 6^th and with daily 1^st and 2^nd place prices, a Silver Salmon Slam Tournament, and Big Prize Friday there are still a lot of prizes to be won. The Silver Salmon Slam Tournament is August 28^th through September 6^th and the angler catching the largest fish during that time will win $1,000 cash in addition to the regular derby prizes. There is no fee to enter the Silver Salmon Slam. A one-day silver salmon derby ticket for $10 or a season ticket that costs $50 is all an angler needs to be eligible for the tournament prize. The angler catching the largest silver on Big Prize Friday, September 4^th will win $500 in addition to the regular derby prizes. And of course, the angler catching the largest fish in the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby which ends September 6^th will win $10,000 cash.

The Valdez Halibut Derby is going strong and Rodney Myers of Franktown, Colorado is still leading with a 256-pound halibut. Although there is no king salmon derby, 2026 has been a particularly good year for king salmon in Prince William Sound. Anglers are catching kings out near Montague and doing very well near Glacier Island. 

Valdez Silver Salmon Derby Overall Leaders

1^st           Chase Edstrom            North Pole, AK               18.80 lbs.         Aug 12                Liquid Asset

2^nd          Warren Blood                 Valdez, AK                        16.80 lbs.         Aug 15                Arctic Blonde

3^rd          Cheryl Wagner              Copper Center, AK      16.02 lbs.         Aug 7                   Chasin’ Memories

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders

1^st           Rodney Myers                Franktown, CO             256.0 lbs.         July 16                Hooked Up
2^nd          Jason Sackmann         Newman Lake, WA     191.4 lbs.         Aug 8                   Hofstorm
3^rd          Shane Miller                    Fairbanks, AK                 184.6 lbs.         June 19              Devil Dog

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