Valdez Gearing Up For Kids Pink Salmon, Silver Derbies This Weekend

The following is courtesy of Valdez Fish Derbies:

KIDS PINK SALMON DERBY AND SILVER SALMON DERBY START SATURDAY

VALDEZ, Alaska – Anglers are catching pink salmon from the shores of Allison Point in Valdez and anglers are picking up silver salmon in Prince William Sound. There should be a lot of action for the Valdez Kids Pink Salmon Derby this Saturday and Valdez Fisheries Development Association (VFDA) reported the average weight of pink salmon this year at 3.3 pounds. Anglers can fish from shore or a boat in this one-day derby and Allison Point is easily accessible by car and can be fished with a simple pixie or spinner. The Valdez Kids Pink Salmon Derby is free for kids aged 5 to 16 and $100 cash and other prizes are awarded in four different categories.

After a day of fishing out of Port Valdez, kids can enter the pink derby by submitting pictures on the Valdez Fish Derbies website for a chance to win prizes. Kids can qualify for the derby by picking up a FREE Valdez Fish Derbies hat between 6am and 10am this Saturday at the Valdez Fish Derbies weigh-in station. Anglers need to take a picture of themselves with the hat and a pink salmon caught in Valdez Saturday and post on the Valdez Fish Derbies website by midnight the day of the Kids Derby for a chance to win. Winners will be chosen at random.

Kids in 4^th to 8^th grade will be on the air broadcasting a LIVE Kids Derby Radio Show from 5pm to 6pm Saturday, July 19^th on 93.3FM & 1230AM KVAK. The show will also be streamed LIVE on the KVAK Radio App (which can be downloaded from the Apple App or Google Play Store) and can be streamed from a computer atwww.kvakradio.com. Kids will take over the studio and take callers aged 5 to 16 to play games and win prizes like ice cream. One lucky caller will win 10 pounds of Jelly Beans.

This Saturday is also the start of the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby. Anglers of all ages wanting a chance to catch the largest silver in Valdez and take home the $10,000 Valdez Fish Derbies 1^st place prize can buy a derby ticket, get a line wet and give it a try. The Silver Derby 2^nd place prize is $3,000 and 3^rd place overall is $1,500 cash. Valdez Fish Derbies will also award daily 1^st and 2^nd place prizes July 19^th through August 1^st for the largest Silver Salmon caught each day. Starting July 19^th the weigh-in station will be open 1pm to 8pm.

Halibut fishing continues to be good, and Alaska Department of Fish and Game says they are well distributed throughout Prince William Sound. Mel Grove of Palmer, Alaska is currently leading the derby with a 185.4-pound halibut he caught July 5^th. Kreed Jones of Chugiak, Alaska is currently in 2^nd place and Chris Pittman of Dawson City, YT is holding onto 3^rd place with a 171.6-pound halibut he caught July 6^th.

Joy Witte of Valdez caught a 155.6-pound halibut and was on the leader board for five minutes before she was knocked off. “It was a glorious five minutes that I got,” Witte said. “But I didn’t care. I was just excited to see myself on the board.

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders

1^st          Mel Grove                         Palmer, AK                        185.4 lbs.         July 5                   Mel Fare

2^nd          Kreed Jones                     Chugiak, AK                    177.8 lbs.         July 2                   Hofshore

3^rd          Chris Pittman                Dawson City, YT           171.6 lbs.         July 6                   Hooked Up

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners – July 6^th through 12^th

1^st          Chris Pittman                Dawson City, YT           171.6 lbs.         July 6                   Hooked Up

2^nd          Adam Miller                     North Pole, AK               141.2 lbs.         July 12                Big Easy