Valdez Halibut Derby Update: Angler Wins $1,000 Hullabaloo Prize And Takes Overall Lead

The following is courtesy of Valdez Fish Derbies:

Fairbanks Man Wins $1,000 Halibut Hullabaloo Prize

VALDEZ, Alaska – Shane Miller of Fairbanks reeled in a 184.6-pound halibut Friday to win the Halibut Hullabaloo Tournament and take the lead in the Valdez Halibut Derby. Miller won $1,000 cash for catching the largest halibut during the tournament June 12 through June 21 and also won the first-place weekly prize in the Valdez Halibut Derby. If Miller’s fish stays in the lead through the end of the derbies September 6, he stands to win $10,000 cash.

Miller was fishing aboard the Devil Dog and said he was jigging for about an hour when his fish hit the line. “Corey set me up on a jig, and I was just jigging for about an hour and then just hooked up,” Miller said. “Then the line just started running out and it was just going and going and going. Next thing I know, we were pulling up this monster.”

In 2022 Jeremy Smith of North Pole took home the top prize in the Halibut Derby with a fish weighing only 170-pounds, proving a smaller fish can win the Valdez Halibut Derby. Last year, Lloyd Fanter of Eagle River won the derby with a 264.8-pound catch. Derby anglers have been filleting a lot of halibut and rockfish at the Valdez Harbor, but the fish cleaning tables were also full of bright red salmon pulled from the Copper River. The Chitina Personal Use fishery closed June 21^, but the Alaska Department of Fish and Game says it will be open again starting June 26.

Pink salmon are expected to be available by the 4th of July weekend and should be in Port of Valdez for the Annual Kids Pink Salmon Derby. While pinks can be caught on July 4 weekend, there’s a Kids Pink Salmon Derby in Valdez Saturday, July 25^th when the fish are heavier in the Port.

Valdez Fish Derbies will be giving away free hats for kids aged 5 to 16 between 6am and 10am Saturday morning, July 25^th. To enter the Kids Pink Salmon Derby, kids just need to get a hat, take a picture that includes a pink salmon, one child and the hat (either on the kid or the fish!) and upload it to valdezfishderbies.com. Winners will be chosen at random for one of four $100 cash prizes or one of eight fishing poles. Visit Valdez Kids Pink Salmon Derby Page for more information. The Kids Pink Salmon Derby is free and there will be a live radio show for kids on KVAK 93.3FM and 1230AM Saturday, July 25 from 5pm to 6pm. KVAK Kids Broadcasting Camp participants will be emceeing the Kids Derby Radio Show and there will be giveaways exclusively for kids 5 to 16. The big radio prize is 10 pounds of jelly bellies. Information and winners will be posted on www.valdezfishderbies.com.

The Valdez Silver Salmon Derby starts July 25, the same day as the Kids Derby, so anglers wanting a great family trip can fish for both pinks and silvers in the same weekend. The Women’s Silver Salmon Derby is slated for August 8 and the theme this year is “TaTa’s, TuTu’s and Xtratuffs” and will be shining a light on breast cancer awareness. There will be a cancer walk on Friday night before the event. Visit: Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby Page for more information.

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders

1^st           Shane Miller                    Fairbanks, AK                 184.6 lbs.         June 19              Devil Dog

2^nd               Steve Hylton                   Boise, ID                            136.4 lbs.         June 12              Hofshore           

3^rd          Michael Luo                    Fulshear, TX                    122.8 lbs.         June 15              Lena Claire

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners

1st         Shane Miller                    Fairbanks, AK                 184.6 lbs.         June 19              Devil Dog

2^nd          Steve Hylton                   Boise, ID                            136.4 lbs.         June 12              Hofshore