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| Courtesy of Ron Niebrugge |
The Homer Jackpot Derby is the longest running Chamber of Commerce halibut derby in the State – with over $90,000 in cash prizes being awarded – runs through September 17th.
Local charter businesses report a noticeable uptick in charter bookings that they attribute to anglers with a strong appetite for the flat white fish.
North Country Charter’s Lilly Johnson: “We’ve definitely seen heightened sales of the derby tickets. I think people are just feeling a little bit luckier this year.”
Unlike most derbies, which focus on catching the largest fish, the Homer Derby leaves the female egg layers down at the bottom where they belong, and focuses anglers on younger male tagged fish.
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| Giorgio Trembly$1K fish |
Kachemak Bay has over 75 tagged fish swimming around, winners receive an immediate caash prize and then are eligible to win one of two tagged fish prizes of $10,000 and $50,000. Winners will be announced at the September 20th Jackpot Halibut Derby Gala.
August 14th Charles Wild landed a 2016 International Pacific Halibut Commission and Homer Chamber of Commerce tagged halibut, fishing with Captain Ben Martin on North Country Charter‘s Fringe Benefits.
Homer Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Debbie Speakman: ” We had a tag from 2016 caught last week, the prior year tags are $100.”
Halibut that are at the head of the school include two $1,000 tagged fish. Giorgio Trembly from San Carlos, California was fishing with Alaska Coastal Marine Captain Grant Peel and Dan Brubaker of Littleton, Colorado fishing with Homer Ocean Charters.
Sam Mills of St. Maries, Idaho landed a 240 lb. halibut fishing with Central Charters on July 27th. Dominique Brooks of Maryville, Tennessee landed a 229 lb. halibut also fishing on Central Charters.
Those who catch and release a halibut measuring 48 inches are more are entered to win $1,000.
Fun fact, in August 2013, an angler on a North Country Charters boat brought in a halibut with tagged for the $50,000 GCI prize, but they had failed to purchase a derby ticket first.
Story as aired on KSRM News:
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