Sandra Dunn of Juneau hooked the winner while fishing Sunday at a hot spot she calls "Frank Gillespie's secret spot," in honor of the family friend and life-long Alaskan who fished with Dunn's family before he died. Dunn, her husband Art, and her sister-in-law were taking turns with two poles in the water. Dunn had just taken over one of the poles when her line took off.

The three knew the fish was a pretty good size, especially when it flipped around and headed deep, Dunn said. When they were able to scoop the fish out and get it in the cooler, they screamed, danced, hugged and high-fived each other all around.

Dunn said that excitement carried over to the harbor attendants when they saw the fish.

"They were so excited, they forgot to tie the boat," she said.

Once the fish was weighed, Dunn knew she could very well have a winner. But it was too early to be certain.

"It was just before noon then. I realized I had another six hours to wait," she said.

No one came forward with a bigger fish, leaving Dunn with the smallest winner on record, according to the derby's website. The largest was Gary Hedges' 1971 winner, coming in at 59 pounds, 8 ounces.

Lazenby leads Seward

Phillip Lazenby's monster salmon continues to lead the Seward Silver Salmon Derby.

Lazenby reeled in a 19.15-pound silver Sunday to set the bar high for anglers eyeing the derby's $10,000 first-place prize. In the 56-year history of the popular derby, only four times has a fish bigger than Lazenby's claimed the prize.

All of the top three fish were caught Sunday. Lazenby, of Kenai, caught his fish at Caines Head; Karen Pauley of Seal Beach, Calif., caught her 17.94-pounder on the east side of Resurrection Bat and Jim Sey of Anchorage reeled in his 16.23-pounder at Caines Head.

The derby ends at noon Sunday. Besides prizes for the three biggest fish -- $10,000 for first, $5,000 for second and a Holland American Cruise for two for third place -- 13 of the 15 tagged fish are still out there somewhere. A pair of tagged fish worth $100 apiece have been caught, but still up for grabs are fish worth $50,000, $10,000 and $5,000.

Derby tickets are $10 a day and $50 for the entire derby.

Seward Silver Salmon Derby

Top 10 through Tuesday

1) Phillip Lazenby, Kenai, 19.15 (caught at Caines Head); 2) Karen Pauley, Seal Beach, Calif., 17.94 (east side of the Bay); 3) Jim Sey, Anchorage, 16.23 (Caines Head); 4) Autumn Hoeldt, Eagle River, 15.25 (Fox Island); 5) Brian Siatta of Anchorage, 14.91 (Cape Aialik); 6) Tim O'Brien, Vancouver, B.C., 14.82 (Rugged Island); 7) Max Speott, Fairbanks, 14.76; 8) Charlotte Sey of Anchorage, 14.62 (Caines Head); 9) MaryAnn Williams, Nikiski, 14.31 (Lowell Point); 10) Alicia Driscoll, Anchorage, 14.29 (Day Harbor).