A 264-pound halibut caught by Calvin Carr of North Pole claimed the $15,000 grand prize Sunday as the Valdez Halibut Derby came to a close.
Carr landed the halibut a week before -- Aug. 26 -- aboard the Otter Dodger, according to KVAK radio. With no bigger fish in sight, Carr held on to clinch first place in the summer-long contest. Bill Kelly of Valdez claimed second-place and $5,000 with a 237.7-pound halibut caught Aug. 28.
The average halibut caught by Valdez anglers is about 30 to 35 pounds, according to derby organizers. In third place was Mike Burke, of Henderson, Nev., with a 233-pound catch landed Aug. 12.
This year's prize-winning salmon is a 17.88-pounder caught July 25 by Diana Doodehenko of Canada. She won $15,000 in the Silver Salmon Derby.
Tom Parker of Billings, Mont., placed second in that competition with a 16.70-pound salmon while Joel Brown of Valdez (16.10 pounds) finished third.
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By KYLE HOPKINS
Anchorage Daily News