Anchorage Daily News

Just three days into the 53rd Seward Salmon Derby and its leaderboard has gone through plenty of changes.

Renee Wellington became the sixth angler to lead the $10,000 jackpot derby since the booth opened Saturday when she reeled in a monster 18.57-pound coho on her birthday Monday outside Resurrection Bay.

"Lots of lead changes," said Laura Cluberton of the Seward Chamber of Commerce. "It's keeping everyone excited."

Wellington's silver salmon knocked the 17.74-pounder Wasilla's Sam Amato caught aboard the Crackerjack earlier in the day. Amato had the lead for a few hours, bumping the 17.12-pound coho Stephen Irvin of Vancouver, Wash., also caught Monday off the top spot.

Irvin caught his short-lived leader aboard an Alaskan Adventure Charters vessel inside Resurrection Bay.

For hardly 24 hours, Irvin's fish led Texas angler Juston Burleson's silver, a 16.95-pounder caught on a pleasantly warm Sunday outside the bay.

His silver bumped the 16.86-pound derby-leading fish Big Lake's Clarence Schroeder caught earlier in the day off Caines Head.

Anchorage angler Joseph Brown, whose 16.45-pounder led the derby on Saturday, is now in sixth place.

The derby ends Aug. 17 with the winner earning $10,000. One tagged fish worth $50,000 is still swimming somewhere in or outside the bay.

Seward Salmon Derby

Standings as of Monday

1) Renee Wellington, 18.57;

2) Sam Amato, Wasilla, 17.74 pounds

3) Stephen Irvin, Washintgon, 17.12

4) Juston Burleson, Texas, 16.95

5) Clarence Schroeder, Big Lake, 16.86

6) Joseph Brown, Anchorage, 16.45

7) Mathew McCulloch, Anchorage, 16.35

8) Raui Outwater, Anchorage, 16.30

9) Carroll Eby, Soldotna, 16.25

10) Aaron Beggette, Wasilla, 16.23

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