Summer Ruge – Fairbanks, AK – Chugach Girl – 5.28.24
VALDEZ, Alaska – Summer Ruge of Fairbanks turned 12 this year and her dad decided it was time to take her on her first halibut charter in Valdez. “I was telling her to reel up and check her bait because she had missed a couple hits, “said her father, Robert Ruge. “She started cranking and the rod just went over, and I immediately knew it was a big one. I told her honey, you’ve got a big fish, can you reel it up and she said, ‘I got it’…and she did”. Summer reeled in a 159.4-pound halibut to take the lead in the derby.
Robert Ruge said they anchored up just past lighthouse, dropped their bait and chummed the waters for about three hours before the big fish hit. Summer Ruge said it took her 30 minutes to reel up the fish and it was very tiring. When asked what her dad was doing while she was reeling, she responded “Going crazy!”. Robert Ruge said he didn’t think the fish would last forever in the derby, but said, “You’ve always got that good chance (to win) with a fish like that, so it’s just a great opportunity and 10 times better when that happens to your kid instead of you”.
Ruge’s 159.4-pound halibut may not hold on to win the $10,000 prize in the regular halibut derby, but she did win the weekly 1st place prize worth more than $300 and will have a coveted Valdez Fish Derbies winner jacket and t-shirt. Kathy Young of Fairbanks is currently 2nd place in the halibut derby with a 152.8-pound halibut she caught May 26th and John Brewer of Phoenix, Arizona is currently in 3rd place with a 136.4-pound halibut caught May 28th.
The popular 10-day Halibut Hullabaloo tournament will kick off this Friday June 7th and run through June 16th. The angler catching the largest halibut during that period will win $1,000 cash in addition to the regular prizes.
While halibut derby anglers will be competing hard for the Halibut Hullabaloo prize and an opportunity to get on the overall leader board, salmon anglers are writing dates on their calendar. The Valdez Kids Pink Salmon is slated for Saturday, July 20th.
The Valdez Silver Salmon Derby will start July 20th and run through September 1st. In addition to daily prizes in the Silver Salmon Derby, salmon anglers can win big money in the Tagged Fish Contest. There will also be a Women’s Silver Salmon Derby on August 10th. To find out more about events, check weigh-in hours, and find ticket vendor locations, visit www.valdezfishderbies.com.
Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders
1st Summer Ruge | Fairbanks, AK | 159.4 lbs. | May 27 | Chugach Girl
2nd Kathy Young | Fairbanks, AK | 152.8 lbs. | May 26 | Reel Dreams
3rd John Brewer | Phoenix, AZ | 136.4 lbs. | May 28 | Sentinel
Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners – Week #1
1st Summer Ruge | Fairbanks, AK | 159.4 lbs. | May 27 | Chugach Girl
2nd Kathy Young | Fairbanks, AK | 152.8 lbs. | May 26 | Reel Dreams