“It used to be the big draw for our halibut fleet and it’s not the big draw anymore,” she said.
Speakman said the large commitment of time and resources no longer made sense for the chamber.
“We’re still the ‘Halibut Capital of the World,’ but people aren’t coming just for the derby anymore,” she said.
The derby debuted in 1986 with a $13,700 cash prize for winner Tony DeMichelle, who caught a 312-pound flatfish. The largest prize ever awarded was in 2004, when Nevada angler Don Hanks hit a $51,298 jackpot for landing a 352.6-pound halibut. The largest fish in derby history was boated in 1996, when Minnesota’s Jerry Meinders hauled in a 376.9-pound whopper.
The prize money, entries and the size of the fish has dwindled in recent years. No fish has cracked the 300-pound barrier since 2014, and last year’s prize — $8,677 — was the second-smallest in derby history.
“It’s sad to put it to bed, but everything must run its course,” Speakman said.
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One of the Alaska’s largest and most visible fishing derbies got hooked. The Homer Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center Board of Directors voted to “retire” the Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby after a 34-year run according to a press release..
A new two-day halibut tournament will debut in June of 2020, the chamber said.
Founded in 1986, the derby annually awards prizes for the largest halibut caught in the Homer area and for catching tagged fish and releasing halibut.