Alaska woman lands massive halibut, describes moment as ‘highlight of my life'
Melissa Hurd told Alaska's News Source that the hookup was subtle until the giant halibut began to run, at which point 'it felt like I had hit a tree or something.'
Hurd's catch put her in the top spot in a competition that runs through August and offers a grand prize of $10,000.
ALSO: Wild horses shown trying to outrun grizzly bear; not all of them succeed
Her lead is unlikely to hold – since 1991 only two anglers have won the derby with catches weighing fewer than 200 pounds – but Hurd was excited simply to have joined the 100-pound club when it comes to Pacific halibut.
'We could see the size of that thing and to know that I had pulled this thing from the bottom of the ocean up to the surface – so fun,' she boasted. 'Just the highlight of my life.'
Alaska's News Source reported that the potentially dangerous halibut was 'shot' by the captain before it was brought onto the boat.
It's worth noting that the average weight of Pacific halibut caught in the Prince William Sound region weighs 30-40 pounds. But in the past, several 'barn door' halibut exceeding 300 pounds have been caught.
The Valdez Halibut Derby record, set in 2017, stands at 374 pounds.
For comparison, the all-tackle world record for Pacific halibut is 459 pounds. That giant was caught out of Dutch Harbor, Alaska, in 1996.
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USA Today
02-07-2025
- USA Today
Alaska woman lands massive halibut, describes moment as ‘highlight of my life'
A woman from Fairbanks, Alaska, has taken the lead in the annual Valdez Halibut Derby with a catch last Friday that tipped the scale at 144.2 pounds. Melissa Hurd told Alaska's News Source that the hookup was subtle until the giant halibut began to run, at which point 'it felt like I had hit a tree or something.' Hurd's catch put her in the top spot in a competition that runs through August and offers a grand prize of $10,000. ALSO: Wild horses shown trying to outrun grizzly bear; not all of them succeed Her lead is unlikely to hold – since 1991 only two anglers have won the derby with catches weighing fewer than 200 pounds – but Hurd was excited simply to have joined the 100-pound club when it comes to Pacific halibut. 'We could see the size of that thing and to know that I had pulled this thing from the bottom of the ocean up to the surface – so fun,' she boasted. 'Just the highlight of my life.' Alaska's News Source reported that the potentially dangerous halibut was 'shot' by the captain before it was brought onto the boat. It's worth noting that the average weight of Pacific halibut caught in the Prince William Sound region weighs 30-40 pounds. But in the past, several 'barn door' halibut exceeding 300 pounds have been caught. The Valdez Halibut Derby record, set in 2017, stands at 374 pounds. For comparison, the all-tackle world record for Pacific halibut is 459 pounds. That giant was caught out of Dutch Harbor, Alaska, in 1996.
USA Today
20-06-2025
- USA Today
Massive halibut caught in Alaska could have been a derby contender
Fishing derbies are like the lottery in that you can't win unless you enter. Lorna Illingworth, for example, caught a 158-pound halibut last weekend while fishing during the 'Halibut Hullabaloo' out of Valdez, Alaska. The fish measured 6-plus feet and dwarfed all catches made during the June 6-15 competition, which was part of the ongoing Valdez Halibut Derby, which boasts a $10,000 top prize. But Illingworth did not purchase a $10 entry ticket, so she missed out on the $1,000 prize for the Hullabaloo, and her catch does not qualify for the Valdez Halibut Derby. ALSO: Tense moments in Yellowstone as dog leaps from vehicle to chase wolf Alaska News Source quoted Laurie Prax, owner and manager of KVAK Radio, as saying: 'She just didn't think she was going to catch a big halibut. And then lo and behold, she and her husband caught 158-pounder.' The largest 'ticketed' fish caught during the Halibut Hullabaloo weighed 98.4 pounds. As of Friday, the top catch of the Valdez Halibut Derby is a 140-pound halibut landed by Robert Hubert II on May 25. The derby began May 24 and runs through Aug. 31, and it'll be interesting to see if anyone tops Illingworth's catch. It's worth noting that the average weight of Pacific halibut caught in the Prince William Sound region weighs 30-40 pounds. But in the past, several 'barn door' halibut exceeding 300 pounds have been caught. The Valdez Halibut Derby record, set in 2017, stands at 374 pounds. For comparison, the all-tackle world record for Pacific halibut stands at 459 pounds. That behemoth was caught out of Dutch Harbor, Alaska, in 1996.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
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Hurd powers O'Gorman to Girls City Golf title
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The City Girls Golf Tournament is played over the span of a month, with three rounds beings played across the Sioux Falls public golf courses. O'Gorman's Erin Hurd used a strong start to help lead to a crown. Hurd carded an impressive 74 at Prairie Green, just two shots over par in the first round of the City Golf Meet. 'It was a great round for me, and it was a lot of fun,' Hurd said. 'It was a confidence booster for our team, just being able to get up some strokes.' Hurd tied for first with fellow teammate Geneva Fredrickson in the second round of the tournament. That gave Erin a 12 shot lead, entering the third and final round, which was played at Willow Run, on a warm and windy day this past Tuesday. 'The wind wasn't even the worst part. During the front nine, there was just a ton of bugs that kept flying at us. That was probably the hardest part of the round,' Hurd said. 'Once that wind kicked in, it was pretty hard to figure out your distances.' The windy weather was also tough on the short game, adding some speed to the greens. 'They were pretty fast today. If you get above that hole, it's pretty bad once you get above it,' Hurd said. 'Thankfully, our coach brought us out yesterday and we went to the practice green. He worked with us on those high to low putts.' Hurd finished the round with an 80, the best in the field. That helped Erin finish 23-over par for the entire tournament, 13 shots ahead of the competition. 'It's super special. I'm super proud of how I did and how my team supported me,' Hurd said. 'It's definitely a highlight of my season is winning city.' Hurd's performance led to the individual crown, but it also helped O'Gorman claim a one-shot win over Lincoln for the team title, capping off an O'Gorman sweep of the City Meet. 'I'm just always so proud of how we play. We're a great team together. We work so hard everyday, going to practice,' Hurd said. 'No matter how the outcome comes out, I'm always proud of our team.' O'Gorman will be a part of the Metro Conference Meet on Thursday at Elmwood. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
