Posted: Friday, 24 July 2009 2:38AM

Fishing Report for July 23rd

Fishing cap on, so that could only mean one thing... it's Thursday, and time for the weekly fishing report. And the kings continue to run in local rivers. To date 4-thousand-92 kings have crossed the Chena River count tower. That's an average of over 215 kings per day over the 19-day count period, and over a thousand more than at this time last season. The Salcha river is banging with over 74-hundred kings crossing the count tower just below Richardson Highway bridge. That's an average of 4-hundred-37 fish per day, and nearly 5-thousand more fish than this time last summer. 1-thousand-32 kings were counted Wednesday.

No change in the top spot of the Valdez Halibut Derby. Fairbanks resident Marvin Ray Williams has led the derby since early June with his 2-hundred-76-pound flatfish caught aboard the Otter Dodger. Cole Michaels, also of Fairbanks took weekly first place honors. His 1-hundred-73 pound halibut was caught aboard Faithful July 17th. 11-year-old Zach Howard of Valdez pulled in the biggest humpy in the Kid's Pink Salmon Fishing Derby. Howard's catch registered 6-point-28 pounds, to be named the Derby's top fish. Local anglers dominated the 8-to-10 year old division, with Brooklyn Trigg leading the way with a 5-point-38 pound pink. Brandon Keasler and Jeb Perry, both of North Pole took second and third place respectively.

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