ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Soldotna's Chad Aldridge vaulted to the top of the leaderboard in the Homer Halibut Jackpot Derby with a monstrous 350.8-pound catch that he reeled in while fishing with his dad onFather's Day.
Aldridge's catch is 73 pounds heavier than the previous derby leader, and it puts him in contention for the derby's grand prize. Winners typically earn close to $50,000.
Aldridge hooked into the fish, but secured it on the boat only after a battle of one hour, 20 minutes.
The Homer Halibut Jackpot Derby, the richest of its kind in Alaska, is also one of its longest. Aldridge has until Sept. 30 to sweat the outcome.
Contact Kevin Wells at kwells@ktuu.com
