SITKA, ALASKA “These are unofficial until the night of the ceremony, which is June 16, 7 p.m., at Centennial Building,” said John McCrehin, the derby’s barge chairman. “I don’t anticipate any of the top five changing.”
Ken Rear, the first weekend’s leader, fell to second place with a 42-pound salmon. Jack Owens is in third at 41.5 pounds, Burt Edenso is fourth at 41.4 pounds, and Greg Kahler (Caller) is in fifth place with a 38.6-pound fish.
McCrehin says Burrell’s leading fish, at 45.6 pounds, will be the smallest ever to win the derby.
“All the fish this year were small,” McCrehin said. “Most of them were a pretty good looking shape, but just small.”
The smallest to win prior to this year was a 46 pounder caught by Dave Pearson in 1970. The largest fish was more than 73 pounds, caught by Connie See in 1956 – the derby’s first year.
This year, 135 people turned in a total of 539 fish.
EXTENDED AUDIO: An interview with Steve Burrell (about 5:20)
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