The 2011 MDR Halibut Derby is in the books and by all standards it was a great success. The 36th Annual MDR Halibut Derby was completely reinvented this year with the goal of making it more accessible to anglers and at the same time reducing the pressure on our local Santa Monica Bay halibut population. The changes included making it a one day event, reducing the costs, including additional fish species for awards, expanding the geographical boundaries of the tournament and adding a special 20% weight credit for live halibut releases.

The 2011 MDR Halibut Derby was held on Saturday, May 14 and anglers starting assembling the night before to get an early start on the tail gate partying and prepared for fishing the next morning. On Saturday derby anglers awoke to gray overcast but calm weather. Anglers fished especially hard all day knowing there would be NO tomorrow. Forgoing the big barracuda bite reported in the bay, many worked the spots for the intended targets some inshore for halibut others out in the rougher deep seas for rockfish.

Talk started early as one call came in about a big fish. Few take that too seriously but it turned out to be true. Anglers started arriving to weigh in their fish around 3pm. There was a definite buzz around the weigh-in dock as anglers and by-standers gathered to see the big fish that the boat "But's Up" brought to the docks. They weighed in a lovely 43.7 pound California Halibut caught by Don Kobabe of Agoura. It immediately went to the top of the leader board.

Second place came in late. With just a few minutes to spare kayaker Tony Copos weighed in a sweet 17.7 pound halibut. Tony worked locally and caught a full limit of halibut and said he released more shorts back to the bay. Fishing from kayak in shallow waters is the hottest new trend in the angling community. A very healthy way to go enjoy the ocean.

Some of the new "Save the Halibut' rules were quite effective. Two anglers took advantage of the 20% weight credit and released healthy fish at the docks with witness. Paul Thompson 6.6 lbs and Larry Silver with 6.7 lbs. Both fish swam away from the docks to keep growing and helping the local Santa Monica Bay populations.

The officials weighed in many of bags of rock fish and some bass. Eventually a big bag of rock fish went high on the scales to earn Shawn Bevin a spot on the leader board in Third place. His total bag was 16.7 lbs. for a nice tasty stringer of fish.

The photos show Don Koabe, the winner
Tony Copos, 2nd place
Shawn Bevin, 3rd place
Larry Silver releasing his 6.7 lb halibut