A derby of thanks for Alaska’s veterans
• Some 180 vets hit the Bay for a free fishing day
By Naomi Klouda
Homer Tribune
Photo provided - Jesus Torres III, left, weighed his giant derby-leading halibut in a few minutes after 6 p.m. on Friday at the 1st annual Veterans Fishing Tournament. Capt. Keith Kalke is pictured with him.
By day’s end, Jesus “Skip” Torres III hauled in the biggest halibut at 248 pounds. Some might call it beginner’s luck — considering it was the first halibut he’d ever caught.
Torres, a medic stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base who completed a tour of Afghanistan last year, said his fish was the second one landed that day on Captain Keith Kalke’s F/V Ocean Hunter.
“Since I’d never caught a halibut before, I didn’t know really what it was like to bring it in,” Torres said Monday morning. “But the captain realized it was a big one.”
After 45 minutes of patience, as well as listening to his seasoned boat captain, Torres reeled in his trophy catch.
In their enjoyment of the day, however, the crew failed to notice the clock and missed the weigh-in to take the Port Prize for the Veterans Tournament of $500, said Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby Coordinator Paula Frisinger.
“He said (not making it in time) was the least of his worries,” Frisinger explained. “He was more concerned about where he was going to put all those halibut fillets.”
Timothy Heath of Elmendorf was more than happy to step into first place with his 112.2-pound fish, followed by Scott Crook of Elmendorf with an 81-pounder. Roger Miller of Ft. Richardson hauled in a 78.6-pounder and Jamieson Barnes, also of Ft. Richardson, pulled up a 65.2-pound flatfish.
The Veterans Tournament came together largely through the efforts of Capt. Jack Roskind of Whittier. Roskind is operator of Knot Roughin’ It Charters, and worked the phones untiringly to call fishing charter boat captains in Homer, Valdez and Whittier. He coordinated with Homer Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Paul Dauphinais, and by the time they were finished, 30 of Homer’s boat captains had agreed to take the vets out for a day on the Bay. More captains signed on from Valdez and Whittier.
The cost?
“It was a freebie,” Dauphinais explained. “The captains are doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. This is their way of saying ‘thank you’ to the veterans. Many of the captains are veterans themselves, so they understand what it is like.”
Between 5 and 6:30 a.m., vets began arriving by the bus load at Halibut Derby Headquarters on the Homer Spit. They arrived from all posts in Alaska, including Fort Greeley, Fort Richardson, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Eielson Air Force Base and Fort Wainwright. Dauphinais, himself a veteran from the Navy who served 1978-1991, was there checking a roster, coordinating the solders with their boat captains.
“They checked in and we did a head count — the typical military style where they line up and you say, ‘you are going to go fishing with….’” Dauphinais said.
And while Torres may have turned up a bit late for his Veteran’s tournament prize, he did have a Halibut Derby ticket — making him the current leader in the overall derby and the leader for May.
“It was an awesome day,” Torres said of his time fishing. “The support Alaskans in general give to the veterans is outstanding, and then to integrate us into your traditions to show appreciation, like showing us how to fish, is just awesome.”
Since this is the first year of the tournament, shaking out the details comes with the territory. Next year, gives a chance to make improvements. It may be a good idea to attract a corporate sponsor to help defray the cost of fuel, for example, said Capt. Pete Wedin of the Julia Lynn. As it was, about $10,000 was spent by the Homer charter fleet captains, out of their own pockets.
“It was a great day and I would do it again,” Wedin said. “These guys are doing a lot for us.”
Heath tops veterans halibut tournament
Fishing out of Homer, Timothy Heath of Elmendorf Air Force Base boated a 112-pound halibut Friday to win $500 and the Alaska Veterans Halibut Fishing Tournament.
Forty-one charter boat operators from Homer, Whittier and Valdez volunteered their time, expertise and vessels to offer 264 veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts a free halibut fishing trip on a bluebird day in Southcentral.
Service men and women from Fort Richardson, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Fort Wainwright and beyond participated.
"The goal was to show our appreciation of our active and retired service members who reside in Alaska and abroad," said Jack Roskind of Knot Roughin' It Charters in Whittier. "We hosted one service member who traveled from Bolling Air Force Base in Washington D.C. to fish with us."
Active, reserve, retired and honorably separated veterans of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom were eligible.
Only $2,000 was raised before the event, Roskind said.
"Yet the vessel owners unselfishly donated their vessels and all associated costs to take a service member fishing," he said. "Now that is appreciation."
Other winners included Scott Crook, who landed an 81-pound halibut out of Homer; David Urban, who landed a 41-pound halibut out of Valdez and Aaron Huber, who landed a 93-pound halibut out of Whittier.
Jesus "Skip" Torres of Elmendorf nearly topped them all with his 248-pound halibut, caught with Keith Kalke aboard the Ocean Hunter in Homer. Torres, a halibut fishing rookie, battled the big fish 45 minutes and narrowly missed the cutoff for the end of the day-long Alaska Veterans Halibut Fishing Tournament.
But there may be a consolation prize for Torres. He leads the monthly competition in the summer-long Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby; if no one tops his catch before before Tuesday, he'll collect the $1,000 monthly prize.
Press Release, 28 November 2009, Anchorage Daily News
Anchorage Daily News / adn.com
Published: 11/28/09 20:54:29
Charter boat captains from Homer,
Roskind and Kurt Schwab, national director of Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, hope more than 500 veterans will get a free day on the water.
Earlier this year in Seward, Armed Services Combat Fishing Tournament attracted nearly 400 veterans for a day of halibut fishing out of
"The fact was that one community, Seward, was doing something for the military," Roskind said. "We wanted to all join together."
Roskind said he hopes the similar tournaments will join forces in 2011.
In addition to the fishing, a benefit concert is planned for the night before featuring
"Our goal is to provide help, support and direction for all returning veterans," Schwab said in a press release. "Today, we hear of veterans committing suicide because they are unable to cope with their families, their friends, or general living due to always being on edge. We want to help them cope."
Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom is a nonprofit that helps veterans with education, jobs, health care, domestic issues and housing, among others. To register for a fishing trip or get more information, see the organization's Web site at www.voief.org or contact Roskind at 529-5174.
Free Fishing in Alaska in 2010
Week of December 07, 2009
Charter boat captains from Homer, Whittier, and Valdez, Alaska are joining forces in the Alaskan Halibut Veterans Fishing Tournament next year to offer free halibut trips for veterans. At last count, 40 charter boats pledged support, and others are expected to join before the May 21, 2010 event. The event is expected to give more than 500 veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and during Desert Storm a free day on the water. For more information about the 1st Annual Alaskan Veterans Halibut Fishing Tournament and to register, visit the Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom website.
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