ANCHORAGE, Alaska—
Less than 24 hours before the conclusion of the Valdez Halibut Derby, the man who caught the heaviest fish in the history of the port has been disqualified. Derby officials determined that George Levasseur of Valdez had assistance in bringing home his 363.9-pound halibut on Aug. 6, a violation of derby rules.The Valdez Fish Derbies received two written complaints on Friday alleging that Levasseur had violated Rule No. 9 -- which states that "each contestant must hook, play, and bring the fish to the side of the boat or the edge of the shore and only then may aid be received" -- based on statements he had to the media.
"You can't bring in a fish that size without help," Levasseur said during an interview.
Levasseur never denied having help bringing in the fish, and said in a meeting with committee members Saturday that he had the pole in his hands 90 percent of the time.
Although Levasseur's disqualification will cost him the derby's top prize of $15,000, he will still own a spot in the record books for catching the largest fish ever weighed at Port Valdez. For his sportsmanship and honesty, Levasseur will also receive a check worth $10,000, to be presented at the derby's awards banquet on Sunday night.
Levasseur's loss is Loren Bell's gain. Barring a change in the standings by Sunday at noon, Bell's 277.2-pound catch will end up as the $15,000 derby winner.
Contact Kevin Wells at kwells@ktuu.com
