Houston Pike Derby continues through the month

MAT-SU — Halfway through the Houston Pike Derby, the field is dominated by the 46-inch, 21-pound, 7-ounce fish caught by Kaleb Summit, but the prizes remain wide open.

The second annual Derby began Feb. 1 and finishes March 31. Anglers can buy a ticket before or after catching their fish, and one ticket is good for one angler throughout the derby, according to organizer Nancy Sult.

According to Sult, smaller prizes are given out each week, and the grand prizes are awarded for the entire Derby after March 31. Categories awarded include the longest, the heaviest, the shortest and the most fish. Luckily for other anglers, the monster fish Summit landed can only count for one category.

Weekly prizes include a gift certificate from Howling Storm for the longest fish, a stained glass pike from Raven Glass Works for the shortest, a $50 Visa card from Deska Landing for the heaviest and Alaska art prints from All I Saw Photos.

The grand prizes at the end of the Derby are on a sliding scale depending on the number of tickets sold. Sportsman’s Warehouse donates a flat amount for each winning category, then the pot increases by $25 for every 10 tickets sold. As of Tuesday it was at $317 for first place with other donated prizes from the sponsors for second through seventh places, said Sult.

Fish have to come from the Mat-Su Borough limits, and the Houston Chamber is holding Pike Family Fun Days on Nancy Lake March 21-22. Go to www.matsupikederby.com for more information.

The basics

• Tickets are on sale at Mid-Valley Pull Tabs, Mid-Valley Senior Center, Sportsman’s Warehouse, 3 Rivers Fly and Tackle, Houston Lodge, Mat-Su Resort, Deshka Landing and Houston Visitor Center, according to the Derby’s website.

• The tickets are $20, and $6 of each ticket goes to a local non-profit organization. Anglers can choose to donate to Mid-Valley Seniors, Houston Lions or Susitna Rotary. The remaining proceeds go to the Houston Chamber of Commerce.

• The official weigh-ins for this year are at 3 Rivers Fly and Tackle, Sportsman’s Warehouse, Deska Landing, the Tala Vista Lodge and the Houston Lodge.