By Yonah Lempert Luecken

Homer Independent Press

Michael Ardenia on Salmonator patiently waited out two delays to make the grand-prize catch of the day – a 26.2-pound winter king salmon — and to take home $41,144 in the Homer Chamber of Commerce’s 32nd Annual Winter King Salmon Tournament on Saturday, April 4.

Unofficial results are grand prize to Ardenia of Homer, second place to Tim Dillon of Seldovia on the Edna Francis with a 24.76-pound fish and third place to Sean Lowe on Go Fish with a 21.9- pound salmon.

Seven-year-old Amelia Stengel won the Youth Angler competition with a 16.92-pound salmon. The top ten anglers, with fish ranging from 17.64 to the winning 26.2 pounds, each had a turn walking onto stage to receive their trophies.

As captain of the champion fish team, Mikie Geagel of the Salmonator received the John Hillstrand Award. Jack Montgomery was recognized with the Scott Ulmer Award for his significant contributions to the tournament over the years. Montgomery and Ulmer started the Winter King Salmon Tournament 32 years ago in 1994.

An estimated $130,520 in cash prizes and close to $30,000 in merchandise prizes were awarded. A complete list of the official results and complete sponsor list is at homerwinterkings.com.  

Alaska Department of Fish and Game was on hand to sample all the fish weighed in. That information will be used in their study to better understand the genetics and origins of king salmon in the Kachemak Bay winter king fishery.

This year’s tournament was rescheduled twice from the original March 21 date due to ice in the Homer Boat Harbor that prevented boats’ launching and at times even moving through the water. This was the first time the tournament had been delayed two weeks, but the third time in the most recent five years it had been postponed due to weather.

Silas Firth, the chamber’s marketing director, noted, “The harbor frozen in for so long definitely makes it tough on us.”

By Saturday, April 4, the harbor was ice-free, and 825 anglers in 249 teams, one per boat, sailed after their catch. Angler participation was down by about a third from 1235 anglers in 2025, most likely due to the reschedules.

Firth stated the fishing was “definitely slower than last year.” When asked if that might be due in part to colder water temperatures, with Kachemak Bay waters reported at 36°F only days before, he said it could “definitely be the case.”

Angler Will Jones of Anchor Point reported, “Weather was great.  A little colder than years past, slow in the morning, but it picked up in the afternoon.”

Winter conditions reappeared as snow began to fall at tournament headquarters by the Homer Deep Water Dock during the afternoon activities. The flurries did not deter the crowd of spectators from enjoying the music, beverages, food trucks and awards presentation.

Music from the Roland Roberts Band, based in Palmer, provided the musical backdrop for boats returning to the harbor after all lines were pulled out of the water at 4 p.m.

“First time I’ve been here,” said Ross Wolverton of Kenai. “I love energy like this.”

Richard Rogers from Kasilof, who competed on Southern Charm II, said, “You’ve got a gem of a tournament, it’s very well run.”

Sonja Franciscone of Homer, who had been on her family’s boat, Full Circle, said, “We had the best day. First time in the tournament on our boat. It was so much fun, an epic time.”

More than 30 local businesses and more than 50 volunteers helped make the tournament happen.  Ulmer’s Drug and Hardware and Honda Marine were co-presenting sponsors. The beer garden was sponsored by 907 Ammo, and Top of the Hour prize sponsor was Alaska Fishtopia. Sea Tow Southcentral Alaska provided the official tournament boat, keeping an eye on the anglers to make sure they operated safely and adhered to tournament rules.

The mission of the tournament when it first began, according to the Chamber, was “to let everybody know you can catch King Salmon in the bay 12 months a year.” The results show that year after year the tournament has proven not only that it can be done, but that it can be a wonderful experience.