Kenai angler wins winter king tournament

Reeling in a 30.60-pound king salmon, Raymond B. Tepp of Kenai is the first-place winner in the 2014 Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament held Saturday. Fishing aboard his own boat, the Inlet Plunder, Tepp’s cash prize is $19,026.

A total 202 fish were caught by the 907 anglers participating in the one-day event that began with hooks in the water at 9 a.m. and ended with hooks out of the water by 4 p.m. This was the 21st Winter King Salmon Tournament sponsored by the Homer Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center.

The strong turnout this year topped the 700 fishermen that participated in 2013. Tepp’s salmon was a few pounds lighter than the 35.10-pound king salmon caught by last year’s tournament winner, Anchorage angler Leszek Kuligowski. However, the increased number of anglers meant Tepp took home a few more dollars than the 2013 first-place prize of $15,393.

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The top 10 anglers in Saturday’s tournament were:
• First place: Raymond B. Tepp, Kenai, 30.60-pound king salmon, $19.026;
• Second place: Eric Kjelland, Eagle River, 25.90-pound king salmon, $12,684;
• Third place: Jon Bartelds, Kenai, 25.70-pound king salmon, $9,966;
• Fourth place: Matt Hockema, Fritz Creek, 25.40-pound king salmon, $7,248;
• Fifth place: William Lancaster, Homer, 23.90-pound king salmon, $5,436;
• Sixth place: Brandon McCutcheon, Anchorage, 23.30-pound king salmon; $4.530;
• Seventh place: Matt Wasson, Anchorage, 23.20-pound king salmon, $3,624;
• Eighth place: Toras Fisk, Homer, 22.50-pound king salmon, $2,718;
• Ninth place: Steve Whiting, Anchorage, 22.20-pound king salmon, $1,812;
• Tenth place: Russell Geagel, Seldovia, 21.50-pound king salmon, $906.

Wylie Donich of Homer won the Bill Thompson Memorial Youth Award and $250 for catching the largest salmon by an angler younger than 18 years of age. Donich’s fish weighed 19.90 pounds.

Mark Bevans of Kenai reeled in the largest white winter king in the tournament, a 17.60-pound fish that was worth a cash prize of $250.

McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.