If the mechanic fueling the plane or working on its engine has pink-handled tools, is wearing lip gloss, has hair pulled back in a ponytail and has a flashing smile, chances are it's Toni Breese.

"A lot of people are caught off guard by the girl in overalls with lip gloss and a pink Snap-on screwdriver in her pocket heading out on the ramp to fuel their plane," said Breese, 34, who has heard others describe her as a "girly girl."

The days to fish are fewer, but the ways to win have grown by thousands.

In past years, the Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby, an event sponsored by the Homer Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, began May 1 with anglers continuing to drop their hooks in area waters in hopes of snagging a winning fish until the end of September. This year, however, the derby begins May 15 — Tuesday — and ends mid September.

A 34.85-pound king salmon caught off the bluff put a smiling Emmitt Trimble of Homer in the winner’s seat of Sunday’a 2012 Homer Winter King Tournament, sponsored by the Homer Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center.

Fishing on the Serenity, co-captained by Trimble’s son-in-law Aaron Isenhour, Trimble’s winnings total $9,954, plus additional side bets. The side bet results won’t be official until later in the week.

Trimble and Isenhour whooped and hollered when the weigh-in station scales at Coal Point Trading Company hit the 34.85-pound mark.

It’s been 17 years since Matt Alward did his first for-hire work on nets. Today, Alward owns and operates Bulletproof Nets and, with the help of an eight-10 person crew, keeps a steady flow of work — seine nets to be built and repaired — coming in and out of his shop in Northern Enterprises’ boatyard.

“What is it about nets that’s fascinating? It’s challenging. Just tying nets is pretty boring, but the whole art of building a net is really interesting,” said Alward.