July 31, 2007

Hi All

 

Just would like to start with a little about my summer. I finally finished paving the driveway in May. It is very nice. A big help to keep dirt and dust down in the rooms. I've heard the M- 37 launch site is to be paved this season. That will help me out a lot when that project is complete. I have also done some painting of the overhangs and the doors jams of the Lodge in May. The place is looking better than ever. There is still always a project on the horizon but it feels very good to be 90 % done.

 

In June I looked up a customer, Pete Hodgman, and went up to Traverse City for some Carp fishing in the Traverse Bay. The timing was right and there were hundreds of fish around. We caught about 4 or 5 Carp each then we moved onto Small mouth Bass. The Bass fishing was much tougher on the numbers side of things and we didn't give any smallies a sore mouth that day.

 

I also had made time in May and June to spend a day or two each week trolling Lake Michigan with friends John Robinson and Sean Mc Donald. Sometimes we took my boat and sometimes we went in theirs. We had many good days out on the Big Lake and caught many, many Salmon, Steelies, and Lakers.

 

My wife Debi and I just came back from Alaska July 6 th.-- 22 nd.. We were there for 2 weeks. The first week was spent in the King Salmon area. There we stayed at Bear Trail Lodge ( beartraillodge.com) for 5 days and nights. I can HIGHLY recommend this lodge. The cabin and food was top notch. One day we were guided for King Salmon and Sockeye.The next 3 days we fished on our own with one of there jet sleds. On the last day we flew in a float plane to Brooks Falls on the Brooks River to see all the Bears and do a little fishing.

 

The King fishing was very good in the Neknak River right in front of the lodge. We also fished Big Creek for the Kings and had success there as well. Miles up river on the Naknek we caught our fill of fresh Sockeye one after another. We hit the Sockeye run just right this year. There were guys that had been staying at Bear Trail for many years and had never had it so good.

 

 On the Brooks River the Sockeye fishing was just as stupid easy one after another until my rod broke. I really wanted to get into some good Rainbows at Brooks river but the Sockeye run fixed that. I also fished King Salmon Creek above the bridge in hopes of some good Rainbows but no luck all I saw was Kings and Dolly's. So the next time I make it out to AK fishing it will be for the Trophy Rainbows I know the rivers hold.

 

The next week we went to Anchorage and rented a car for the week. The first day was spent in Whittier on a glacier cruise. On the cruise you see some marine life but mostly glaciers. We stayed the night at the Whittier Inn. Whittier is a beautiful location surrounded by waterfalls and glaciers. You drive thru a 3 mile tunnel and you pop out and there you are surrounded by snow caped mountains in a very deep cove. Almost everything shipped by sea to Anchorage comes in by this port and railed or trucked in. This is the closest port and also home to Princess Cruise Ships. Most people are bussed or trained in from Anchorage airport to the ship. As we stared up at this ship we tried to guess how many thousands of rooms there must be on that ship.

 

On our way to Seward we hit a wildlife rescue center. Tthey have herds of  Alaska's big game species Muskox, Caribou, Moose, Bears, Bison, Elk etc...So we stopped by made and donation for the animals care took a few closeup pictures and kept traveling. We checked into Seward at the Harbor View Inn. Then went onto Alaska's Sealife Center in Seward. It was neat to see Alaska's sealife/ birds up close.

 

The next day we went onto another cruise both were with Major Marine Tours. This one is more wildlife with some glaciers. We found and photographed Humpback Wales, Sea lions, Transit Killer Wales (Orcas) , Dalls Porpoises, Harbor Seals and many types of birds. Both cruises had a nice lunch with all you can eat prime rib and salmon , rice, salad, and desert. Then it was off to Homer. On the way we stopped by to get another fishing fix I needed.

 

So we stopped by the Russian River that flows into the Keni River. That was a waste of time and $ 8 bucks. It was like a circus instead of clowns it was fly fishermen flogging the water. I could almost understand it if there were fish everywhere but I never saw one in the water or on a line. A hour is all I could stand."Calgon take me away" or sceaming " Serenity Now ! Serenity Now ! " was all I could think. I'm sure that river holds some great fishing but not where we went or during the peak tourist season.

 

 The Russian and Upper Keni will be another 2 or 3 day stop next time I go to AK . I tried to hire a guide a week before we went to this area but everyone was booked ( just like here peak season) not a big surprise. I did manage to hire a guide for the Kasilof River for a day of Salmon fishing later in the week after Homer.

 

In Homer not to much going on there but Halibut fishing. We were going to try Halibut fishing but while in AK. I tried Halibut 3 different times made by chief's that know how to make it and it never thrilled/ wowed me. I will take our Blue Gills , Perch, Walleye any day over Halibut. I did finally get my fishing fix in the Anchor River. There below Anchor Point we tied into Kings, Sockeye, Dolly's and even a Rainbow or two. The pressure there wasn't to bad just a few guys around with plenty of fish to catch.

 

In Homer we stayed 2 nights at the Ocean Inn. We saw some Moose, Black Bear and Eagles are like rats there everywhere. We went down to the Homer Spit and shopped around and seen all the Halibut and Ling Cod at the docks being cleaned. After that we took a road out of town for a drive along a scenic road that went up in the hills and you could see the whole town and the bay.We turned around at a sign that said you need chains beyond this point. We found a great pizza/ Italian place called "Fat Olives" and beware of the "Caribou Cafe" way to much of a greasy spoon.

 

On our ride to Solodonta we paid for the visit to that cafe. We checked into the Best Western for our last 2 nights. We meet our guide at the Kasilof River early the next mourning for Kings. We used a guide from Smok'in Joe's Outfitter's. Ron was our guide we had many kings on but only 3 to the boat. The best King of the trip was 35 Lbs. that I landed there. I tried to get a trip on the Lower Keni ( all booked up ) for the famed largest king fishery with a 97 lb. world record. Last week on the Keni a 77 lb. King Salmon was caught by a lady. Ron had a client enter a 43 lb King in the fishing derby on the Kasilof the week before we got there and it still was the top fish when we left. 

 

Then it was back to Anchorage and our trip home. I have been back since the 23rd. I have had a busy week catching up on bus. and have had a few guide trips for trout along with some fishing on Lake Michigan with friends. I will say we had a great trip to Alaska but it is good to be home.

 

 I will say this about how they run there guide services. Very different than ours here in Michigan. First, they mix groups commonly out there in the same boat.. up to 4 clients. This didn't ruin the trip but was not a added bonus. No lunch provided (hot or cold) and much, much more money than here in Michigan. We had a OK time on our trips but thier guide services doesn't hold a candle to the service we provide here in Michigan.

 

 I have been on guided trips in Florida flats fishing for Reds,Snook,Trout,Tarpon,Permit, and Bones, in Tennessee Trout and Striper fishing , and in Wyoming for Trout and have yet had a hot lunch made for me on the water's visited. I will say, at least they didn't throw a couple other people you didn't know in the boat with you. Then you get to share the fish with them to boot so you get to fight & land 1/2 the amount of fish hooked on the trip.

 

One last thing I learned is the is only one rod per person in Alaska( AK Laws). Here it is common to have 2 flies on a single fly rod, or 2 lines in the water on inland lakes trolling, or ice fishing and up to 3 lines per person on the Great Lakes. It was weird seeing these big boats going out into the ocean with only 6 rods in the boat and only 2 or 4 rod holders total. I have 8 on my little 17 ' boat here.

On the trips we went on, the boats were nice and the guides were nice. It was just a eye opener to see how they do things and the different rules in there waters. You will find differences any where you go it would just have been nice to know some of this going in. I'm not just writing this to gripe but to hopefully inform others possibly headed that way in the future. I know I learned a few things and will be booking my guided trips more carefully in the future out there in AK and else where asking a few more questions.