PDA

View Full Version : Fishing Alaska with Dad.....



DocSpotty
09-21-2008, 12:34 AM
Finally had time to sit down and put something down about fishing last week. My father, who is 77, and 4 other friends flew up last week to fish for 4 days down on the Kenai peninsula (KP). These are some well to do business men who came up in one of their personal aircraft….a Pilatus. Due to this being their first trip to Alaska I had spent a great deal of time trying to make sure it would be a memorable experience. So, of course, the things you can’t control…..weather, water levels, and fish not being where they normally all…..all went south for this trip. But we did do some catching.

They came up on Monday so I went down to the KP Sunday evening to “scout the river” for them….it’s the story I told my wife and I’m sticking to it. I only had an hour to fish Sunday evening but started with one of the most beautiful dolly varden I have ever seen. Just unfortunate the fishes mouth is marred by the upper lip having been taken off by someone who previously caught the fish:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/QuartzSpawnDoll.jpg

Ran down into Soldotna and found the Bed&Breakfast I had booked for the trip. If you need a recommendation the HollyHouse was a very nice place to stay right on the Kenai River….George and Joanne Holly were great hosts. So after a good nights sleep I headed up early to see how Quartz Creek was fishing as the boys weren’t coming in until the afternoon. It was good fishing….about 15 or so dollies in 3 hours of fishing…no pics that morning. As I was heading back to town to meet the boys at the airport, I was driving on a just graded dirt road (they grade it once every 2 million years…just my luck) and hit a broken rock which ripped a 3 inch gash on the sidewall of one of my rear tires. At this point allow me a little digression to admonish all you travelers who are “off the beaten track” it is wise to check you spare equipment on occasion. In my case I hadn’t looked at it in 5 years and the locking key to unload the tire from my Explorer Sport (97) was nowhere to be found. By sheer luck I was just in cell phone range so I could call out. To make a long story….well longer….4 hours later, after a tow into Sterling (40 miles) and some slick mechanic magic and almost being eaten by a Rottweiler (another whole story) I was back on the road. Of course, in the meantime my father and friends had arrived at the Kenai Airport and were busy being lost trying to find the B&B. They found it about the time I arrived and settled in for the evening.

Tuesday morning arrived, as nearly all this miserable summer, with dark skies, no sun and off-and-on showers. We met the guides in town and drove to the Kenai River to float the Kenai Canyon. We launched at Jim’s Landing:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/BeginJims.jpg

My father and I:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/DadMe.jpg

Of course before we even launched I was in the water and drew first blood:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/FirstBlood.jpg

We knew the fishing might be tough as the Kenai River was running at nearly twice its normal rate this time of year…..extremely high water due to our endless rain this summer. We also had a poor sockeye run this year in the Kenai so there weren’t many reds around for the first several hours of the float…..no salmon laying eggs=very few trout around. Did manage a few:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/BigDollyRel.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/MeBow-3.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/DadKurtBrandon.jpg

This was my best rainbow of the day:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Bow3rdGate.jpg

Some of the normally sedate areas had some rough water:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Rapids.jpg

And, as always, the occasional sockeye is hooked and released:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Prettysalmon.jpg

As we got within a half mile of Skilak Lake, our end of fishing point, we stopped off for shore lunch (although it was nearly 4 pm) after taking one of the larger braids off the main river. Moving into the side water we spooked a rather large brown bear out of his favorite fishing hole….unfortunately he was too fast to get the camera on. But as the guides were cooking dinner we found this section of the river loaded with trout (and spawning reds):

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/ArdenBow.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/KurtDolly.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/DollyRelease.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/KurtBigDolly.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Dolly-1.jpg

One of our guides, Brandon, showed us the finer points of how to handle a large bow:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/th_ButterhandsBrandon.jpg (http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/?action=view&current=ButterhandsBrandon.flv)

Just after this I caught a nice bow and was trying to get a picture when he wriggled out of my hands back into the water. The silly thing swam right into the shallows against some grass…so I wandered over to see if I could grab him….he moved…..I reached….he moved…..I reached…..pretty soon I was scrambling down the bank for nearly 30 yards looking like a bear after a salmon…BUT I finally corralled him and got my picture then sent him on his way….Brandon was in hysterics and said that little visual was the most entertaining he had seen this year:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/CapturedBow.jpg

So after catching a herd of dollies and some bows, lunch was ready so we reluctantly put the rods down to eat fresh caught dolly varden:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/FreshDolly.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/ShoreLunch.jpg

The food was great and as everything was being cleaned up the others decided to just talk and let the food settle. Of course my fishing addiction won’t allow this so I was back on the rod and hit 5 dollies in about 10 casts…a little mini flurry of activity:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/DinnerDolly.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/DinnerDoll.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/MeDinnerDoll.jpg

We hopped in the drift boats and finished the last little bit of floating to find the wind howling down Skilak Lake making our trip across the lake impossible:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/TerribleSkilak.jpg

So we pulled up the mainstem and waited….the boys huddled in the boats….I got out and fished. Trying to cast in a heavy wind was entertaining and I smacked myself more than once in the back of the head with my weights….but I did catch a few more dollies. After a couple of hours the wind settled a bit and we made a break for it….was a pretty rocky ride:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/th_QueasyBoatRide.jpg (http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/?action=view&current=QueasyBoatRide.flv)

After about 40 minutes and rounding several points in the lake it was a bit calmer for the last 40 minutes of the ride to the take out. Along the way we spotted a sow black bear with two cubs…..

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/BlBearCubs.jpg

Finally, we arrived at the boat ramp very tired:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/TerraFirmaAtLast.jpg

By the time we drove back to our B&B the only thing open in town (most of the Kenai Peninsula rolls up and closes down after Labour Day) was Dairy Queen where we enjoyed a fabulous dinner and promptly hit the sack.

The boys were pretty pooped so the second day they decided to do a float on the nearby Kasilof River to try and catch some coho salmon a pretty mellow float. We saw several brownies working the salmon from shore. I only had one hit during the trip but was delighted my father hooked into four silvers:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/DadSilver.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/DadSilver2.jpg

About this time the other boat caught up with us. They had lost two silvers and caught and released several small steelhead. They looked TOTALLY excited:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/TotalExcitement.jpg

We continued on our way and Kurt got in on the action:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/KurtSilver.jpg

And as we were just about to the pull out my father got hit again by a small steelhead:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/DadSteelhead.jpg

After loading up we stopped at one of the guide’s houses to filet the salmon….a beautiful setting in the bushes:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/DennisRHouse2.jpg

The third morning dawned with almost decent weather predicted so we decided to try and make a dash out of Homer to try and catch some halibut. My dad….hating to be out on a choppy sea and prone to being seasick stayed in town and looked around. We arrived at the Homer boat harbour to some actual sunshine:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/HomerHarbour.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/RandaBoat.jpg

On the hour and half ride out we had a beautiful view of Mt. Illiamna.....one of the several active volcanoes in the Cook Inlet:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/MtIlliamna-1.jpg

The water wasn’t all that smooth but we got to where we intended and first set out to catch some kelp greenling for halibut bait:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/KelpGreenling.jpg

But there we no halibut to be had…didn’t catch a one…..first time I have ever been skunked halibut fishing. What we did catch was these miserable spiny dogfish which were everywhere and probably chased out the halibut:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/SpinyDogfish.jpg

Later we went in and jigged over a rocky area and caught a mess of black rockfish….very tasty….and also some small lingcod which were released. But due to the rough weather I had retired the camera at this point. The wind got really bad and we headed in getting absolutely pounded to death. My father had made a wise choice…..

The final morning for the boys we were floating the Kenai River again. But due to howling winds and rain we couldn’t float the canyon section but the upper section. This was done with just a few hundred of our closest friends…there were drift boats all over the place this day. And, much to everyone’s shock, I left my camera in the car and didn’t get any pictures. Fishing was okay….some nice dollies and a few rainbows. But we finished up early and headed back to Soldotna where they boys treated me to a very nice dinner.

On Saturday morning they were up early and I helped shuttle them off to the airport where their ride was waiting:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Loadingforhome.jpg

They were off but, of course, I had to fish my way back home…..stopping in at Quartz Creek for a 3 or 4 hours with the dollies. Saturday isn’t the best day as the water can get fairly crowded…for up here. But the morning was gorgeous:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/LastDaySunrise.jpg

And the beautiful dollies were willing…..I was field testing a new 6 wt flyrod which wasn’t completely done yet:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/PrettyDOll.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/QuartzSpawner-1.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/NiceDolly.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/CharcoalDolly.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/BlackDolly.jpg

By this time several other flyfishermen had arrived and were flaying the water so I decided to pack up and head home. As I was getting out of the river I was amazed at the patience of this father with all his munchkins fishing:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/QuartzKids.jpg

I couldn’t help but bark at a couple of flyfishermen who were making comments about the little kids being down there “thrashing” the water…..I reminded them the water belonged to all of us and we all had to start fishing sometime….they got the message and moved on.

My drive home was nice and I was pleasantly rewarded with scores from my football alma maters: USC: 35 Ohio St: 3 and BYU 59, UCLA 0 ….or something like that….a very nice trip……indeed.

Brian

SoCalGuy7
09-21-2008, 12:53 AM
Once again a remarkable post, and beautiful pictures....That sockeye has some mean looking teeth...:Applause:

SCG7

WARRIORMIKE
09-21-2008, 01:18 AM
Awesome Post:Cool:

I booking the next flight to Alaska :Wink:

DCCTrouserTrout
09-21-2008, 11:11 AM
Nice job as usual. I seem to get a little more jealous each time I read one of your reports.

tacklejunkie
09-21-2008, 11:40 AM
Nice job as usual. I seem to get a little more jealous each time I read one of your reports.
LOL, for reals! You are extremely lucky to have such beautiful waters holding simply amazing fish in your area. If I ever had the chance to catch 1% of the nice fish you've caught up there I'd be the happiest man alive!

Your postings put or small Socal ancient stocked wild fish to shame.

Troutman65
09-21-2008, 02:55 PM
Another Great report and pics. Thank you so much for sharing your fishing trips with us on FNN.:Big Grin::Cool::Envious: Glade you could fish with your Dad too.

Stay^Bent_524
09-26-2008, 02:32 PM
Wow that sounded like a great trip.. Beautiful fish you guys had there.. I was just wondering if you went fishing Yesterday... Because if you did I know your ride home must of BLOWN when you were hearing about you're Alma Mater (USC) losing to they mighty (UN-ranked) Oregan State Beavers... man was that ugly

Tight Lines, Stay^Bent

DocSpotty
09-26-2008, 10:32 PM
Stay Bent....hey, I'm a realist....the Beavs deserved that game from moment one. Sometimes I think Carol and his boys read their press clippings a bit too much. Everyone raved about Sanchez....well he still sucks in the clutch....it was an entertaining game...the Beavers have the Trojans number at home. Guess I will have to root now for my undergrad alma mater....Brigham Young. I love college football....all of it even if my boys lose. Should make things much more interesting now.

Hats off to the Beavers....

Brian

BassEngineer
09-26-2008, 10:48 PM
WOW!! Fantastic report and pics!! I thoroughly enjoyed all of it!

:Cold Fishing:

fishing_addict
09-26-2008, 11:46 PM
Great post and even greater fish!:Big Grin:

saintarv
09-27-2008, 12:09 AM
Another Great report and pics. Thank you so much for sharing your fishing trips with us on FNN.:Big Grin::Cool::Envious: Glade you could fish with your Dad too.


Ditto...........:LOL: