DocSpotty
09-01-2016, 09:10 PM
So I recently returned from my annual sojourn up to Alaska……for working purposes, of course. After my first few days of arduous labor I treated myself to a day fishing the Willow River with my friend Mike. The kings were up in good numbers and actively spawning so the rainbows were being frisky. These fish are so darn pretty, makes ya wanna cry:
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/1_zps7dpdc7ig.jpg (http://s76.photobucket.com/user/DocEsox/media/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/1_zps7dpdc7ig.jpg.html)
We got into good numbers of rainbows most in the 10-15 inch variety. I kept managing to farm all the bigger fish I hooked up…..getting old and slow and easily distracted…..what was I saying?? Anyway, after a while a nice little king scarfed up my offering and I was in for some fun for chasing him up and down. Just as I worked him into the shore a large dark shadow fell on me and a very large, juvenile bald eagle only missed me by a few feet as it took a swipe at the king……I nearly peed my waders. Then he hops into a tree 20 feet away and just stares at us:
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/2_zps3kkplfuy.jpg (http://s76.photobucket.com/user/DocEsox/media/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/2_zps3kkplfuy.jpg.html)
I gingerly landed my fish, snapped a pic and released it….the whole time with one eye centered on the eagle:
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/4_zpsrsfkisl4.jpg (http://s76.photobucket.com/user/DocEsox/media/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/4_zpsrsfkisl4.jpg.html)
As we continued downstream the audacious bird just glared straight down at us from about 10 feet up:
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/5_zpsww3an6ay.jpg (http://s76.photobucket.com/user/DocEsox/media/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/5_zpsww3an6ay.jpg.html)
Was hard to turn my back on him…..my only consolation was he probably wouldn’t try to eat me because I am too old and stringy. We kept picking up the occasional trout and I hooked into another “red” trout:
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/6_zpsugw9ccym.jpg (http://s76.photobucket.com/user/DocEsox/media/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/6_zpsugw9ccym.jpg.html)
Got into an area with several log jams and did pretty well on some nicer sized rainbows:
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/7_zpsvaeoa6vk.jpg (http://s76.photobucket.com/user/DocEsox/media/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/7_zpsvaeoa6vk.jpg.html)
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/8_zpsniinjjdk.jpg (http://s76.photobucket.com/user/DocEsox/media/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/8_zpsniinjjdk.jpg.html)
Mike ended up with on of the nicer bows on so I caught a little video:
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/th_9_zpsnj184na6.mp4 (http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/9_zpsnj184na6.mp4)
As you can tell from the video it was a bit rainy but who cares when the fishing is good? Finished the day with a couple of dozen rainbows and the two king salmon. Was a very nice start for my Alaskan work vacation.
Brian
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/1_zps7dpdc7ig.jpg (http://s76.photobucket.com/user/DocEsox/media/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/1_zps7dpdc7ig.jpg.html)
We got into good numbers of rainbows most in the 10-15 inch variety. I kept managing to farm all the bigger fish I hooked up…..getting old and slow and easily distracted…..what was I saying?? Anyway, after a while a nice little king scarfed up my offering and I was in for some fun for chasing him up and down. Just as I worked him into the shore a large dark shadow fell on me and a very large, juvenile bald eagle only missed me by a few feet as it took a swipe at the king……I nearly peed my waders. Then he hops into a tree 20 feet away and just stares at us:
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/2_zps3kkplfuy.jpg (http://s76.photobucket.com/user/DocEsox/media/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/2_zps3kkplfuy.jpg.html)
I gingerly landed my fish, snapped a pic and released it….the whole time with one eye centered on the eagle:
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/4_zpsrsfkisl4.jpg (http://s76.photobucket.com/user/DocEsox/media/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/4_zpsrsfkisl4.jpg.html)
As we continued downstream the audacious bird just glared straight down at us from about 10 feet up:
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/5_zpsww3an6ay.jpg (http://s76.photobucket.com/user/DocEsox/media/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/5_zpsww3an6ay.jpg.html)
Was hard to turn my back on him…..my only consolation was he probably wouldn’t try to eat me because I am too old and stringy. We kept picking up the occasional trout and I hooked into another “red” trout:
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/6_zpsugw9ccym.jpg (http://s76.photobucket.com/user/DocEsox/media/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/6_zpsugw9ccym.jpg.html)
Got into an area with several log jams and did pretty well on some nicer sized rainbows:
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/7_zpsvaeoa6vk.jpg (http://s76.photobucket.com/user/DocEsox/media/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/7_zpsvaeoa6vk.jpg.html)
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/8_zpsniinjjdk.jpg (http://s76.photobucket.com/user/DocEsox/media/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/8_zpsniinjjdk.jpg.html)
Mike ended up with on of the nicer bows on so I caught a little video:
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/th_9_zpsnj184na6.mp4 (http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/DocEsox/Alaska/2016/Willow%20721/9_zpsnj184na6.mp4)
As you can tell from the video it was a bit rainy but who cares when the fishing is good? Finished the day with a couple of dozen rainbows and the two king salmon. Was a very nice start for my Alaskan work vacation.
Brian