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Volume 10 • Issue 2 www.aksportingjournal.com PUBLISHER James R. Baker GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott EDITOR Chris Cocoles WRITERS Paul D. Atkins, Christopher Batin, Tony Ensalaco, Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Jeff Lund, Mike Lunde, Bixler McClure, Krystin McClure, N.J. Milliken SALES MANAGER Katie Higgins

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CONTENTS

VOLUME 10 • ISSUE 2

45 SPEARING YOUR SUPPER Alaska isn’t exactly a diving destination – if you haven’t heard, the water’s pretty cold – yet in saltwater locations like Resurrection Bay on the Kenai Peninsula, there is just as much scenery below as there is above the surface. Tote along a spear gun like our Bixler and Krystin McClure and you can bag some tasty rockﬁsh while exploring this underwater playground.

(BIXLER MCCLURE)

FEATURES 23

’DOOR-BUSTING TIPS AND TACTICS The tug-of-war between angler and giant Alaska halibut is not for the faint of heart, but with multiple derbies taking place around the state, landing a barndoor-sized ﬂatﬁsh could score you some summer swag. Longtime halibut whisperer John Beath discusses top gear and techniques for cashing in with correspondent Chris Batin.

WHEN PIKE STRIKE In a state with so many salmon runs, other species get overlooked. Pike flourish in some of the same waters, like Bristol Bay’s iconic Nushagak River. Scott Haugen was fishing for Chinook when he took a break to cast lures for a hard-fighting “water wolf.” Find out from Haugen why even a diehard salmon fisherman should consider changing it up a little in our From Field to Fire column, including a pickled pike recipe from chef and sportswoman Tiffany Haugen.

CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK Eli Atkins’ dad Paul is no stranger to chasing Alaskan adventure, so it’s not only natural that young Eli is just as eager to get outside and ﬁsh or hunt alongside his pops. The Kotzebue-based boys head down to Kamishak Bay near the Alaska Peninsula for a boat-based rockﬁsh and bear hunting cast-and-blast outing and outdoor bonding.

107 ZEROING IN ON A BRUIN Jeff Lund had the beast in sight, but the veteran Southeast Alaska hunter couldn’t get himself set up in time to get a good shot off on the black bear. Undaunted, he and a hunting partner had another chance and yet another, but when he finally got off a shot, it too missed the mark. Would Lund finally break through and fill his tag when yet another bruin appeared?

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 41 55 71 121

Valdez summer derby preview Taking it all in on the Situk River Fishing stoneﬂies for Arctic grayling Traveling by air in the Last Frontier

DEPARTMENTS 17 21 21 115

Editor’s Note Protecting Wild Alaska: Bacterium detected in big game Outdoor calendar Big Game Focus: Wolves

Alaska Sporting Journal is published monthly. Call Media Inc. Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Inc. Publishing Group and will not be returned. Annual subscriptions are $29.95 (12 issues) or $39.95 (24 issues). Send check or money order to Media Inc. Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Ave South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168 or call (206) 382-9220 with VISA or M/C. Back issues may be ordered at Media Inc. Publishing Group, subject to availability, at the cost of $5 plus shipping. Copyright © 2018 Media Inc. Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in U.S.A. 12

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Jordan Thomas shows off his 132-pound halibut, which won the Palmer resident $1,000 for the biggest ﬁsh weighed at the Valdez Halibut Hullabaloo derby. (VALDEZFISHDERBIES.COM)

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remember one of the first times I realized that we lose more than we win was on our sixth-grade class fishing trip. I grew up just south of San Francisco and we spent a day at an urban lake in the city, Lake Merced. Our teacher announced some kind of prize for whoever caught the biggest trout (I’m too old to remember what the swag was). I ended up getting skunked that day and went home without any of the winner-gets-the-spoils reward for what was probably a 12-inch planted rainbow. Since then I haven’t entered any fishing contests (my awards are mostly limited to a high school essay that was recognized at some luncheon and winning my hometown’s local Punt, Pass and Kick contest). Of all the times I’ve fished I’ve never entered my name in a derby. But it’s quite a lot of fun to envision landing that $500 tagged trout or weighing in a fat bass that ate a swimbait. And visitors and locals alike in Alaska know what’s at stake when they enter one of several derbies that take place throughout the summer. From the Seward Silver Salmon Derby (Aug. 1119) to the Ketchikan Charr King Salmon Tournament (Aug. 1819), the state has plenty of events to enter. And as you’ll find in our preview of Valdez’s various events in the next couple months (page 41), there are plenty of awards available, thanks to generous sponsor donations. Valdez considers its derbies an opportunity to showcase this fishing-mad port city in the northeast corner of Prince William Sound. “We have a lot of RV parks here, and a lot of people will come up from Florida just to fish the salmon and they’ll be here for a month,” says Laurie Prax, who runs the Valdez derby lineup. “And so it’s home away from home.” Sounds like something I may need to do sometime and maybe avenge my fiasco back in elementary school. -Chris Cocoles

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PROTECTING

WILD ALASKA

RESPIRATORY BACTERIUM DETECTED IN ALASKA BIG GAME BY CHRIS COCOLES

study determined that caribou could be carrying bacterium that veterinarians thought was host-restricted to sheep and goats. Respiratory bacteria Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae – known as Movi – was detected in seemingly healthy moose and caribou in Alaska, among other big game animals that are carrying it in the Lower 48. Worse yet, veterinarians did a necropsy on a dead Fortymile Herd caribou and ruled that bronchopneumonia was the cause of death but that Movi was also found in the analysis. Lung samples from the animal were taken at the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Pullman, Washington. “This is the ﬁrst case where Movi has been implicated in respiratory disease in Alaska,” said Bruce Dale, who’s director of the Alaska Division of Wildlife Conservation, in an Alaska Department of Fish and Game press release. “These are novel ﬁndings of this organism, not only in species that are not related to sheep or goats, but also that it was found in apparently disease-free moose and caribou,” added ADFG veterinarian Dr. Kimberlee Beckmen, who

A respiratory bacterium known as Movi has been detected in more and more big game animals in Alaska, including a deceased Fortymile Herd caribou, though it’s uncertain if the bacterium contributed to the animal’s death. (ZAC RICHTER/ NATIONAL PARK SERVICE)

co-authored a paper on the ﬁndings along with Dr. Margaret Highland. Other strains of Movi were detected in a Montana bison, a New Mexico mule deer and a sickly whitetail deer in a Midwest state. “Movi is considered a pathogen because it impairs hosts’ respiratory cilia from clearing bacteria that enter the lungs normally at each breath,” ADFG reported. “It has been linked to sporadic pneumonia outbreaks in Lower 48 bighorn sheep. The pathogen does not pose a health risk to humans.” At least for now, Dale pointed out that the discovery of Movi in a caribou or any other animal doesn’t necessari-

ly mean the creature is or is destined to get sick. But it’s one of about 100 Mycoplasma species in existence that could affect game like caribou, wild sheep, mountain goats and moose in Alaska (11 of about 440 caribou and moose were found to be carrying Movi bacterium). “Evidence suggests that virulence – the ability to infect and cause disease – varies between Movi strains,” ADFG reported. “The ability of Movi to cause pneumonia is impacted by the presence of other pathogens, as well as multiple stressors including poor nutritional condition (as was the case with this caribou) and/or environmental factors such as extreme weather.” ASJ

OUTDOOR CALENDAR July 4 July 21-Sept. 2 July 21 July 27 Aug. 11 Aug. 11-19 Aug. 17-19 Aug. 18-19 Aug. 22-24

Mount Marathon Race, Seward; mmr.seward.com Valdez Silver Salmon Derby; valdezfishderbies.com Valdez Kid’s Pink Salmon Derby; valdezfishderbies.com First Valdez Big Prize Friday King Salmon Tournament; valdezfishderbies.com/silver-derby/big-prize-fridays Valdez Women’s Salmon Derby, valdezfishderbies.com/womens-derby Seward Silver Salmon Derby; seward.com/welcome-to-seward-alaska/seward-silver-salmon-derby-august Golden North Salmon Derby, Juneau; goldennorthsalmonderby.com First weekend of Ketchikan Charr King Salmon Tournament; ketchikancharrsalmonderby.com Kenai River Classic, krsa.com aksportingjournal.com | JULY 2018

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BUSTING BARNDOORS TIPS FOR WINNING ALASKA’S SUMMER HALIBUT DERBIES BY CHRISTOPHER BATIN

hen I have accompanied my Uncle Bob to buy bait for our fishing trips to Lake Erie, it was hard to ignore all the colorful lottery signs plastered outside the smalltown bait shops we shopped at. Uncle Bob instructed me on his opinions about all things as part of my upbringing as a hunter and angler. One of his Uncle Bob-isms was his opinion on lottery gambling. “Christopher, the lottery is a tax on the ignorant,” he said. “If you are going to gamble, at least have the odds in your favor and do so from a position of knowledge rather than chance.” I have remembered that phrase all my life, much to the disappointment of casino owners in Las Vegas, where I have yet to gamble. Instead, I have embraced gambling of a different sort, a life of calculated risks such as rowing across Cook Inlet in a two-man inflatable boat, surviving a boat sinking off Kodiak Island, and taking on a professional lifestyle of fishing and hunting in Alaska. But if I was ever to gamble for prize money, it would be from a position of knowledge, as Uncle Bob suggested, and it would be in one of Alaska’s many halibut derbies. The prizes offered by Alaska’s coastal cities are head-turners and worthy of the effort. For instance, Homer is offering $25,000 and $1,000 tagged fish prizes, or $5,000 for the largest fish and $1,000 on down, plus prizes, for daily and weekly wins. Valdez offers $10,000 for the largest halibut and other great cash and gear prizes. Other cities offer equally impressive awards. My rationale for embracing this type of gambling is that my chances of success might be better than average because I know my quarry. I co-authored

Want to catch a giant halibut that wins a bunch of money in one of summer’s halibut derbies? John Beath (shown here measuring a 200-pounder caught on a glow squid) is the right brain to pick. (JOHN BEATH)

the best-selling How to Catch Trophy Halibut with Terry Rudnick, and I have spent a career watching how halibut strike lures and baits through underwater observation and filming with halibut expert John Beath. I fish halibut a lot and catch and release plenty of large fish that would be winners if I had purchased a derby ticket. Yet what I do is small potatoes compared to Beath. Few people can talk halibut better than Beath, better known as “The Halibut Professor” (and a former contributor Alaska Sporting Journal). We focused on our respective interests years ago,

me moving away from halibut and focusing on salmon and trout, Beath on marine salmon and halibut. Beath has revolutionized how anglers ﬁsh for halibut and is the person who comes up most in internet searches on this sportﬁsh. His knowledge comes from decades of experience on the water. He’s an award-winning outdoor writer, guide and researcher. “It was a time when salmon numbers were starting to dwindle in the marine sport catch, and anglers began turning to halibut so they could enjoy success on the water,” he recalled. “I started to

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sell two or three products in conjunction with the halibut seminars I was giving at the time, and it grew from there.” Over the years, I’ve observed Beath give superb halibut seminars that have wowed packed crowds around the country. The reason is obvious. Each presentation is filled with science and easy-to-understand graphics from his decades of fishing waters from Washington to Alaska, where he works as a fishing guide during the summer. He does so not primarily for the income but rather to field-test his lures and theories on halibut and salmon fishing. You can see the result of his and his wife Lois’ work at their websites, halibut.net – Beath started it in 1999 – and squidlures.com. Diehard halibut anglers know of Beath, who delights in telling the tale of making a visit to a Norway marine tackle shop that sells halibut gear. One of the proprietors approached him hesitantly and said in broken English, “You John Beath, the Halibut Professor.” Marketing expertise and credibility doesn’t get any better than that. I’ll say this much: I was first a skeptic over a few of his lures and tackle. Today, there are select lures and attractor devices that I won’t go halibut fishing without, because I’ve seen their effectiveness repeatedly on the water. I’ve also heard countless people visit our shared sport show booth and give in-person testimonials about the fish they’ve caught with his products. It’s truly marvelous to behold. I was truly convinced when I saw the lures and attractors produce fish repeatedly during the research and underwater filming stage of our video, Underwater Secrets of Halibut, Rockfish and Lingcod. Twenty years later, his observations and products have withstood the test of time. When Beath talks halibut people listen, and that includes me. If I were going to enter a derby, I’d first contact Beath for inside information to give me that competitive edge. John and I talk halibut throughout the year in casual conversation as one would talk about the Super Bowl or politics. Our recent conversations – in person at the Northwest Outdoor Writers Conference in Choteau, Montana, as well as 24

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

regularly over the phone – is a symposium of halibut-speak. I encourage you to follow Uncle Bob’s advice and use this information to better prepare you to take a chance at winning one or more prizes this year in one of many Alaska halibut derbies. Since Beath is remote guiding in Alaska at this time and pretty much out of touch, here is an abbreviated transcript of a recent discussion we had on how you can win big prizes this year in one of Alaska’s halibut derbies.

Christopher Batin John, as with any big expedition, preparation is key to catching a derby-winning halibut. How do you prepare to catch trophy halibut that may reach 300 pounds? John Beath I come up with a strategy that first includes reviewing old logbooks, catch records and photos to see what myself and others have done. I focus on the tides, current and weather on those days that I have had good catches, and I also examine the common denominators such as tides and currents that contributed to those successes. Here’s the kicker where most anglers go wrong: They focus just on the tides and ignore the current speed, because historically it was difficult to obtain this information. Today, technology comes to the rescue. There are several online resources I like that provide current information. The Real Tides GPS app and DeepZoom.com offer all the info, hydrographic maps and current flow data you need for anywhere you fish. Most anglers want to know, say, that high tide is at 1 p.m. Well, that is good to know, because halibut may be approaching an area at high tide to begin feeding. But knowing the high tide is at 1 p.m. says nothing about what the current is doing. In your area, the current could be running heavy for a variety of reasons, even when slack tide is listed for the area. In short, get to know the specific details for the specific area you are fishing. This type of information helps you pinpoint the best places to find trophy halibut. CB I know that fishing conditions such as tidal flow can change suddenly and I want to be ready for them to maximize my chances on the water. Our

JULY 2018 | aksportingjournal.com

Beath is an advocate of using a large bait for halibut, such as a pink salmon head that’s impaled on 20/0 hook. (JOHN BEATH)

fishing research over the years shows the advantage of keeping several rods rigged with different lures or baits that work best for various types of current flow. I personally hate to waste valuable time changing and retying rigs once a tidal change has taken place, or while drifting over new types of structure with varying current flows, such as riplines or backwater eddies off points and dropoffs. I’ve caught big halibut in shallow water, including a 70-pounder caught in 16 feet of water. Shallow water is where forage fish take refuge for the same reasons halibut go there: to get out of the heavy current. Both halibut and forage find relative safety in shallow weedbeds. They don’t need to expend energy fighting the current, and can feed without expending much

This pink salmon head is dwarfed in the mouth of this slab-sided halibut Beath caught. Note the 20/0 circle hook, hooked in the corner of its mouth and partially removed by the author to show the barb of the hook. (JOHN BEATH)

effort. How do you find shallow-water hotspots that big halibut prefer? JB Strong or heavy current always makes it harder to fish, which is another reason to fish shallow. Here’s my rule: When you have extreme currents, like those found at times in Cook Inlet, fish shallow water that offers some type of structure that halibut prefer. This can be pockets of weedbeds, sloping gravel bars on the backside of islands or moving tidal rips. When the current is slower, it’s time to go deep. A favorite hotspot for big fish is shallow-water kelp beds that border a dropoff sporting a fast current. This is a front door for deepwater halibut to access shallow water feeding and safety, plus the subcurrents on an outgoing tide suck food out of the weedbeds to halibut waiting along the deeper contours bordering the weedbed. CB Good points, John! I also found big halibut where feed is dominant. You’ll recall fishing with Steve Ranney at Orca Adventure Lodge (orcaadventurelodge. com), which showed us nonstop halibut fishing for 50- to 100-pound fish off the sloping gravel bars near Kayak Island. The halibut we caught had their stomachs bulging with walnut-sized crabs, a lure Ranney uses regularly there. The water is only 60 to 90 feet deep, but the current is horrendous most of the time. It taught me to always look for gravel, sandy bays near where these 26

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small crabs are abundant, especially when they border deepwater habitat, and knowing when to fish, based on current, rather than slack tide times. I also like deep-water pinnacles out in the Gulf of Alaska, where a rocky point rises out of 300-plus feet of water. It’s a place with multiple species of fish, including halibut, rockfish and lingcod, plus a variety of baitfish. It’s a simple matter of jigging my favorite 16-ounce “Batin Bouncer” jig and Trophy Tail to catch big fish. You’ve also seen me “walk the dog” while fishing on anchor in a heavy tidal flow on the mud flats out of Seldovia. Depending on the current, I’ll use an 8- to 16-ounce leadhead, tipped with a squid or twister tail and a chunk of bait, and longline it in the tide. I’ll longline the jig into the current, letting out line to keep the lure swimming just above bottom. When the current raises the jig more than 4 feet above bottom, I let out more line to get it back in the strike zone. When I reach 80 to 100 yards out, I’ll reel in and restart the procedure. I’ve caught fish to 125 pounds with this technique when other anglers were having trouble holding bottom right under the boat. Best of all, if we are chumming, the fish are following the current and they see my lure/bait before getting to the gauntlet of baits below the boat, giving me first crack at any large fish moving in. Sounds unfair, but when

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fishing from a charter boat, you do whatever it ethically takes to get to that big fish first. It’s competition.

CB This brings up another point that you like to mention in your seminars. People think that halibut are bottom feeders, and that they’ll hit most anything you toss down there. What is your view? JB Halibut can be very selective in what they are feeding on, and at other times they’ll feed with wild abandon. You can have six different baits fished by six different anglers on a boat and one guy will invariably outfish the others, because whatever he is using is what halibut want that particular day, tide or current, much like the crabs you were mentioning earlier. But let me refine this more since we are focusing on catching trophy fish. With pink salmon entering coastal waters in July, one of the best baits an angler can use is a pink salmon head and entrails or belly strip. Two years ago, another guide and myself had the day off. We chose to fish in shallow water, and we had just a bit of current. We had a 125-pound halibut swim in and inhale all of our baits in a matter of seconds. My hook pulled loose, but the other two anglers simultaneously fought the fish to gaff. We were all using pink salmon heads. Of course, a pink head may not be as effective off the Continental Shelf com-

pared to a shallow bay with a stream that is ﬂushing spawned-out pinks into a bay with a tidal change. But I’ve caught big halibut on heads miles from any spawning stream. Fresh bait is best. When the herring run is in full swing in early spring, halibut prefer the big horse herring, which is a good year-round bait to use.

CB Many charter skippers use octopus for bait, because unlike herring, it’s so difficult to strip from a hook. Are the octopus and squid baits that so many charter boat operations use that effective? Or should anglers bring their own bait such as pink heads or the brined herring that you describe in the halibut DVD as a backup? JB From personal experience, octopus is the least effective bait for me. I recall a study where a variety of baits were used for halibut, and octopus was the least effective. Halibut really like pollock and arrowtooth flounder, but as a food fish, they may be illegal to use in some area. Squid is good, but fresh squid is almost impossible to keep on a hook because it tears so easily. This is why I designed our squid lures, which imitate the real thing. Squid is a superb bait, and I’ve observed that the first thing a fish focuses on when eating a squid are the tentacles. They get eaten first

ALASKA’S TOP HALIBUT DERBIES THIS SUMMER What Valdez Halibut Derby When Now through Sept. 2 The skinny Tickets cost $10 a day or $50 for an all-season pass. Prizes include $10,000 cash grand prize for the largest halibut, $3,000 cash for second and $1,500 for third (see page 41 for more details). Contact info valdezfishderbies.com What Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby When Now through Sept. 15 The skinny Daily tickets cost $10, with multiple prizes including special tagged fish worth as much as $25,000, monthly prize awards and a jackpot prize of $5,000 (plus 50 cents per ticket sold) for the biggest fish of the season. Contact info homeralaska.org/jackpot-halibut-derby What Seward Halibut Tournament When Just completed, but normally runs throughout June Contact info halibut.seward.com ASJ

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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A pink salmon head, including an appetizing outer layer of humpy guts and eggs, impaled on a 20/0 circle hook, may not be too appealing to us, but it’s highly palatable to huge halibut. Fish it a few feet off bottom, and when the ﬁsh takes the bait, wait until the rod bends down, lift up the rod and start reeling slowly. (JOHN BEATH)

or nipped at by smaller fish. A tentacle-less bait has almost no appeal to a larger fish that may come in. An effective squid bait must have tentacles. In Alaska saltwater, most everything eats squid, from baitfish to salmon to halibut and whales. This is why I have spent years fine-tuning and developing my squid baits. It doesn’t take much design effort to make the tentacles open and close like a real squid. It’s this action that entices a halibut or a salmon to hit a squid, much like a cut-plug action of herring imitates a wounded fish and an easy meal. Another thing that triggers strikes, especially down deep, is the bioluminescence of squid, which allows them to glow in the dark. My squid baits also glow in the dark, thanks to a small light stick that is easily inserted into the squid’s center. When squid change colors and bioluminescence, it triggers a predatory instinct in fish to feed. The special UV and other pigments we blend into our squids allow this to happen, often better than the real thing in nature!

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CB As with any angler who has a fave lure that is fished regularly, you know that I’m deadly with a 16-ounce Batin Bouncer or a leadhead rigged with a white, glow or black Alaska Angler Trophy Tail. I know the lures I designed and fish them very well. But I also have a bait rig on a separate rod in que that’s ready to fish, because at times even the largest halibut are finicky and don’t want to hit a jig. A slip-sinker rig works best for me at these times and I know that is how you fish your pink salmon head rig. How do you fish your slip-sinker rig? JB Because I fish clients in July and August, during the peak of the pink runs I personally use a 20/0 circle hook for trophy halibut, but no smaller than a 16/0. Be sure that you hook the pink head up through the bottom jaw and continue up through nose. It’s the most solid way to keep the bait hooked. I have a Bright Bite slider rig prepackaged with a 16/0 hook and swivel for attaching a weight. I use as light a weight as possible to get the rig to the bottom. This can range from 8 ounces to

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

32 ounces. Once on bottom, bring it up 4 feet and stop. If there is some wave action, ﬁne. Just leave the rod in the holder and allow the boat to work the bait in a gentle up-and-down motion.

CB You and I have ﬁshed for years with various squid colors, with each of us having our favorites. Mine is the UV or ultraviolet squid, because it does have a bioluminescent glow to it and it catches more ﬁsh for me in all conditions. What are your favorite colors for trophy halibut, especially when they are down deep, where there is no visible light? JB If going below 250 feet, go with the Glo-Squid. Natural squid color, believe it or not, also works well at this depth. Like you mentioned, the UV is a good color for all depths, including those 250-plus-foot depths, because UV light is still penetrating the water column and activating the pigments in the lure, which makes it glow, even when there is no other visible light at that depth. I think all the colors we stock have their applications, which is why I include

JULY 2018 | aksportingjournal.com

them in our inventory. But if I had to boil my selection down to two favorite colors, it would be the white and the glow squid. I manufacture the white squid to contain a glow element to it. Most clients prefer the 7.5-inch size, which is good for allaround ﬁshing conditions.

CB I know you manufacture and use spreader bars, which is where we part company. I just don’t like how they feel, but you believe otherwise. Why? JB Well, you have spent decades fishing for halibut and know how to crawl or feel your lure or bait on a standard slip-sinker rig over bottom without getting snagged. Most anglers don’t have the luxury of our experience, which is why I recommend and use spreader bars. I use spreader bars because of added visibility from the fluorescent tubing on both arms, which help attract fish. The upper arm of the bar keeps the 18to 24-inch leader from tangling with the main line on the drop-down or while raising and lowering the rig. With the weight attached to the vertical bar with a snap-away sinker attachment, the rig

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

makes it easy for anglers to drift over rocks and snags, as the bar is virtually snag-free. But mostly, the spreader bar creates a pivot point, which allows the squid to swim freely, which is very tantalizing to any big halibut. To spice things up, I often add a hookless salmon spoon to the terminal end of the spreader bar, plus a Trophy Torch, one of my underwater lights, to the rig. This makes the rig highly visible in deepwater or plankton-bloom conditions. Whether drifting or worked in the current, this rig offers visibility, action, sound and scent to make it perhaps the most effective rig any angler can use to catch a trophy halibut.

CB Wow, you convinced me to give them another try. But you mentioned underwater lights. In helping with our halibut research, I recall using a variety of lights, from chemical lights and water-activated to your AA-battery powered Trophy Torches, which shine the brightest and are good down to 2,000 feet. We used a Trophy Torch to help catch that 125-pounder we captured taking the

This halibut was caught on a standard fluorescent pink and white hoochie, fished reverse style to allow the tentacles to flutter more enticingly in the current. When fished with a piece of bait, the rig, which resembles a squid or octopus, is deadly on all halibut. (JOHN BEATH)

bait in our Underwater Secrets DVD. Seeing that Trophy Torch spotlight that bait at 315 feet, where we could see nothing but the rotating herring and the Trophy Torch. Watching that big halibut dart and inhale the bait made me a believer in

using underwater lights. JB I’ve had hundreds of customers tell me that they had the only underwater light on the boat, and caught all the fish on the days they fished. What can I say? Underwater lights produce fish.

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CB What about tackle for trophy halibut? What do you use? JB I use 80-pound braided line. It offers the best strength with the smallest diameter, so the current doesn’t lift my rig off the bottom, which is often the case when using 100-pound test and larger lines. I use a Fat Squid Mighty Mite Sensi-Flex rod, capable of fishing weights from 6 to 48 ounces. At 4 feet, it’s a short rod that is easy to fish all day because it weighs only 13.6 ounces, due to its carbon and fiberglass blend and five premium ALPS guides. A short rod is perfect for fishing metal jigs or 16- to 32-ounce leadheads. The lure angler knows immediately that with a short rod, it doesn’t take as much effort to jig or lift lures compared to a longer rod. When you have a hit, the shorter rod with a solid backbone allows for an immediate hookset. I do prefer the longer Sensi-Flex rods when bait fishing, as halibut tend to mouth the bait, and a limber tip and longer rod gives me the advantage in detecting a take.

“When ﬁshing large baits for big halibut, the angler must be mentally prepared at times to go home with no halibut,” Beath says. “This doesn’t mean he is a bad angler. It’s just the way it is. Big ﬁsh take an investment of time and effort.” (JOHN BEATH)

CB What are some of the mistakes anglers make when fighting a derby-winning halibut? I know that not setting the hook hard enough and not sharpening hooks are two weak links. JB Yes to both of those. Anglers also lose far too many fish when they try to rush the fish to the surface. Fighting a big halibut is like leading a horse: If you pull hard they’ll resist, but if you gently move the reins they follow easily. Likewise, with a big halibut just reel nice and slow and the fish will come up without shaking its head much. I always use a piece of bait on my lures. The squid lure offers sight appeal, while the bait provides a tasty morsel, which prompts them to hang onto it longer so the angler can set the hook. If you recall, we learned the science behind why fish grab and hold onto PowerBait longer than other baits during our week of seminars and interviews with John Prochnow and the fish scientists at the Pure Fishing labs. When I feel the bite when fishing a J-hook-equipped lure, I’ll drop the tip for just a fraction of a second to let the halibut take it, and then set the hook. On a circle hook, however, I’ll allow the rod to bend down, count to three, 34

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then start to reel slowly. There is no sudden hookset. That is how most anglers lose fish when fishing circle hooks. They set the hook as if it were a J-hook. Don’t bring a halibut onboard before it has bled out. Once the fish is within sight under the boat, the angler should yell “Color!” to prepare the harpooner. Once the fish has been harpooned and secured, cut the gill rakers to bleed it out. Some anglers don’t do this, ensuring that the fish weighs the most at weigh-in. It’s a risky move because the fish will also dehydrate some if you are three hours out from the weigh-in station. It’s a risk I don’t take.

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Once onboard, hog-tie the halibut from mouth to tail with stout rope to keep it from flopping and breaking a leg or snapping tackle in half. If the angler wants to qualify the fish for an IGFA record, there are special requirements that must be followed, such as using a flying gaff. You can’t harpoon them. I like to chum for halibut. When I anchor, I use my downrigger and attach to the weight a chum bag filled with old salmon scraps. The International Pacific Halibut Commission did a study on the ability of halibut to detect scent. Halibut can pick up a scent from up to a mile away if the scent field is strong enough. A chum bag creates such a field. Raise the chum bag 10

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Charter Spotlight

to 12 feet above bottom, so it creates the best scent dispersal at the longest possible range. Scent won’t travel as far when the bait is placed on bottom. Then calculate how long the scent will take to disperse. If you have a 1-knot current, expect to wait at least an hour for fish to reach the bag, maybe two. Also consider that if the fish is swimming against a one-knot current. It may take up to two or more hours for the fish to reach your chum bag. Whether or not you use a chum bag, most of all be patient. When pursuing derby-winning fish, I recommend using a chum bag and a large bait. The big halibut will often chase off the little fish when they arrive, so don’t expect a lot of action. You know it when a big halibut hits, but not always. I’ve just had my bait at times just slowly move off, as a chicken halibut often does when he grabs the salmon head half the size it is, and moves off with it a few feet. When fishing large baits for big halibut, the angler must be mentally prepared at times to go home with no halibut. This doesn’t mean he is a bad angler. It’s just the way it is. Big fish take an investment of time and effort. When I have multiple anglers on the boat, or fishing a group of friends searching for big fish, fishing all rods for big halibut is not a good idea. I will have one or two anglers fishing salmon heads, while the others will fish lures, squid, or leadheads. The anglers using lures will be hooking halibut from 30 to 50 pounds, which will put fish in the boat and keep everyone happy. Of course, the salmon heads will also attract larger fish, which will focus on and take the salmon heads.

TO BENEFIT MORE FROM Beath’s expertise, look to squidlures.com and halibut.net for halibut fishing videos and info on using squids, lights, and trophy halibut gear that will help you catch that winning derby fish. Good luck, and remember to first buy your derby ticket! ASJ Editor’s note: Author Chris Batin is editor of The Alaska Angler and coproducer of the best-selling DVD Underwater Secrets of Catching Halibut, Rockﬁsh and Lingcod, which can be purchased, along with autographed copies of Batin’s other Alaska ﬁshing and hunting materials, at AlaskaAngler.com.

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DERBY DAZE IN VALDEZ

SUMMER FEATURES SEVERAL FISHING CONTESTS FOR HALIBUT, SALMON AND ALL AGES BY CHRIS COCOLES

or 55 years, the port city of Valdez has hosted various ﬁshing derbies. Now it’s a hard-working group that keeps the tradition alive. “Valdez was run by the chamber of commerce, and they folded, and a group of seven people took it on. We all have full-time jobs so we just do it in our spare time,” said Laurie Prax, the president of an organization known as Valdez Fish Derbies. “We’ve created a monster. It really is a year-round venture to make it happen. We have local sponsors that help with the prizes.” And it’s an exciting opportunity for anglers of all ages to ﬁsh and possibly win some great prizes. “Our mission statement for the der-

bies is pretty simple: to promote sportﬁshing in Valdez,” Prax said. Here is a look at the upcoming derbies for the rest of the summer:

VALDEZ HALIBUT DERBY (NOW-SEPT. 2) The waters around the port of Valdez are renowned for housing some massive halibut. Prax said 2017’s winning entry weighed a record 374 pounds and was caught by Frieda Wiley. The event’s climax will be a $10,000 prize for the biggest fish, $3,000 for second and $1,500 for third. But you can win money for catching halibut throughout the summer. Valdez offers a first- and second-place prize each week in the form of a fleece jacket and a vest, respectively, plus various other gifts donated by sponsors totaling at least $300 for first and $200 for second but usually more than those totals. “It’s just fun for a lot of people to get on the (leaderboard) for a week,” Prax said. The derby features a side contest – a derby within the derby,” according to

Prax – known as the Halibut Hullabaloo that concluded in June with Palmer resident Jordan Thomas scoring a $1,000 prize for catching the biggest halibut, a 132-pounder. Tickets are $10 per day and $50 for the season for all derbies. A list of local businesses selling tickets can be found at valdezﬁshderbies.com/tickets.

Boaters enjoy the waters off Valdez during the summer derby frenzy. “Our mission statement for the derbies is pretty simple: to promote sportﬁshing in Valdez,” Valdez Fish Derbies president Laurie Prax said. (VALDEZFISHDERBIES.COM)

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SILVER SALMON DERBY (JULY 21-SEPT. 2)

Valdez is home to some epic ﬁshing, so events like the annual summer halibut derby – Frieda Wiley shows off last year’s record 374-pound winner – which makes this port city a popular destination for anglers. (VALDEZFISHDERBIES.COM)

The cash awards for catching the season’s largest coho are identical to the halibut contest ($10,000/$3,000/$1,500). But since it’s a short duration, there will be daily first- and second-place prizes for the largest salmon caught starting with the July 21 opener. “There will be a lot of winners with that one,” Prax said. “Sometimes early in the season that winning fish might be 13 pounds. So there’s no reason not to weigh in your fish, because you just don’t know who went out that day.” And there are a couple of other days to keep in mind if you’re planning to buy silver salmon entries. The first and last Fridays of the derby period (July 27 and Aug. 31) are known as “Big Prize Fridays.” An extra $500 can be won in addition to the other daily and tournament-wide prizes at stake. It’s just another incentive to get anglers to either get out early or late to target silvers, though the early-season fishing can be hit or miss. “If you’re going out to get a lot of silver salmon, you’re going to wait because the run gets stronger,” Prax said. “There are fish to be caught, but earlier in the season you’re going to have to go out a little further to get them.”

KIDS’ PINK SALMON DERBY (JULY 21) It’s hard to imagine a funner event than a free kids’ derby. Valdez gets a large run of pink salmon every summer, so the kids will have plenty of chances to land a humpy right from the shore. With runs well into the millions – Prax said last year’s count was 19 million pinks – it’s a great opportunity to get the little ones literally hooked on fishing. “Alaskans tend to (frown upon pink salmon), but this is great for kids, and you can fish right from shore. We always have a lot of (derby participants from out of town), but this is also a cool event for a lot of local kids who have never been fishing before,” said Prax, who estimates about 300 kids have entered in past years. There’s no ticket necessary to have your son or daughter entered, and everyone who shows up to the weigh-in station – whether they catch a fish or not, everyone gets a free T-shirt – with 42

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kid-friendly prizes handed out in four age divisions for the biggest pinks.

WOMEN’S SILVER SALMON DERBY (AUG. 11) With more and fish coming in from the sea, Prax said the last two weeks of the silver salmon derby period is “crazy” and “nuts” as the fishing heats up. “We’re just full (of fish), because there are so many fish and the fish are so close that you can fish from shore,” Prax said. So the week before is a great event and as much of a party as it is a hotly contested fishing derby, the Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby. The record for most women participating is 742. The weekend starts with a welcoming celebration on Friday night – featuring a costume contest – followed by the fishing derby on Saturday and then a big party at the Valdez Civic Center, highlighted by the crowning of the “Queen

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of the Silver Salmon Sisterhood.” That title for the winning fish also wins a combination of a cash prize and various other goodies. As is usually the case, the party on Saturday night is already sold out. Tickets usually cost $50 plus the $10 cost for the Silver Salmon Derby ticket. “People can go fishing and weigh a fish that day,” Prax said. “But we can’t even let men in (to the parties) – there’s no room! It’s really a fun event. It’s just more about women taking a day for them. It’s their day.” For more, go to valdezfishderbies .com/womens-derby. There’s also an awards event at the end of the season on Sept. 2, featuring raffles that anyone purchasing a derby ticket of any kind is eligible to win. Check out valdezfishderbies.com or call (907) 835-5680 for more on Valdez’s derby lineup. ASJ

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TAKING THE PLUNGE WHO SAYS YOU CAN’T DIVE (AND SPEARFISH) IN ALASKA?

BY KRYSTIN AND BIXLER MCCLURE

enny carefully loaded the black rockfish onto his makeshift stringer. The rockfish squirmed, and Kenny was careful to not allow the fish’s dorsal spines to puncture his drysuit. A large lingcod watched lazily from a nearby rock while the three awkward humans, well out of their element, tried to wrestle the ﬁsh in place. Kenny gave the “OK” signal when he was done, then disappeared behind a boulder the size of a semi on his quest for a second rockﬁsh. With his camera lights beaming, Bixler followed and I tailed behind, watching Kenny’s outline in the dark water as he reloaded his spear gun.

Diving isn’t exactly a popular pastime in Alaska, but in the deep, cold waters of Resurrection Bay off the Kenai Peninsula, our hearty authors put on thick undergarments and drysuits to check out the subsurface wonders of the North Paciﬁc. (BIXLER MCCLURE)

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Scuba equipment can be hard to come by where diving is not commonplace, so make sure you’re prepared ahead of time if you want to dive in the Last Frontier. (BIXLER MCCLURE) This was spearﬁshing in Alaska.

MOST PEOPLE DO NOT consider the Last Frontier to be a scuba diving destination. The cold, deep water appears uninviting on the surface. Large creatures lurk in the deep, lured only to the surface by our ﬁshing jigs in hopes of any easy meal. Because of the daunting waters, we wrote off scuba diving early when we moved to Alaska from California. Investing in a drysuit and trying to spearﬁsh, our favorite pastime in the Golden State, seemed unlikely in Resurrection Bay, where the depth plummets to 1,000 feet.

Our friend Kenny convinced us otherwise. Soon Bixler and I found ourselves in drysuits, diving in the 40-degree water and exploring the shallows of Resurrection Bay with him. We found out that so few people dive Resurrection Bay that most of our sites were never named, so we took the liberty of doing so – Rockfish Roost, Lingcod Lair, the Fishbowl, and Tiger Den are just a few of our newfound spots. One afternoon, Bixler was out fishing with customers when he

TIPS FOR DIVING IN ALASKAN WATERS If you want an experience off the beaten path and are a certified diver, try a scuba diving trip in Alaska. Unlike most warm-water destinations, the logistics of rounding up rental gear and finding a suitable dive site (either from a boat or shore) are a bit more complicated. Follow these tips to have the dive trip of your life! Decide if you want to bring or rent gear. Much of the best diving in Alaska is far from a local dive shop, so it might be easier to bring your own. If you do plan on renting, be sure to find a shop nearest to your dive location. For example, diving in Seward requires gear rental in Anchorage. Research your dive site options. Shore diving is a great option in the winter months when the water is clear, but during the heavy runoff season you may want to consider a dive boat. The further north you dive, the fewer boat options there are. Our adventure company, Seward Ocean Excursions, is the only dive boat operator out of Seward! Fishing regulations apply to spearfishers too. Alaska recently added spearfishing as a form of fishing to the regulations, so if you want to try, be sure to have your fishing license and know your limits before entering the water. Oh, and be sure to tell everyone you dove in Alaska! All divers love a good diving story and if you dive in the 49th state, be sure to tell all your friends. They may think you are crazy – or have the urge to dive up here themselves! -KM/BM

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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stumbled upon a black rockfish spot that was relatively shallow – around 80 feet deep. Immediately, he thought we could dive the site. After all, haven’t you always wondered what the bottom looks like when you are fishing? “I think I found a new dive site,” Bixler said during a phone call to me as he returned from his charter. “And I think Kenny will love it because he was really wanting to spearfish some big black rockfish.” “Awesome!” I replied. “Let’s go out diving. We can round up Sue so she can watch Lynx and the boat and we can explore this new spot.” Soon, I was loading up tanks in the truck after talking with Bixler’s mom, who begrudgingly agreed to watch our son and the boat while we explored a new underwater destination. I met Sue, Bixler and Kenny at the dock with Lynx and our pile of dive gear. We loaded up and headed out on Resurrection Bay.

SO, DOES THIS SPOT have a name yet?” Kenny asked. “No. I’ve been fishing it periodically with people, but I have no idea what it looks like down there, so it doesn’t have a name yet,” Bixler replied as he drove the boat to his rockfish spot. Bixler dropped anchor right where he had been fishing. The fish finder had the characteristic returns of black rockfish hovering above a large rock. “Oh yeah! They are down there!”

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Scenes from the depths of Resurrection Bay, including black rockﬁsh taken with a spear gun and metridium growing onto a rock. (BIXLER MCCLURE)

Bixler exclaimed as we wrestled into our thick undergarment and drysuits. “You are pretty bold to be spearﬁshing in a drysuit,” I told Kenny, who managed into his drysuit at lightning speed. “It’s not so bad, you just have to watch out for the spines,” he said as he climbed into the rest of his gear and flipped backwards off the boat. I handed him the spear gun and he floated to the anchor line to wait for Bixler and I. Eventually, we jumped into the

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water after instructing Sue on what to do if the boat happened to go adrift. Lynx waved bye and happily played with his toys inside the warm cabin. At the same time, we jumped into the water and felt the cold surround us as our drysuits compressed on the undergarment. We met Kenny at the anchor line and began to descend to the rock pile at 80 feet. Immediately through the dark blue water I could make out the distinct shape of a black rockﬁsh swimming

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below. In my field of view through my mask there were literally hundreds as we descended on top of a rock pile. We hit the bottom and gave “OK” signals around. Bixler was playing with his new underwater camera, while Kenny loaded his spear gun and I enjoyed the scenery. The black rockfish hung around, completely unafraid of our presence. It swam back and forth among the giant boulders. Outside of the rock pile, the bottom was covered in an array of colors that ranged from orange to purple to the brownish color of kelp – what we call “bottom lettuce” – carpeting the bottom. A lingcod came over to greet us before disappearing into a small cave. Kenny signaled that he was going after a large black rockfish he spotted in the distance. We followed as we watched Kenny in pursuit. He was careful not to rub his drysuit against the coarse rocks as he snuck up to a black rockfish. The fish was completely interested in the shiny shaft of his spear gun, so he shot it in the head. He carefully placed the fish on his stringer

There are so many different ways to experience Alaska. Whether above the surface or below it, the adventures are unlimited. (BIXLER MCCLURE)

and reloaded his gun. This time we headed away from the rock pile. In the distance we spotted a white blob, which turned out to be a group of metridium anchored to a rock. As Bixler and I awed at the sight of the sea anenomes, Kenny happily nabbed another black rockfish with his spear gun. We circled back to reorient ourselves to the anchor and Kenny appeared with a third fish, flashing a

smile with his regulator in his mouth. We signaled if we should keep going, but Kenny and Bixler were running low on air due to all the swimming around and excitement. The three of us slowly returned to the surface and exclaimed on what a fantastic dive site we had found.

“WELL, WHAT SHOULD WE call the dive site?” I said as I unpeeled myself from my drysuit. Lynx sat inside the cabin wanting me to pick him up, so I quickly undressed to grab the little man. “I don’t know,” Kenny replied, still so upbeat from his spearfishing adventure. “There are (black rockfish) and rocks down there.” “Let’s just call it Black Rock in the meantime until we think of something more imaginative,” Bixler said as he punched the name into our chartplotter. “Yeah, that sounds great!” I agreed. “What a cool dive site; I can’t wait to dive it again.” The name Black Rock has stuck around for the past year since we still haven’t thought of a catchy name. I guess we are too busy diving and exploring Resurrection Bay and rounding up Kenny to grab us a black rockfish or two. ASJ Editor’s note: Bixler and Krystin McClure own and operate Seward Ocean Excursions, which offers year-round, boatbased adventures around the Kenai Peninsula. For more, call (907) 599-0499 or go to sewardoceanexcursions.com.

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SAVOR THE MOMENT DIEHARD STEELHEADER LEARNS TO FOCUS ON THE EXPERIENCE DURING SPRING TRIP WITH SITUK ROOKIE

Author Tony Ensalaco, no stranger to Southeast Alaska ﬁshing trips, felt like this adventure on the Situk River was different in how he soaked everything in rather than thinking only about the steelhead. (TONY ENSALACO)

BY TONY ENSALACO

hat defines a successful fishing trip? The criteria can vary from angler to angler, but I’m sure there are some basic standards that most anglers can agree on. The simplest choice would be catching lots and lots of fish. Sore limbs and an empty bottle of ibuprofen seems to be a great indicator that things went well. Even a novice angler with low fishing stamina would never say and truly mean it, “Boy, I hope the fish stop biting so I can catch my breath.” What about when the action isn’t cranking on all cylinders, but there is still a chance of landing a trophy or a personal best fish? That scenario would intrigue me since I’ve come across several instances when the catching might have been slower than I would have liked. But when an exceptionally large

fish was then brought to the boat, the slow fishing leading up to that moment was immediately forgotten. I don’t mind persevering through long days of grinding out low numbers when you know there is a chance that when a fish finally hits, it might be a once-in-a-lifetime catch. There are other factors that can add to the quality of a trip, like fantastic food and accommodations, nice weather, and breathtaking scenery. These will be graciously accepted by any angler, but for the hardcore fisherman, those things wouldn’t necessarily make or break a trip as long as exceptional fishing is factored into the equation. Personally, it never mattered to me if I stayed at an all-inclusive, five-star resort with nightly turndown service. You know, the ones that offer even if the fishing still sucks mandatory lobster entrées with every meal while guests sip

on complimentary top-shelf, 12-yearold Scotch with three-finger pours. I was conditioned to believe that catching fish is the only thing that determines whether or not a trip was good, and there is absolutely no way that I could possibly enjoy myself if the fishing was less than sensational. ... That is, until this year.

MY SPRING 2018 STEELHEAD excursion to Southeast Alaska was challenged from the beginning. None of my regular partners (or possibly victims?) were, for various reasons, able to make it, so I was planning a solo adventure. Maybe I’m stubborn, or I just wasn’t able to come to terms with breaking my long-standing streak of ﬁshing the spring run, so I wasn’t going to let an empty seat next to me on the jet stop me from going. Then, one day back in January, my

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trip’s itinerary changed. Enter Chris Kelly. Chris was assigned to be my coach at a new job I’d started, and shortly after our inaugural handshake during our first meeting, we discovered that we shared a common love of fishing. Within 10 minutes of trading fish stories, I was comfortable enough with Chris to invite him on my annual trip. I don’t know what’s crazier: A person asking someone who he has known for a time span that can be measured in seconds, to go on a 3,000-mile journey to Alaska, or the person who would seriously consider accepting the offer? The only thing I really knew about Chris and his fishing experience was that he had fished in Ontario several times prior for walleye and northern pike and that he had never tried for, let alone caught, a steelhead in his life. I figured, why not have your first game be the Super Bowl, even though you never stepped on a football field? I waited patiently for his RSVP. About a week later I got the text from Chris, “I’m in!”

COME APRIL, I FOUND myself returning to the Glacier Bear Lodge (907-7843202; glacierbearlodge.com) in Yakutat. Due to a scheduling conﬂict, Chris would be meeting me the following day, which gave me the chance to formulate a game plan before he arrived. Unfortunately, after talking to several guests who had been on the Situk River the past week, they reported that the ﬁshing was, to put it mildly, lousy. Low, clear water, along with bright, sunny skies had made it tough for most

The drift boats were ready to get in the water for the anglers visiting from the Midwest. (TONY ENSALACO)

anglers. I’ve read that script before during previous trips and was sure that conditions would change for the better throughout the week. Well, anyway, that’s what I had hoped. My initial intention was to float the river alone the first day, until Ryan McClure, the lodge’s maintenance supervisor and aspiring river guide, volunteered to go with me. Ryan doesn’t get a chance to fish very often because of his work duties, and when he gets a chance to hit the river it usually comes during a time when a run is at a low point. I welcomed the opportunity to share a boat with him and to show him some of the things I have learned throughout the years. What Ryan really wanted to experience was to see the mayhem that ensues once a steelhead waylays a plug

Aspiring guide Ryan McClure with a Situk steelie. (TONY ENSALACO)

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when back-trolled through a run. I knew exactly where I could make it happen. A couple miles downstream from the put-in on the right side of the stream is a fallen sweeper that lies at a 45-degree angle to shore. I felt confident that there would be some cooperative steelies resting under the deadfall. As we approached the hole, I gently eased the driftboat into position, while Ryan set out the first gold Hot Shot so it would track within inches of the wood. We watched the vibration of the rod tip that the lure was transmitting as it rhythmically danced along the current seam. The spectating was short-lived because the plug didn’t travel more than a few feet downstream before the rod buckled over in the holder, just as a chromed-out, spring male steelhead began thrashing its head on the surface. After a few decent runs and a serious jump, Ryan was able to work the fish close enough for me to scoop it up in the rubber net. It is always a relief to break the ice with the first fish landed, and this steelie put us at ease. We spent the rest of the day pitching bobbers and jigs into any likely holding water with marginal results. We went on to hook our fair share of bright steelhead, just enough to make things interesting. But what really made the trip fun was having Ryan point out the different birds, animals and assorted fauna that was along the river as we floated our way downstream.

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Alaska rookie Chris Kelly’s joy being in the Last Frontier rubbed off on Ensalaco, who noticed sights he’d overlooked on previous trips. (TONY ENSALACO)

Listening to Ryan’s knowledge was a welcome addition to the day. Truth be told, I am usually so heavily focused on the act of ﬁshing that I don’t notice anything existing above the waterline. If a meteor came crashing into the river while I was ﬁshing, the only thing

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

that would pop into my brain bucket would be, “I wonder how long it will take before ﬁsh start holding behind the new rock.” After spending the entire day with Ryan, I started to realize that there is more to being on the water than just ﬁshing.

JULY 2018 | aksportingjournal.com

THAT EVENING, WHEN I got back to the Glacier Bear I discovered that Chris had made it safely to Yakutat. I found him shooting pool and holding court like he was one of the locals. He was hanging out with Ty Wyatt, one of GFBL’s top guides, and Tim Quinton, another hired gun from the Lower 48. Tim has guided for The Flyfisher’s Place of Sisters, Oregon, for the past few years and definitely has some experience under his belt. The four of us, along with Tim’s friends Ron Kaye and Gary Stock, spent the next couple of hours swapping stories and sharing our different points of view on the past and present state of the fishery. Their insight was fascinating as well as thought provoking, which kept me from wanting to call it a night. I couldn’t tell you the last time I stayed up that late after fishing all day. Whenever I get off the river, the only thing I want to do is get back to the lodge, drink a couple of beers, eat my dinner and crash. Looking back, meeting those guys and listening to their views on the sport was one of the memorable highlights of the trip. The following day didn’t start out promising for Chris and me. Bluebird skies, along with several boats already ahead of us, and ultraclear water made the steelhead extremely spooky. I suspected that all of my “go-to” holes had already been fished hard or just weren’t holding many fish. And

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

when we did turn a steelhead, they didn’t stick. It was just one of those days that all anglers will unfortunately experience at some point in their careers. However, Chris didn’t let the tough bite diminish his enthusiasm and he was able to stay mentally engaged throughout the entire float. I wish I could have said the same thing for my psyche. While he was soaking up the Alaskan experience, I was calculating the time it would take to get off the river. Don’t get me wrong, we did have some sporadic action, including a hard-fighting, colored-up male steelhead in the 15-pound class that was lost at the net. Even though losing that fish was disheartening, Chris pointed out that just being able to hook a wild steelhead of that caliber while immersed in the beauty of the Last Frontier was pretty awesome. Chris’s wisdom made me think that I needed to pay closer attention to his positive attitude and start appreciating my temporary surroundings. We were nearing the end of Chris’s first day on the river and he still hadn’t landed his first steelhead. I decided to

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The guys’ new friend, trapper Tanis Miller, got his own prize from the river, a beaver to make into a pelt. (TONY ENSALACO)

JULY 2018 | aksportingjournal.com

pull over at a run called the Claybanks so I could answer nature’s calling. By this time, I didn’t need to instruct Chris any longer. He knew what to do and began working the slot just below the overhanging tree that’s positioned over the top of the run. All I remember is hearing Chris’s drag make that distinctive high-pitched winding sound whenever a hot ﬁsh is hooked. I turned around just in time to see one of the most spectacular cartwheels I have seen in a while. The ﬁsh must have been moving pretty fast because when it left the water it leapt 3 feet out of the air vertically and traveled at least 6 feet horizontally, landing dangerously close to a minor logjam. It was no problem for Chris. He instinctively jammed the rod down and to the side, which steered the super-charged steelhead away from the trouble. The rest of the battle was exciting to watch, highlighted with more sizzling runs and some more corkscrew jumps before I was able to net Chris’s first steelhead! As we marveled at my new friend’s

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prize, rays of light came shining down through the trees, but I’m sure that it wasn’t coming from the sun. I swear I heard angels singing “Hallelujah” over our heads as we looked down one of God’s perfect creations recuperating underwater at our feet. Just then, everything became right again. As we watched the ﬁsh dart off to the hole from which it came from, I looked at Chris’s smile and I knew immediately that the pressure was off!

THAT NIGHT AT DINNER I ran into some old friends, Eddy and Adriana Preciado, both former employees of the lodge. Eddy continues to guide part time for Glacier Bear, while Adriana owns a catering business in Yakutat. They talked about how their lives have changed as a result of raising their family in a small town in Alaska compared to their hometown in Mexico. I am always fascinated by the vast array of reasons and circumstances that bring a person to live in Alaska. Let’s face it, it takes a special kind of individual to leave everything behind in

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Chris Kelly got his private stretch of river to ﬁsh …

the continental U.S., or in the Preciado’s case, a foreign country, and start a new life up here. I also ﬁnd the residents who were born and raised in the state to be just as compelling. Their stories are incredible.

JULY 2018 | aksportingjournal.com

I think I have it tough living through winters in the Midwest, until I hear stories about the resiliency and fortitude of a true Alaskan and what they normally have to endure every year. What I would see as an insurmount-

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Automaker Mahindra just unveiled a new off-road vehicle called the Roxor, and it not only looks like an original Willys Jeep, but it’s also got the hardware (and the history) to back it up. Better yet: It’s for sale in America and it is built right in Detroit. Unlike many other side-by-sides, the Roxor will feature a very CJ-7-ish steel body mounted on a steel frame. The powertrain will be the ultimate off-roader’s dream: a turbo-diesel four-cylinder motor and ﬁve-speed manual – an automatic option will also be available – mounted to a low-range transfer case. The 2.5-liter diesel produces 62 hp at 3,200 rpm, along with an impressive 144 foot-pounds of torque at 1,400 rpm. The wheelbase is about 3 inches longer than a CJ-7, the overall width is narrower and towing capacity is about 3,490 pounds. Maximum speed is limited to 45 mph; it’s a similar top speed to that of an old Willys CJ-2A. Fuel economy is somewhere around 32 miles per gallon. Starting prices for the two trim packages range from $15,549 to $18,999 (FOB Michigan), according to company representatives. At $250 per month, you’re going to want one of these.

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able obstacle, they would consider the same endeavor as a minor inconvenience. Getting the residents to open up about their everyday life and the reasons why they choose to reside in the Last Frontier will definitely provide food for thought. Fishing started to improve on the river over the next couple of days. Chris and I were fortunate to find some action early in the mornings, allowing us to fish with confidence throughout the days. Don’t get me wrong; we had to work hard to hook up, but when we did, the fish were electric and almost all of them were leaving the water right after the hookset. But we still had our misfortunes. Chris broke off on an ocean-bright hen when it landed on his line after performing a spectacular tail walk across a good portion of the hole. Another brute straightened the hook when it buried itself in some brush. In fact, though we lost our last five consecutive fish, we were sure there was nothing we could have done differently. Some might call it bad luck, I call it steelheading.

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

… And he was all smiles after reeling in his ﬁrst-ever Alaska steelhead. This was what this trip was all about. (TONY ENSALACO)

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Chris took everything in stride. His everything-is-good demeanor must have rubbed off on me because I didn’t feel the overwhelming need to catch a grotesque number of spring steelhead anymore. Instead, I decided that I was going to modify my “fish hard” game plan and enjoy the rest of my time on the river whether or not we landed another fish that day. We began interacting (i.e., messing around) with the other anglers, which was a blast. We also stopped periodically to spend some time talking to a few of the campers along the river. Chris and I even got a local trapper to pull over as he was floating by in a driftboat and asked him to give us an impromptu lesson on beavers. How did we know he was a trapper? He had a dead 45-pounder strapped to the bow of his boat like a hood ornament. The guy turned out to be Tanis Miller, the son of the local fly shop owners. Tanis was gracious enough to explain some of the nuances of his craft. You don’t get this kind of thing where I’m from, so I thought his tutorial was a perfect way to end the day and to remember the trip.

I WOKE UP TO the steady sound of rain thumping on the roof, a disturbing noise when you’re about to head home after ﬁshing four days on a river that desperately needed precipitation. Against my better judgment, I stuck my head out my room’s door and saw that the skies had changed from bright blue to dark gray and the air was heavy. It looked like perfect steelheading weather. I scanned the grounds and discovered that the only driftboat that wasn’t deployed was the one trailered behind my rental vehicle. Chris had left the night before on the evening jet, so I had no one to voice my weather complaints. I methodically made my way to breakfast and dodged all of the recent puddles scattered throughout the raindrenched parking lot. While I sat at the end of the empty bar drinking my coffee, I couldn’t help but wonder what could have been if the rain had shown up a few days earlier? I started to imagine all of the ﬁsh66

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“This trip taught me to make it a point to slow down and take it easy on my next outing,” Ensalaco writes. “Maybe I’ll even commit myself into taking a day off from ﬁshing altogether and spend my time sightseeing so I can get a true appreciation for my surroundings.” (TONY ENSALACO)

ermen who would be returning to the lodge several hours from now with stories of silver torpedoes tearing up the stream, as they described in detail the vicious runs and jumps, and how there was nothing they could do but to hold on to the rod for dear life. On any of my previous trips, those thoughts would have put me over the edge. I would have been mentally concocting stories involving cancelled flights or medical emergencies in order to buy me a couple more days on the water. But not this year. I was content. Although the fishing wasn’t off the charts, the experience was pretty damn good. I was fortunate to meet and spend time with new people and see a different side to Alaska that wouldn’t have been possible if I’d kept to my annual routine of 14-hour, no-holds-barred, fishing-till-you-drop marathons. This trip taught me to make it a point to slow down and take it easy on my next outing. Maybe I’ll even commit myself into taking a day off from fishing altogether and spend my time sightseeing so I can get a true appreciation for my surroundings. Yeah, right; steelheaders never change. I’ll still be getting off the river when it’s dark! ASJ 68

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ROCK-SOLID GRAYLING FLY OPTIONS THESE ALASKA RIVER DWELLERS CAN’T RESIST STONEFLIES

BY MIKE LUNDE

ne of the most common and thrilling predator-prey fishing interactions in Alaska is a large Arctic grayling striking at a struggling insect on the water’s surface as it drifts downstream. Spotting the rings the snacking fish makes, anglers get extremely excited as they race to their fly box to pinpoint and select the best pattern to match the hatch. But eventually the constant “plopplop” noise that echoes quietly to the streambank ends later in the afternoon, leaving anglers scratching their heads trying to figure out which option from their arsenal to use next. A common misconception associated with grayling is that the fish momentarily stop feeding once the insect hatch on the surface stops. When insect hatches subside, grayling largely

Alaska’s Arctic grayling have plenty of options when it comes to devouring ubiquitous stoneﬂies during their lifecycle in and around river systems here. (MIKE LUNDE)

shift their foraging strategies towards the bottom. In the depths of the mysterious underwater world, another food source exists in the form of stoneﬂies, a highly abundant water insect distributed throughout Alaska that grayling are highly dependent on all year long.

KEY BUG IN SEVERAL WAYS Arctic grayling forage for similar food as

trout in Lower 48 river systems do. Scientists determined that approximately 90 percent of the fishes’ diet consists of juvenile insects that live within proximity of the bottom. Streams in Alaska are blessed with a high abundance of stoneflies. Fisheries biologists often consider the abundance of stoneflies as a key indicator of the overall health and condition of a stream.

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Since Alaska has some of the most abundant stonefly hatches in the United States, this explains why rivers here contain healthy stream ecosystems versus those in the Lower 48 that are plagued by pollution and run-off that create lower densities of stoneflies and limited diversity. This is also a clue as to how grayling in Alaska grow to large sizes and are highly concentrated while nearly extinct in their native range of Michigan. Pollution and habitat degradation likely altered the natural flow regime, which resulted in loss of stoneflies and their habitat.

ALASKA’S STONES Stoneflies are one of the most abundant species of insects that live in Alaska and are important prey sources for Arctic grayling when other forage is relatively scarce during specific times of the season. Throughout Alaska into parts of Western Canada, there are 153 known species of stoneflies. The juvenile life history stage – referred to as a “nymph” – live on the bottom of well-oxygenated lakes and rivers. The most heavily concentrated distributions are located in headwater regions of streams where forests are most dense and located away from human civilization. Here, stoneflies serve an important purpose in the ecology of a stream by breaking down organic matter and releasing their nutrients and energy for use by other organisms such as Arctic grayling. The adults develop large vascularized wings that allow them

Author Mike Lunde, who tied this black stonefly, says that in Alaska, stoneflies serve an important purpose in stream ecology, breaking down organic matter and releasing nutrients and energy that grayling and other fish take advantage of. (MIKE LUNDE)

to fly and hover around riparian tree branches and vegetation alongside streambanks. Some stoneflies are carnivorous and thus feed on other insects, while others feed on plant matter and detritus. Through the view of a compound microscope, stoneflies resemble extraterrestrial lifeforms seen on the Discovery Channel or science fiction thrillers on the big screen. Like other insects, their anatomy is relatively simple. Stoneflies have six legs arranged into three groups of two attached in parallel formations to their bodies. The legs are robust, each ending with two claws that assist with attaching to rocks or moss on the bottom. Each of their legs allow for side-to-side motion on the bottom since they are not strong swimmers.

Lunde says the headwaters of the Chena River in Alaska’s Interior offer prime conditions for stoneﬂies. (MIKE LUNDE) 72

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JULY 2018 | aksportingjournal.com

The abdomen is soft, segmented and contains visible gills on the underside of the belly. Stoneflies have two tails of equal length. All stoneflies have a pair of multi-segmented antennae that function for sense of smell as well as touch. Stonefly nymphs appear in various colors, with common ones being shades of olive, black, brown and tan. Overall length of stoneflies present in Alaska ranges from 20 to 45 millimeters, or ¾ to 1½ inches, in length.

STONEFLY TACTICS FOR GEAR ANGLERS Although fly anglers have countless representations of life history stages and species of stoneflies that inhabit Alaska’s rivers to choose from, conventional anglers shouldn’t feel at a disadvantage. Several lure manufacturers make soft plastic imitations of stoneflies and even some mayflies that are highly realistic. These soft plastic imitations are rigged onto a ⅓2- to 1⁄16-ounce round jighead with the focus of the presentation towards bottom, where stonefly nymphs live. Use a 5- to 6-foot ultralight or light-powered spinning rod matched with 4-pound monofilament line. To be successful, target deep runs and pools with rocky bottoms coupled with woody debris. Make your casts 30 degrees upstream. Let the jig and soft plastic stonefly sink and reel in slowly as current forces the presentation downstream.

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Arctic grayling don’t grow as large as other Alaska river species, but on light line they can provide quite a ﬁght when casting stoneﬂy patterns and plastic imitations. (MIKE LUNDE)

“Grayling cannot resist a large juicy stoneﬂy because these bugs are an important source of nutrition,” Lunde writes. (MIKE LUNDE)

Subtle snaps of the rod-tip imitate an up-and-down or side-to-side motion of a stoneﬂy hovering on the bottom, which drives grayling bonkers. Grayling cannot resist a large juicy stoneﬂy because these bugs are an important source of nutrition.

NYMPH RIGGING The rigging system for fly fishing with stoneflies is very straightforward. Use a 9- to 10-foot, 3- to 5-weight medium- to fast-action fly rod matched to a lightweight large-arbor reel. Reels should contain 12- to 20-pound backing connected to a weight forward (WF) fly line. Check to make sure the fly line you are purchasing contains a welded loop to allow for a loop-to-loop connection. Leaders for dead-drift nymphing stonefly rigs should consist of a butt section of 10- to 20-pound mono tapered to a fluorocarbon tippet of 4 to 6 pounds. Length of leader should be no shorter than 9 feet nor longer than 11 feet. The advantage of longer leaders allows for improved natural drifts to match the speed of the current. Occasionally, split shot weights of various sizes are often required to get stoneflies to achieve desired depths near the bottom. You might use anything from BB to 3/0 to match depth, current speed and water conditions. A strike indicator is often utilized for detecting sensitive strikes. Although not necessarily required, it is substantially easier for catching more fish and better for inexperienced anglers or those new to fly fishing. 74

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TYING STONEFLIES

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With hundreds of stoneďŹ&#x201A;y nymph patterns in development, there is often no shortage at the local ďŹ&#x201A;y shop to cater to an anglerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs and satisfaction. The material selection for tying stoneďŹ&#x201A;ies is very widespread but there is a simple list for getting started. The common materials necessary to tie stoneďŹ&#x201A;y nymphs include goose biots, sili legs, dubbing, coneheads, and scud back. An individual pair of goose biots tied in slight angles in the front and back sections of the hook create the antennae and two tails. Thin wire spiral wrapped forward forms the rear abdomen, with applications of dubbing to create the thicker body in the middle and front of the hook. A conehead positioned directly behind the hookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eye resembles the stoneflyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head as well as functions as additional weight to help the pattern drop faster towards bottom when cast. Scud back is a thin, translucent material that creates the wing casing for a common stoneďŹ&#x201A;y pattern. Other tiers often use a small section of a turkey feather to create the wing. Individual strands of sili legs are used to form the legs. Knotted legs can be formed to improve realism. To craft them, select goose or turkey biot with tweezers and form a single overhand knot for a hinged look. A thin application of UV-drying adhesive assists to keep the shape and knot together. These are the simple steps for creating the simple stoneďŹ&#x201A;y; advanced materials and strategies for creating realistic stoneďŹ&#x201A;y nymph imitations are available online via YouTube and Vimeo.

A NATURAL FOOD SOURCE The true beauty of a blue-ribbon Alaskan river system is deďŹ ned by its headwaters, the journey the watercourse takes thereafter, and the insect life that inhabits it. As a river ďŹ&#x201A;ows to the sea, the important ecological functions of the stoneďŹ&#x201A;y to it are necessary. These tiny six-legged critters of the underwater world will continue to play an important role supporting big grayling in Alaskaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s roadside and remote rivers. ASJ 76

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TIPS FOR HOOKING A ‘WATER WOLF’

IN A STATE KNOWN FOR SALMON, ALASKA’S PIKE FISHING CAN BE EPIC BY SCOTT HAUGEN

asting our skirted spinners on each side of the grassy slough, my wife Tiffany and I simultaneously started our aggressive retrieves. Instantly, the water erupted and her ﬁght was on. We were ﬁshing multiple sloughs off the Nushagak River, and this action had offered us a fun break to all the king salmon we’d been catching. A pike lunged for my presentation, missed and then missed again. As I readied to lift my bait from the water and recast, a mouth full of teeth leapt up and grabbed my lure. Now Tiff and I were both battling pike, something that would repeat itself many times on this day.

MUCH OF ALASKA HAS exceptional pike ﬁshing to offer, so don’t overlook these tenacious, hard-ﬁghting, good-eating

Alaska has some world-class pike fishing in remote corners of the state. Big and flashy lures, plugs and flies are all productive. Once you lock into battle with these predators of the aquatic world, you’ll be hooked. (SCOTT HAUGEN) aksportingjournal.com | JULY 2018

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

FIELD

PICKLE YOUR PIKE FOR FLAVOR BY TIFFANY HAUGEN

ickling fish as a means of preservation dates back to the 17th century, but these days we have the luxury of refrigerators and freezers to keep our catch fresh. But there’s still a place for the tangy punch of pickled fish on the table. Served as an appetizer, try it along with olives, smoked meats, cheeses and pickled vegetables. Pickled fish can also be turned into a delicious chip dip or sandwich spread. Although pike is specified in this recipe, any fish can be pickled. Unless the fish you are pickling is safe to eat raw – sea bass, tuna, yellowtail – be sure to freeze fish at least 48 hours in case there are parasites present. When pickling fish that is safe to eat raw, like tuna, the pickling liquid can be added to fish once it has completely cooled.

½ cup thinly sliced bell pepper 4 cloves garlic ¾ cup white vinegar ¼ cup water 1 tablespoon pickling spice 1 teaspoon sugar 1 pint jar with lid Remove any skin and bones from fillets, cut fish into long strips and place in jar. Add onion, pepper and garlic into jar. In a medium saucepan, bring vinegar, water, spice and sugar to a boil. Let cool slightly, about five minutes. Pour vinegar mixture over fish and let fish sit at room temperature until jar is cool. Refrigerate at least 24 hours before serving at room temperature. Fish lasts up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

RECIPE ALTERNATIVE For a sweet, spicy version, add a few slices of jalapeño pepper and increase sugar to 2 teaspoons.

INGREDIENTS FOR EACH PINT JAR ½ pound previously frozen pike (or any ﬁsh) ½ cup thinly sliced red onion 82

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany’s popular book Cooking Seafood, send a

JULY 2018 | aksportingjournal.com

You can pickle more than just pike – it works for other Alaskan ﬁsh species too. Pickled ﬁsh can be used as appetizer, dip and sandwich spread. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)

check for $20 (free S&H) to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489. This and other cookbooks can also be ordered at tiffanyhaugen.com. Tiffany is a full-time author and part of the online series Cook With Cabela’s. Also watch for her on The Sporting Chef and The Hunt, on Netﬂix.

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We fished clear, shallow water and the boys saw every pike as it chased and hit their lures. For them, the fun of seeing these aggressive fish chasing the bait and their anticipating the voracious strike was the highlight of the trip and a new reason to get excited about fishing Alaskan waters.

FIELD fish. Yes, they are good eating. My first pike fishing experience came over 25 years ago. At the time, Tiffany and I lived on the North Slope, where we were schoolteachers. As there were no pike fishing lakes near us, one spring while passing through Anchorage, I hopped in a buddy’s plane and we flew out to some remote lakes. I had a blast while catching a fun, new species for the first time. Later Tiffany and I would enjoy pike fishing in other parts of the state. But it was when we brought our young sons to the Wasilla area that we truly experienced the thrills of pike fishing. While Braxton and Kazden had caught multiple salmon species, rainbow trout and Dolly Varden on this journey, it was the pike fishing they still talk about 10 years later.

THANKS TO THEIR INSATIABLE appetites, catching pike isn’t rocket science. A stout rod with a strong mainline and a steel leader is a good place to start. Spoons, spinnerbaits and plugs are all great bait choices. Just think big, loud and flashy when considering what terminal gear to catch pike on. Bright flies like streamers and flash flies loaded with colored tinsel also work great. One of my most memorable pike fishing days came while exploring secluded sloughs along Alaska’s remote Holitna River. It was here that I cast large Cabela’s five-diamonds spoons for the biggest northern pike I’d seen in Alaska. The action was nonstop. Catching smaller pike was easy, but

it was the big northerns my buddy Chris and I targeted. I lost the biggest fish of the day just as Chris reached down to grab the monster, one that would have stretched the tape to at least 50 inches. Sight fishing for monster pike in shallow water is addicting, and over the course of the next two days we’d fly to more remote destinations with some spectacular fishing. Releasing over 75 pike a day was the norm. Chris and I managed to take our share of water wolves that pushed the 40-inch mark. We also battled others in the mid-40-inch range. But the biggest of the big fish we saw eluded us. They simply wouldn’t respond to anything we threw at them.

WHILE GIANT, OLD PIKE can be smart and ﬁnicky, it’s the small to midsized models that can offer nonstop action and addicting fun. When you get into waters with high pike densities, they can be hooked on nearly every cast. This is when going to topwater poppers can take the experience to another level. Chugging plugs across the surface as

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LODGING

FIELD water sprays in all directions is a great way to entice a pike into biting. And the take on a topwater plug is like no other. Teasing them with a popper stripped on a fly rod is also a joy, but hang on, as the battle can be fast and furious. This summer, look into pike fishing opportunities in waters near you or your Alaska destination. Ponds, lakes, sloughs and rivers hold these predatory fish in areas throughout the state. Make calls to regional Department of Fish and Game offices to learn more about where you can fish for northerns. Despite what many people say, pike make excellent table fare. You just have to get the bones out and properly prepare the meat, and there are many ways to do this. Once you get a taste of what pike fishing is all

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Author Scott Haugen with a nice pike caught while casting spoons off a slough along the Holitna River. There are some monster pike lurking in Alaska’s waters. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

about, and the great-eating white meat they offer, you’ll be wanting more. That’s what’s fantastic about Alaska: There’s no shortage of fishing opportunities, even when it comes to northern pike. ASJ

JULY 2018 | aksportingjournal.com

Editor’s note: Scott Haugen is a full-time author and TV host. He has a small booking service specializing in ﬁshing throughout Alaska. Learn more at scotthaugen. com. Follow Scott on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

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In May of 2000, while making my ﬁnal village visit to say good-bye, I was driving with our Village Public Safety Officer around the village of Larsen Bay. We saw a young brown bear on a rock outcrop along the side of the road. The bear watched us as we drove by. The bear was still there, when we returned and seemed to be enjoying the sunshine. We stopped to watch the bear that was lying on the outcrop about 20 feet from the road. The bear seemed to be interested in watching us too, and had a big smile on its face while sniffing the air. Photos were taken, and an avatar was born. Right then, I decided that whatever business I decided to open, this “Smiling Bear” would be my logo. A Smiling Bear B & B offers private deluxe accommodations in a secluded scenic setting just 6 miles from downtown Kodiak. Relax on spacious decks after a long day ﬁshing, hiking, wildlife viewing or working, and enjoy the long Kodiak afternoon. Opportunity abounds on The Emerald Isle for viewing wildlife including eagles, whales, sea otters, harbor seals, Steller sea lions, more than 200 species of birds, red fox, buffalo and deer. And occasionally, the Kodiak brown bear, mountain goats, and river otters.

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LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON A SPORTSMAN’S OFFSPRING IS A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK BY PAUL D. ATKINS

“

li, are you going to be OK?”I asked my son for what seemed like the hundredth time. Through tearful eyes, he replied with a simple “Yes.” I wondered if he really was, though, and it worried me. The Dramamine had little effect and the patches seemed more like a gimmick than an actual seasickness preventive. I felt sorry for Eli, to say the least, and was wondering if it might have been a bad idea to drag him out onto the ocean for a trip like this. Thankfully, one of the guys on the boat had been thoughtful enough to bring a bag of Jolly Ranchers, which in the end helped save the day and the entire trip.

A cast-and-blast out of Homer featured a double rockfish haul (top) for author Paul Atkins and his son Eli on the first day of their high seas fishing and hunting adventure. But, says the proud father, “It was even better I got spend some time with my boy in a different part of Alaska doing something they we can’t do in the Arctic.” After battling seasickness, Eli grabbed his rain jacket and boots and braved the walk to the bow of the boat to catch his daily rockfish limit and tussle with halibut. (PAUL D. ATKINS) aksportingjournal.com | JULY 2018

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

The guys got their share of halibut on this Kenai Peninsula combo trip as well. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

Now, I know this isn’t how I usually start one of my stories, but when your fishing and hunting trip requires a boat in order to go a long distance in big water, then it usually always starts just like that. Five-day excursions into wide-open places, such as the southern end of Kamishak Bay (as we were in), or other places, like the Chukchi Sea where I live, are not for the faint-hearted anyway, but they are common practices come May through June here in Alaska. Getting sick from the ever-pounding waves and rocking of the boat are a given. Eventually someone, or all, will spill their beans. This was not my first trip into the deep blue, but it had been many years since I’d flown to Homer and tested my nerve and skill on a trip such as this. “Cast and blast,” as it is often referred, are five- to six-day boat hunts and 92

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

ﬁshing tours provided by transporters in and out of the many bodies of water here in Alaska. They are fun, exciting and provide a lot of enjoyment for a true Alaskan adventure, something all should experience at least once in their lives – especially if their kids tag along.

MY FIRST HUNT/CHARTER ﬁshing trip was 14 years ago, long before Eli was able to walk or even talk, for that matter. As a novice I booked the trip with a charter service. I wanted to experience something different and special, something I couldn’t get in the Arctic. Staying close to home at the time, I hadn’t traveled to many places in Alaska, but compared to Kotzebue, Homer was like traveling to a different country, considering all its sights and sounds. I got what I was after, even the experience of big waves and an

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upset stomach. It was an incredible trip, to say the least. Every day provided something different, from catching a variety of fish during the day to each evening being skiffed to shore in search of black bears. We’d then return to the boat with tales of hits, misses and “almosts.” It was an enjoyable time. Our “floating camp” reminded me of past camps in the far north on dry land and surrounded by caribou and the occasional wandering moose or grizzly. We were successful too: Six guys took six bears and caught limits of fish, which made it an adventure for the memory book. That was long ago, but I wanted it again and this time to share it with my 15-year-old son.

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my Cabela’s connections and many of those have become good friends, so about a year ago when I mentioned to one that I wanted to take my son and experience another trip like this, I got an invite. Mike Flores, a fellow Cabela’s pro-staffer and owner of Ninilchik Charters (907-260-7825; ninilchik.com) said, “Sure; when do you want to go?” I was all over it. Mike has been an inﬂuential presence in the charter business for many years and is very respectable when it comes to providing great trips such as this and ﬁshing excursions up and down the Kenai Peninsula. A military veteran, Mike also has a big heart. Each year he and his crew provide hunts and fishing trips for disabled veterans and have been doing it for years with success. These trips focus not only on the hunt or fishing itself, but provide these courageous men and women with an adventure

they wouldn’t be able to experience anywhere else. It’s truly remarkable. Chartered transported hunts usually start in May and run throughout the month of June. I booked early and got in on one of the earlier hunts this last May. School was out then, so Eli would be able to go and he was eager to do so. I explained to him the best I could on what to expect, plus the joys and discomforts of being on a boat for six days. “It will be a lot of fun,” I told him, “but like all Alaska adventure, you need to be ready for the unexpected.”

WE ARRIVED IN HOMER after a short ﬂight from Anchorage. We didn’t have much gear save for the usual: two riﬂes, rain gear and a supply of clothes and reading material to get us through the week. Time away from cell phones and the PS4 was my primary goal. It was just

The daily ride to the beach was in this raft. These “rubber boats” are ideal for getting hunters to and from their ﬂoating home base. Here, deckhand Schuyler ferries veteran soldier Mike to the shore in search of bears. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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getting Eli and I outdoors to experience something different other than the long winter we had just experienced in Kotzebue. This would be a true father-son adventure, in far different surroundings. We met our captain, Garrett, the next morning in the boat harbor onboard the 50-foot vessel the Sundy, a spacious boat that slept six and was built for big-water adventures such as this. Other than our captain and crewmember Schuyler we found only one other boatmate, a disabled veteran, Mike, who had done two tours in Afghanistan. Like most hunts when you are in camp with people you don’t know, Mike kept quiet and to himself in the beginning, but as the adventure progressed he opened up and the trip became one of camaraderie and excitement. This ﬁrst day was dedicated to getting from point A to point B, which meant in order to get started, a long

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boat ride was required. I can say one thing about charter captains and their boats – they amaze me. Their incredible skill at navigating the water and knowing what to do with different scenarios are required skills, with Garrett at the top of his game. I could see why my good friend Mike Flores had had so much faith in him, which he has expressed to me a lot over the years. It’s also important to note that when it comes to bear hunting and fishing on open water in Alaska, it really comes down to one thing: weather. The conversation between captain and fellow skippers is nonstop. The reports coming over the radio from the National Weather Service are endless. The chatter of wind direction, wind speed, tides, and currents are never ending, and a must to know on a trip such as this. Another requirement is the ability to read the water and know where the fish are and get clients on those fish. Garrett had that down, and then some. After arriving at our first destina96

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Black bears seemed to appear everywhere during this ﬁve-day adventure, and while hindsight is 20/20, there was some regret Eli didn’t take a shot at this bruin, which many would have, though there were just too many variables for the young hunter. Still, the moment between father and son will be cherished forever. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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A BRUIN FOR A VETERAN Mike, our boatmate, hunting companion and war veteran, caught his share of fish on our trip. He pulled in a dandy yelloweye and a couple of big flatfish, but I could tell he really wanted a bear. I also knew that he needed a little help. Hunting in different country than you’re used to, especially by yourself, can be hard, so I volunteered to go with him and see if we could get him a bear. On one of the windier days, with overcast skies and rain, our boat’s deckhand Schuyler took us to shore downwind from a bear we’d spotted from the boat. We closed the distance only to find out it was a sow with a lone cub. No shot was taken and there were no other bears in the area. The next day we spotted another bear close to the same area and did

tion, we anchored and dropped our lines. My primary goal was to catch halibut and I wanted Eli to experience the feel of pulling up one of these behemoths of the deep. He loves to ﬁsh, but he had never caught a halibut, only eaten them from trades I had made for moose or caribou. It was exciting! He didn’t catch any that day, as only Mike and I were able to pull up a couple of nice ones. Eli was still a little woozy from the ride and still had a bad taste in his mouth, so his time on deck was limited until he could get his sea legs. I did tell him that as the trip continued it would get better, which it did.

THE NEXT DAY BROUGHT more fishing, with Eli feeling better. We tried our hand at rockfish, and even though it was raining and blowing we made our way to the bow of the boat. The railing provided security but life jackets were still issued. The bouncing and churning had little effect on the fish. In no time we each had our limit for the day. Eli even was able to land a black rockfish that measured 26 inches, surely a record somewhere. 98

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Veteran Mike, who served two tours of duty in Afghanistan, joined the trip and managed to tag out on a black bear. It wasn’t the biggest they saw ashore, but it was the best opportunity at a bear and Mike and made a great shot. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

the same. This time it was a small boar and Mike made a perfect shot, bringing the bear down off the side of a hill. He was elated and so was I. Mike grinned

That evening we had a good meal provided by Schuyler and loaded our packs for the first trip to shore. Black bears were our second goal and I wanted Eli to have the experience of an up-close-and-personal experience with a bruin. Eli is not a stranger to bears, though; he has lived in the Arctic his entire life. Even though we don’t have black bears, we do have grizzly, which he has seen me bring home many times. This would be a new experience he was excited for. We made it to shore and found a place to sit and wait. It has been my experience that when hunting black bears from a boat, once you’re ashore patience is the key to success. We just needed to wait it out until that magical hour when they appear from nowhere, either along the bank or in one of the many grassy ﬂats at low tide. We didn’t have to wait long. A small bear appeared ahead, and we watched him for a long time. He was small and probably would have been all right for Eli’s ﬁrst black bear, but he would not give us the shot we needed. Finally, he disappeared into the thick bush.

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with excitement and was so happy describing the shot. It was great moment and it really made the trip even more satisfying. PA

As evening lingered on, we decided to take advantage of the low tide and move into one of the salmon streams that lay in the bay. Slowly we rounded a bend in the creek and saw a big black spot in the distance. It was a good bear but still 500 yards out into the grass. We found a spot and decided to wait him out. Back and forth he went, ﬁnally closing the gap at 200 yards. I knew it would be an iffy shot, as the tree line was close, and Eli had never shot anything that far. The 7mm was sighted in at 3 inches high at 100, so I knew the gun was on. However, black bears are notorious for taking punishment and then leaving the scene. When you shoot a black bear in unfamiliar forest/surroundings, you need to kill them dead where they stand, or in most cases they get away. The last thing I wanted was a wounded bear, plus I didn’t want Eli upset, disappointed and then having to go on a chase that might never end. I’ve seen it happen many times before. The other problem was that even at low tide the creek was still in front of us. It was also deeper than the

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Eli with his big rockﬁsh; this one measured right at 26 inches and was the biggest caught the entire trip. Eli actually caught the biggest halibut as well, but most importantly he and his dad had a great time while bringing home a ton of ﬁsh. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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tops of our muck boots, and darkness and the incoming tide would soon be approaching. We decided to pass. Not getting or taking the shot at the bear was disappointing, but it was a great learning experience for Eli and something that I actually cherish even more now after we came home. Sitting there, we had time to discuss bear size, shot placement, the “what ifs” and the “what would you do” scenarios. It was all good and in hindsight, something that created motivation for next time. Yes, we did see a lot of bears afterwards, but nothing of the size and stature of that one. I did get to make a couple of stalks on unexpecting bears, only to have them slip by me or catch my wind. Man, that area has a lot of bears! I can see now why they allow three per person.

THE NEXT DAY AND the remainder of the trip was primarily devoted to ﬁshing and looking for that one big bruin. Eli did well, catching his limit of rockﬁsh

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“Getting your kids outside and experiencing the great outdoors with what Alaska has to offer, no matter where you live in the state, is priceless,” the author writes. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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each day and then finally his halibut. His first flattie was in the 35-pound range, and to watch him crank on that reel over 300 feet of water was special. He held his ground and I was proud of him when Garrett gaffed the big boy and pulled him into the boat. At the end of the trip, Eli landed a 100-plus-pound halibut and I missed it, but luckily they videoed the whole thing. It was quite the sight and again, I was proud of the stamina and willpower Eli demonstrated in order to get that fish up. Sadly, he had to release it due to catching one earlier in the day with a one-fish-per-day limit. It was a great trip overall and something that I will cherish forever. We landed safely back in Homer with a boatload of fish and memories, plus met a few people we can now call good friends. You can’t ask for much better. Getting your kids outside and experiencing the great outdoors with what Alaska has to offer, no matter where you live in the state, is priceless. Time flies, so do it now and as much as possible, because before you know it they’ll be out the door to college or a career and doing their own thing. Seize the day! ASJ Editor’s note: Paul Atkins is an outdoor writer and author from Kotzebue, Alaska. He has written hundreds of articles on big game hunting, and fishing throughout North America and Africa, plus surviving in the Arctic. Paul is a monthly contributor to Alaska Sporting Journal.

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Author Jeff Lund had this black bear in his sights but missed. He’d get another opportunity at a second bruin. (JEFF LUND)

BEAR IN HIS SIGHTS A HUNTER’S ENCOUNTER WITH A STEALTHY BRUIN BY JEFF LUND

e dropped anchor and casually glassed the shores as we readied our gear.

“Bear.” Tony was right; there was a nice bear on the beach just off the bow. It was feeding in front of a small island at the tip of a tidal ﬂat. We quickened our pace, dropped into the raft and motored toward shore. It was just before 5 p.m. on a Friday evening, so we had more time that night plus the entire next day, so when this bear spooked, and spook it would, there

would be other chances. But by the time we were halfway to the shore, the bear was still there, busy eating mussels and partly blocked by a few rocks. We made shore, tied up the raft and ranged it at 260. It sat down, gazing directly in our direction. It was big and had a noticeable rub between its eyes, but not wanting to take that shot, we backed up and closed the gap by sneaking back into the woods. When I crawled out to take the shot, it was gone. No big deal. There was still time. Tony and I sat at the edge of the

tide’s reach – mostly hidden by trees – for an hour. Shortly after Tony went back to check on the raft as the tide continued to rise, the bear emerged from the island. There were 50 yards of grass between the bear and the protection of the forest. He walked behind a fallen tree and only paused when he was directly behind the root wad. I had no shot. He walked out from behind the roots but didn’t stop. Sensing something was wrong, he scampered the rest of the way and disappeared. I didn’t really do anything wrong. I was happy I didn’t force a shot, but couldn’t help but feel that seeing that bear twice and not getting a shot would doom the trip for me.

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MAKING MISTAKES Knowing why you screw up is important. Not just in decision making but also in a mechanical, routine sense. My lack of patience has ruined stalks on steelhead, deer and bear. I was determined to be dialed in and do what was necessary. So the next day, when Tony dropped me off at the same spot before he motored to the opposite side of the bay to sit and I saw a bear, I was ready to shoot. I worked through the same trees I had the previous day. I was on the edge of the shore and the bear was still there, standing. But the wind was bad. I couldn’t even ﬁnd a clearing for a shot before the wind hit its nose and it retreated into the woods. Two bears; three chances; no shots. None of the chances were ideal, but I had to wonder if there was something I could have done to improve my situation. I didn’t want to believe that all of this was outside of my control. I adjusted for the wind, crossed the creek and hoped the bear would come out again. Not a half-hour later, it did. 108

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Tony Sines (top) adjusts the hunters’ raft along the rocky, tidal shorelines they hunted. Lund covered a lot of ground pursuing multiple bears, as his map illustrates. (JEFF LUND)

When I miss with my riﬂe, I usually miss low because I do the lift-my-head, drop-the-riﬂe two-step. Stupid. Amateur. Irresponsible. This happens when I don’t have time to slow my routine or I am too excited to remember to watch the action through the scope. After three clumsy encounters, I was determined but almost des-

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Despite a missed shot, hard work eventually paid off for Lund. (JEFF LUND)

perate and not focused. I watched the bear through my scope. I had spotted a tree at 145 and the back of the grass ﬂats at 260. All the brush on the forest side of the ﬂat was too small to get a reading, so I couldn’t tell exactly how far the bear was. I guessed it was a nice bear at 150 rather than a big bear at 200. Since the bear had already given me the slip once,

I didn’t want to drop my riﬂe to range it. My breath was right, the riﬂe steady. The bruin didn’t react to a hit; instead it reacted to the sound of the bullet tearing through grass. I looked for blood and fur anyway and found a 3-foot streak cut into the tangle of fresh grass emerging from the yellow, dead leftovers of the previous summer’s growth.

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I had my chance and failed. Add the miss to the bear we saw the previous night and it was not exactly a banner hunting trip. I was sure I wouldn’t get another chance, so I sat and ate a protein bar loudly. I looked up to catch a bear crossing the creek. It was big. Through the woods was a grassy beach it was likely working toward since I’d disrupted his normal routine by missing a different bear. I crossed

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“There are moments I do things right and feel like I have things ﬁgured out,” says the author, right. “When that moment comes immediately after an instance of dizzying ineptitude, I feel as though the world feels a little bad for me and wants to acknowledge that at least I haven’t quit.” Not quitting meant some redemption in the form of a nice bear. (JEFF LUND)

the creek and ran along the beach to cut it off when it emerged from the forest. There was no way it was going to work.

FINALLY CONNECTING There are moments I do things right and feel like I have things ﬁgured out. When that moment comes immediately after an instance of dizzying ineptitude, I feel as though the world feels a little bad for me and wants to acknowledge that at least I haven’t quit. So anyway, I sat under a tree and the bear emerged from the trees before I could control my breath. It stepped tentatively into the open but behind a fallen tree. It was broadside and looking directly at me. I made no movements, even though I didn’t have a rest. It turned and walked a few steps. I put my elbow on my knee, steadied my riﬂe and breathed. The crosshairs were settled and I felt calm. “Watch the hit.” I told myself and I touched the trigger. The bear dropped. ASJ 112

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Wolves aren’t always easy to ﬁnd in Alaska, but they are some of the state’s most respected predators. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

ALASKA BIG GAME FOCUS

ALASKA BIG GAME FOCUS: WOLF

BY PAUL D. ATKINS

“

hat are those?” I asked my two native friends. “They look like caribou!” “No. Those are wolves,” one of them said. We were looking for wild sheep from a hill in the furthermost parts of the Western Brooks Range and I’d happened to glass behind us. Six big bodies were running down a ridgeline straight towards us. I had never seen anything like it in all my years. Wolves are members of the family Canidae. The pelt color of Alaska wolves ranges from black to nearly white, with every shade of gray and tan in between. Most adult males in Interior Alaska weigh 85 to 115 pounds, but they occasionally reach a whopping 145 pounds. Females average 10 to 15 pounds lighter and rarely weigh more than 110 pounds. Wolves reach adult size by about 1 year old. Wolves are found throughout main-

GIMME FIVE: FACTS ABOUT WOLVES 1) There are 7,000 to 11,000 wolves in Alaska. 2) Wolves in Alaska are managed as both a big game animal and a furbearer; they are hunted and also trapped. Each year, hunters and trappers harvest about 1,300 wolves in the state, with up to an additional 200 animals or so taken annually via intensive management (predator control) programs. 3) All harvested wolves must be taken to an Alaska Department of Fish and Game or representative office for “sealing,” a process in which the hide is examined, recorded and a tag or seal is affixed. 4) Predation by other wolves is a major cause of death for wolves because wolves defend their territories. 5) Despite a generally high birth rate, wolves rarely become abundant because mortality is also high. –Alaska Department of Fish and Game

land Alaska, Unimak Island in the Aleutians and all major Southeast islands except Admiralty, Baranof, and Chichagof. Wolves are adaptable and exist in a wide variety of habitats. Their range extends from the rainforests of the Southeast Panhandle to the arctic tundra along the Beaufort Sea.

Despite what you may read, wolves have never been threatened or endangered here in Alaska. They are found in nearly all of their historic range with the exception of the urban areas, although they prowl the outskirts of Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau. Wolves are social animals that live

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in packs that may include the parents and pups of the year, yearlings and other adults. The average pack size is six or seven animals, though packs of 20 to 30 wolves sometimes occur. These larger packs may have two or three litters of pups from more than one female. Wolves are carnivores, and in most of mainland Alaska moose and/or caribou are their primary food source. Dall sheep, squirrels, snowshoe hares, beavers and occasionally birds and ﬁsh supplement a wolf diet. In Southeast Alaska, Sitka blacktail deer, mountain goats, and beaver are the most important sources of food. Wolves are classiﬁed as big game (in the hunting regulations) and as furbearers (in the trapping regulations). Wolves may be harvested with a hunting license and/or a trapping license. A locking-tag is required for nonresidents, unless they are in Game Management Units 1, 3, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15–17, 19–21, and 24–25.

THOSE SIX WOLVES I saw that day were a rare sight. Even though I’ve spent 20plus years here in the Arctic I haven’t

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There are from 7,000 to 11,000 wolves in Alaska, but despite high birth rates, they rarely are abundant, state managers say. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

seen anything like that since. Actually, in all my years on the tundra I’ve only seen a handful. Those that we saw that day in Brooks Range picked a bad day to run towards us. We took all six and to this day

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it’s the only wolf I’ve ever taken. ASJ Editor’s note: The Alaska Department of Fish and Game contributed to this report. Follow the author on Twitter (@aktrophyhunter).

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ALASKA BY AIR

ANGLERS AND HUNTERS RELY ON PLANES TO REACH THE STATE’S PRIME LOCATIONS BY N.J. MILLIKEN

ommercial aviation service is available to and from many of the biggest and signiﬁcant port cities in Alaska. However, there are hundreds of locations that commercial jets can’t reach. To get to many destinations along the coast, in the southwestern portion of the state, the furthest regions in the north, or remote Native villages, air travel is the only way to go. Residents of small communities throughout Alaska rely on pilots who operate air shuttle service for everything from groceries to medical needs and are familiar with the air taxi routes. Small, commercial planes are how people travel out of the area for business trips, to visit family and friends and to go to college. Air travel is how most people reach vacation destinations within the sweeping Alaskan landscape. Bush planes and ﬂoatplanes are the

most reliable and in many cases the only ways to reach some of the state’s most remote locations. When you’re traveling to a sportsman or ﬁshing lodge, travel time cuts into your vacation and you’ll get there faster by hiring a charter service.

PLAN TYPES FOR ALASKAN TRAVEL What is referred to as “off-airport landings” aren’t common in most areas of the country, but in Alaska this type of landing is an everyday occurrence. One of the most exciting aspects of aviation in Alaska is being able to ﬂy to the most remote wilderness areas to experience what many visitors never see when they’re traveling by car. Bush planes vary in size and capability. Here are some of the most common types of aircraft and how they’re used:

CESSNA 185 The Cessna 185 is one of the most common planes in Alaska and can

travel up to 840 miles. This aircraft is often used to take passengers to a staging spot in a remote region where they’re shuttled to a smaller airstrip. The plane can be equipped with skis, ﬂoats, or wheels.

CESSNA 206 This is one of the most versatile planes for sportsmen since it can land at a conventional airstrip as well as on a sandbar. Most often, the aircraft has wheels for off-airport landings but is compatible enough to use ﬂoats. The Cessna 206 has a range of 1,100 miles and can carry up to 1,700 pounds of gear.

DE HAVILLAND DHC-3 OTTER Available as a single- or twin-engine aircraft, the de Havilland DHC-3 Otter has been one of the most commonly used aircraft in Alaska since the 1950s and has a capacity of 5,300 pounds. The Otter is an excellent plane for traveling to the Alaskan wilderness, can use

If you want to reach some of the most spectacular and productive ﬁshing and hunting spots in the Last Frontier, often you’ll need to get there by air. The ability to land on rough ground make planes like this Cessna 185 taking off near Yakutat vital for visitors and locals alike. (SEAN TEVEBAUGH/NATIONAL PARK SERVICE) aksportingjournal.com | JULY 2018

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Heather Bartlett, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Arctic Refuge officer relies on her compact Piper Super Cub, which is designed for light loads and short distances, to do her job. (USFWS)

wheels, skis or ﬂoats and can ﬂy as far as 945 miles.

DE HAVILLAND DHC-2 BEAVER An ideal aircraft for transporting heavy loads and short take-offs and landings, the DHC-2 Beaver’s wide doors make it an excellent choice for carrying ﬁshing and hunting equipment and even rafts to remote locales. One of the variations is wheel ﬂoats that give the aircraft the capabilities of an amphibious craft. The Beaver is a superb choice for expeditions into the wilderness with a lot of gear.

HELIO COURIER The Helio Courier is one of the most reliable planes for ﬂying into the Alaskan bush. The plane has the capacity of a Cessna, a lot of speed and offers a long range. The Helio can travel up to 1,100 miles. making it an excellent aircraft for the most remote locations. 122

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The aircraft is versatile and used to land on rivers, lakes, sandbars and off-airport landing strips.

PIPER SUPER CUB This compact plane is designed to carry light loads and ﬂy up to 460 miles. Although it’s commonly used to transport sportsmen to sandbars, lakes, tundras or rivers, experienced pilots have been known to land them on mountainsides and glaciers. The Super Cub is one of the best ﬂoatplanes since it can land in short landing areas. The capacity of this plane is less than some others, featuring a capacity of 700 pounds.

FLYING CHALLENGES AND RISKS IN ALASKA One of the biggest challenges to tourists ﬂying in Alaska is that minimal changes to the weather are common. Experienced pilots are accustomed to ﬂying when the cloud cover is low or

JULY 2018 | aksportingjournal.com

if the winds are stronger than usual in the mountain passes. If the winds gain intensity while flying through the mountains, it can be a little unsettling for passengers. The FAA in Alaska has weather cams installed in the most commonly traveled mountain passes. Pilots who travel these areas frequently know what to expect. Although flying in a smaller plane does pose some risk, it’s a part of life in Alaska. Knowing the risks is part of learning to be a better pilot. The key points to keep in mind: Proficiency Staying current on technology Don’t exceed capabilities Plan carefully Know when to cancel or turn back Another factor to consider is that more people are injured in auto acci-

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Not a bad way to get to a camping site, and doing it by air can put visitors into some of the most remote locales on the continent. (NEAL HERBERT/NATIONAL PARK SERVICE)

dents than flying in small aircraft. The majority of pilots flying to the most remote locations have hundreds of hours of flight time.

HIRING A PILOT When you’re hiring someone to ﬂy you in Alaska, always do some research before you book the reservation. If you know someone who can make a recommendation, that’s a good starting point.

Alaskan bush pilots have websites and usually provide testimonials from previous clients. Narrow down your search by finding out how far various air taxi services are from your destination. Inquire about the type of aircraft they fly and what their rates are. You can find listings online of air taxis by region. When you’re checking out the rates of various services, find out in advance exactly what you’ll be charged. Some

POPULAR DESTINATIONS FOR OUTDOORS LOVER As long as there’s a safe place to land an aircraft, there are very few limitations about flying to destinations in Alaska. Some of the most popular fly-in destinations are Elfin Cove, Gustavus, Klawock and Pelican. Here are some of the best fly-in locations for avid sportsmen and -women: Lake Clark National Park offers fishing, rafting and kayaking, climbing and hiking, wildlife photo shoots, and flightseeing. Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve offers air-taxi service from Skagway, Juneau and Haines. Fishing charters, bear viewing, glacier tours, dog sledding, and Arctic tours can be accessed here. Bristol Bay in Western Alaska is dotted with rivers and streams that are ideal for rainbow trout fishing. Fishing enthusiasts have the option of fishing the Kvichak River or flying out to different remote fishing spots each day. Katmai National Park is accessible by floatplane. The best fishing holes and streams in the region are accessible by walking a short distance or for those who want an adventurous trek with long hikes to prime fishing spots in remote areas. Utqiagvik, or Barrow, which is 1,250 miles from the North Pole, even has regularly scheduled air service. NJM 124

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services charge a flat rate depending on the destination. Other services charge by the hour for a round-trip. Make sure to get an invoice or agreement on which all the charges are listed before you sign anything. The departure time and place should always be included in the agreement. One of the variables that no pilot can tell you in advance is how the weather will be during your flight because the weather conditions in Alaska are unpredictable. Choose a pilot based on his experience and years of flying through the Alaskan terrain. What’s amazing about experienced pilots from Alaska is their ability to improvise at a moment’s notice. When a pilot is asked whether wheels, floats or skis are preferable, each has its benefits. However, the most remote fishing spots are accessible with planes that have wheels and have the ability to land on a tundra, beach or sandbar.

SIZE LIMITATIONS Due to the size and capacity of different seaplanes, the FAA requires that passengers must be weighed before getting on the plane. The baggage of each passenger must also be weighed. The baggage weight requirements may differ from one

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carrier to another and passengers may be charged extra for bags that exceed the weight requirement. Carriers have the right to stow passengers’ bags on a different ﬂight going to the same destination.

BOOKING A PLANE A great way to start planning your trip to a remote wilderness lodge in Alaska is to check online with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (adfg .alaska.gov) for information and to find directories that list the locations that the carriers fly to. You can search for fishing and wildlife trips to remote locations by the region or month you plan to travel. When you find the tour that interests you make sure to check out the information about departures, rates, and cancellation policies. Additional information to inquire about includes whether the company allows discounts for groups. Aviation services provide online forms on their websites to request information or to book a trip. You can reserve trips to fishing/hunting lodges, fly-ins to a remote island or combina-

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With a range of 1,100 miles, the Helio Courier – shown here at Lake Hood Seaplane Base in Anchorage – is a favored plane for the most remote Alaska destinations. (USER TIMOTHY MN/WIKIMEDIA)

tion packages. The provider will need to know the size of your group and your preferred departure date as well as any other relevant information. In remote northern and western areas snow is common in August, so plan accordingly. A lot of the roadside camps and lodges are billed as wilderness lodges but aren’t the same as the lodg-

JULY 2018 | aksportingjournal.com

es in the most remote parts of Alaska. To reach these destinations, you must hire a pilot to ﬂy you in. Alaska is one of the country’s most beautiful destinations. Viewing the spectacular snow-capped mountains and glaciers from a small plane is an unforgettable experience wherever you’re headed. ASJ

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