Alaska Sporting Journal - July 2021 by Media Index Publishing Group

FISHING • HUNTING • ADVENTURE

AKSPORTINGJOURNAL.COM

Volume 11 • Issue 2 www.aksportingjournal.com PUBLISHER James R. Baker GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott EDITOR Chris Cocoles

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MEDIA INDEX PUBLISHING GROUP 14240 Interurban Ave South • Suite 190 Tukwila, WA 98168 (206) 382-9220 • Fax (206) 382-9437 media@media-inc.com • www.media-inc.com CORRESPONDENCE Twitter @AKSportJourn Facebook.com/alaskasportingjournal Email ccocoles@media-inc.com

CONTENTS

FEATURES

VOLUME 11 • ISSUE 2

CATCH A SHOOTING STAR Army Specialist Sagen Maddalena started shooting competitively at a young age in her native California. But her rifle team coach convinced her if she wanted to get to another level, then joining a college rifle team was a necessity. Maddalena walked on to the University of Alaska Nanooks, developed into an All-American and after embarking on a military career, has qualified for this month’s Tokyo Summer Olympics in air rifle. Maddalena talked to us about representing Team USA and her love for the outdoors.

STEELHEAD DRIVE HIM CRAZY Tony Ensalaco knows he can head to a different Alaska fishery and probably catch a lot more fish like salmon or halibut, but there’s something about the steelhead nut in him that he keeps returning to the Situk River to take on its wily sea-run trout. And true to form, the action on Ensalaco’s most recent trip was anything but consistent. But in reuniting with old friends, meeting new ones and sharing tales of success and failure, he still plans on doing it all over again.

WHAT TO HUNT IN THE LAST FRONTIER In the first of a two-part series on planning an Alaska hunt, longtime Last Frontier sportsman Paul Atkins breaks down the state’s big game options, how to get tags and when to go try your luck for a moose, bear, caribou and the rest of the critters that so many from inside and outside Alaska hope to harvest.

VALDEZ DERBIES GOING STRONG

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Despite being limited last year by the COVID-19 pandemic and having to reduce halibut and silver salmon prize money, Valdez’s annual summer derbies went so smoothly they decided to essentially repeat the same socially distanced formats (but with prize money back to its usual payouts). The halibut derby is up and running, with the salmon events starting this month. Valdez Fish Derbies’ Laurie Prax provided us the details.

9 11 23 49

The Editor’s Note: Valdez derby tickets a bargain Outdoor calendar From Field to Fire: Curing salmon eggs The Salmon State: Memorable Stikine River float

(VALDEZ FISH DERBIES) 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 $49.95 (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 © 2021 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. 6

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EDITOR’S NOTE

KENAI PENINSULA

have learned a lot about what’s good value still, even as everything else is so expensive. Who can beat that $1.50 hot dog and drink combo at Costco? Rarely will I load up on bulk items when it’s the lunch hour and not take advantage of that. I was thinking of some of the best deals I’ve ever had when chatting with marketing coordinator Laurie Prax about this summer’s Valdez Fish Derbies lineup (page 31). The still in-progress Halibut Derby and the Silver Salmon Derby, which starts on July 24, offers prizes that include $10,000 for the biggest halibut or silver caught around Valdez’s Prince William Sound waters. But you can’t win without first purchasing a derby ticket for either the halibut or silver salmon derby. The cost per ticket? Just $10, and if you plan to fish multiple times, it’s just $50 for the entire duration of the derby. What a deal! “I think what people For just $10 for a daily ticket, get confused about is that an angler in the waters around they need to buy the ticket Valdez has a chance to catch a before they go fishing,” big halibut, and maybe a bigger payday. (VALDEZ FISH DERBIES) Prax told me. “And it’s only $10. Sometimes I think people think, ‘I don’t know how to be a part of this.’ It’s not really that complicated.” It’s so cool to have these events in communities such as Homer, which is hosting its new-look Homer Halibut Tournament on Sept. 24-25, and the recently concluded Slam’n Salm’n Derby at Ship Creek in Anchorage. They are not only a source of pride for local communities, but they also attract visitors from neighboring Alaska communities and Lower 48ers who want to get in some of the Last Frontier’s epic fisheries. “Other places don’t do derbies. They just don’t,” Prax says. “So people from out of state and sometimes even those from (other areas of Alaska), they think it’s like being a part of a tournament where you pay a lot of money to fish in a tournament. It’s 10 bucks.” In a world where gas prices and grocery bills can sometimes make your head spin, and movies and baseball games that cost a hell of lot more money for tickets than what we spent on them as kids, it’s nice to get a bargain once in a while. Go fishing this summer in Alaska and try to win big. -Chris Cocoles

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OUTDOOR CALENDAR*

July 1 2021-22 Alaska hunting regulations take effect July 1-Sept. 5 Valdez Halibut Derby (valdezfishderbies.com) July 7 Mount Marathon Race, Seward (mountmarathon .com) July 24 Valdez Kids Pink Salmon Derby (valdezfishderbies.com/kids-derby) July 24-Sept. 5 Valdez Silver Salmon Derby (valdezfishderbies.com/silver-derby) July 30 First Valdez Big Prize Friday (part of Silver Salmon Derby; valdezfishderbies.com/silver-derby/ big-prize-fridays) Aug. 13-15 Golden North Salmon Derby, Juneau (goldennorthsalmonderby.com) Aug. 13-Sept. 5 Valdez Tagged Fish Contest (valdezfishderbies.com/tagged-fish-contest) Aug. 14 Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby (valdezfishderbies.com/womens-derby) Aug. 14-22 Seward Silver Salmon Derby (salmon.seward.com) Aug. 18-20 Ted Stevens Kenai River Classic, Soldotna (krsa.com/events/ted-stevens-kenai-river-classic) Note: COVID-19 restrictions were easing at press time, but always confirm events before attending. aksportingjournal.com | JULY 2021

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U.S. Army Specialist Sagen Maddalena competes in the smallbore rifle U.S. Olympic Trials earlier this year. The world-class shooter who also loves to fish and hunted in Alaska in college has qualified for the three-position rifle event at the Tokyo Summer Olympics, which begin this month. (MICHELLE LUNATO/U.S. ARMY/SAGEN MADDALENA) 12

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TAKING HER SHOT AT GOLD UA FAIRBANKS ALUM SAGEN MADDALENA HEADS TO THE SUMMER OLYMPICS IN TOKYO BY CHRIS COCOLES

agen Maddalena’s road to Tokyo might have been paved in Alaska. Maddalena, a specialist in the U.S. Army, will represent Team USA’s shooting team in the 2020 Summer Olympics, delayed a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic but scheduled to begin on July 23. Shooting competitions start July 24, and the 27-year-old from California qualified for Tokyo in the three-position rifle event. “Wearing the red, white and blue, that’s going to be where my thoughts are,” she says. “It’s a privilege and an honor,

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LEARNING FROM THE BEST

mericans haven’t dominated Olympic shooting’s medal table historically as in other sports such as basketball, swimming and track and field. But Team USA has a recent trend of women who have made the podium. Jamie Lynn Corkish (nee Gray) won gold in 2012’s London Games’ three-position rifle event; Alaska’s Corey Cogdell-Unrein has two bronze medals in trap shooting in 2008 (Beijing) and 2016 (Rio de Janeiro); Ginny Thrasher was the 2016 Olympic champion in air rifle; and Sagen Maddalena’s Ginny Thrasher. (GINNYTHRASHER.COM/MEDIA) fellow Californian Kim Rhode (six medals, three gold, in six different Olympics) is the sport’s most successful female Olympian and the only woman to medal in six consecutive games (1996 Atlanta, 2000 Sydney, 2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing, 2012 London, 2016 Rio). Rhode and Thrasher particularly have been great role models to Maddalena as she takes her shot at a Tokyo medal. “Kim Rhode, I remember we were competing at the world championships in Granada, Spain. And we were traveling back together to the United States. I can’t say exactly what she said, but it had to do with loving what you do and enjoying the moment,” Maddalena says. “She also talked about how qualifying is just the first step. Getting into that final and just enjoying it. At least that’s what I took out of it. I don’t know if that's what she was trying to relay, but that’s what I took from the conversation that we had. That was a big thing for me to learn, the enjoyment aspect of it.” Thrasher and Maddalena are somewhat rivals in their discipline, and the latter will try to follow up the former’s unlikely 2016 air rifle gold in Brazil. Thrasher also competed collegiately at West Virginia University, which for years has battled Maddalena’s alma mater Alaska Fairbanks for national team titles. Kim Rhode. (PATTI WATKINS, INSPIRED STUDIOS, VIA USA “We competed together SHOOTING) a lot and have grown up in the sport. When Thrasher was preparing for the 2016 Olympics I was tagging along with her and training with her, and it was really awesome to see how she prepared mentally,” Maddalena says. “She’s very good with routines and I guess you can say she has rituals in her preparation before she competes. That’s definitely something that I’ve learned from her.” CC

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and definitely I’m excited to represent the Army, my state, my family.” Her state, of course, is first and foremost California, where she grew up. But the state known as the Last Frontier is also part of who Maddalena is today as a skilled marksperson and a medal hopeful in Tokyo. Urged by her service rifle coach in California, she carried a borrowed .22 and an air rifle she bought with summer job earnings and headed north to try and walk on to the University of Alaska Fairbanks rifle team. “That was, all I can say, luck at the time,” she says of how she got there and what the experience did for her career, one that could be just taking off.

THE COMMUNITY OF GROVELAND, located in Northern California’s Sierra Nevada Range and known as the “gateway” to Yosemite National Park, was an outdoor paradise for young Sagen Maddalena. Her dad Randy got her hooked on fly fishing, but it was another family member who inspired her in a different activity. “A big part of it goes to my grandpa. He kind of got me out there shooting and he showed me a lot of the safety part of it and the enjoyment of it,” she says. Sagen joined her local 4-H club and participated in the traditional raising of livestock. She started with sheep, then pigs, and she especially got into taking care of breeding goats (her family also owned horses and she participated in equestrian programs). But the 4-H also sponsored a .22 long rifle shooting program that Maddalena was excited to enroll in. It was mostly a safety class with some competitive events, but it opened new doors. “The big thing was, the junior rifle service team (California Grizzlies) ran that program, or assisted in running that program,” she says. “It was kind of like a football team and they recruited juniors who were interested in shooting. ‘OK, I want to go a little further in this.’” Maddalena found herself competing – and holding her own – against older 4-H competitors. And then the invite came to join the California Grizzlies service rifle team. “Once I went to my first match there, I was hooked at that point,” she says.

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Still, as she was mostly homeschooled, Maddalena wasn’t sure if shooting could turn into something else. She wanted to enlist in the Army eventually, but preferred to get a college education first. That’s when her service rifle coach, Robert Taylor, had an idea that would change everything.

THE OLYMPIC GAMES TELL us so much about an athlete’s character. From Jesse Owens, the sprinter who stuck it to Adolph Hitler’s white supremacy propaganda in Berlin; to unlikely wrestling Olympic champion Rulon Gardner; to the sheer dominance of gymnastics star Simone Biles. Maddalena may or may not join them as American medalists, but she found humor when asked about how quickly she caught onto shooting. “Not at all. Terrible,” was how she described her performance early on. “One thing that still sticks in my mind is the (4-H) instructor we had running the .22 program told everybody in the group in our lesson before we went to the range was – and he was talking to me

Even when fishing in Georgia, where she’s now based, Maddalena loves to rep her alma mater, University of Alaska Fairbanks, where she walked in and then became an All-American. (SAGEN MADDALENA)

Growing up, Maddalena and her father Randy shared many fly fishing trips, a passion that she continues today, and she even sees some correlations to fly fishing and shooting. “It’s the patience and the ability to just kinda be all there when you’re doing it,” she says. “You really can’t just let your mind wander.” (SAGEN MADDALENA)

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– to be able to shoot standing you have to love standing. So I pretty much told myself from that time on, ‘I love shooting standing.’” She made sacrifices to get better. Between her practice time on the range and livestock duties, Maddalena admits she had little time to do what kids her age do and hang out with friends. She also credits her parents, Randy and Susan, for attending all those county fairs – “I’m pretty sure there were better things to do at that time,” Sagen says of her mom. “She sacrificed a lot to be there.” Sagen also was thankful Randy wasn’t a “helicopter dad” who “never hovered” at events and got too involved in the proceedings. “It was my drive; it wasn’t their drive,” she says. “They were always just there to support, so I was fortunate to have that.” Maddalena was also inspired by her service rifle team coach Taylor, who offered some of the best advice of her life. “‘Look: You have a choice to make. You can be the best here; the best as a service rifle shooter,” Maddalena recalls Taylor telling her. “Or you can expand

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out and you can try shooting in college … You can (someday possibly) shoot in the Olympics and take your competitive nature out farther.” UAF, one of the most storied rifle programs in the NCAA, checked a lot of boxes. The school offered a program Maddalena wanted to major in (natural resources management), so together coach and athlete reached out to then Nanooks head coach Dan Jordan (we previously profiled him: Alaska Sporting Journal, March 2015). “I told him I was interested, my experience and what I had under my belt, and I told him where I wanted to get to and the goals that I had,” Maddalena says. “I wrote it all out in an email and he gave me a call. He gave me a chance. He said, ‘You can come up here and compete as a walk-on.’” So with her borrowed .22 and that air rifle she purchased, Sagen and her mom headed to Fairbanks to try out. Jordan liked what he saw, Maddalena made the team as a non-scholarship athlete, and she redshirted in the 2013-14 season. That time proved invaluable to watch her older Nanooks teammates in action at a prestigious program (UAF has won 10 NCAA team titles and finished second four more times). Match days meant Maddalena could watch the action from the sidelines. Then when it ended, she’d stick around. “I’d watch them compete, shoot. They would pack up and leave and I would go on the range and shoot my match and be there until like 10 or 11 (p.m.), just shooting my match and seeing how I did amongst their scores. That’s how I pushed myself. They drove me to be better.” In her four years competing, Maddalena became an eight-time All-American in both air and smallbore rifle and earned her degree in natural resources management with a minor in forestry. She also immersed herself in the Alaskan lifestyle. Despite being a shooter, fishing was always Maddalena’s first love. Though she vows to come back someday and catch a massive Alaska salmon, she caught plenty of grayling and trout during trips to the Delta Clearwater River and other local fisheries. “I remember going out to the Clearwater and I was out there fly fishing. 18

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Maddalena celebrates her qualification for Tokyo, four years after coming up short for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro games. “Just to make the team, that’s kind of like a ticket to the dance, right? It’s only the first step,” she says. (MICHELLE LUNATO/U.S. ARMY)

I was walking back to the truck and thought, ‘Wow. My feet are cold,’” she says. “I had the waders on and the thick socks. I was appropriately dressed. And I got back to the truck and was eventually able to unfreeze my shoelaces so I could get my shoes off. But I had a half-inch of ice underneath my socks built up.” It’s a feeling only an Alaskan – even a transplant from California – can truly appreciate. Maddalena savored her solo hikes when she packed her snowshoes and shotgun and headed out for some bird hunting. “I had a 12-gauge and I’d hunt for grouse for dinner. And my poor roommates; I’d sit on the back porch of our apartment and take the feathers out of the grouse,” she says. “We had feathers all over the place. But that was my thing: just go out and start walking.” As for her time in Alaska’s outdoors, Maddalena used the word clarity to describe the overall experience. “You’re so close to just, I want to say nature, but that’s not the right word for it. You get into the truck and drive somewhere and then get out and start walking,” she

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says. “And you’re just 30 minutes from town. You can look up in the sky and the color is a little more blue or a little more crisp. And I always really enjoyed that part of it. It’s just a different place.”

TOKYO

MARKS AN ENDGAME to Maddalena’s journey from rural California to Japan via Fairbanks, Alaska. All the 4-H lessons, the service rifle team success and her perseverance to make it work at the college level will come to fruition when she heads across the Pacific for the pandemic-delayed Summer Games. Specialist Maddalena loves her current career in the Army. She’s stationed at Georgia’s Fort Benning, and when she’s not training – she missed out at 2016’s smallbore rifle Olympic Trials before joining teammate Mary Tucker as Team USA’s 2020 air rifle participants – Maddalena is proudly a member of the International Army Rifle Team. “It wasn’t anything that was in the family (as a military background). But I’ve always been patriotic, I guess. Just growing up and being in that rural

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“(It’s) kind of like putting on that Army uniform. It makes you pop your chest a little more, bring your shoulders out and chin up,” Maddalena says of representing Team USA in Tokyo. “ It’s like, ‘OK. Now I get to go to work. I get to show who I am among the greatest out there.’” (MICHELLE LUNATO/U.S. ARMY)

community, and I always looked up to the sacrifices that soldiers gave,” she says. “I wanted to be a part of that, and so to have that opportunity to be a competitor and shoot nationally, to compete around the world and represent the Army and my country at the same time, that’s hands down a huge drive. A huge reason why I compete.” And what about that upcoming competition in Tokyo? “Just to make the team, that’s kind of like a ticket to the dance, right? It’s only the first step. However, it’s a step that can be hard to get to,” says Maddalena, who referred to her 2016 near-miss as a “taste.” “And now, having more than that taste and really getting it in my grasp and getting that ticket to go, it really doesn’t feel like anything special. It’s like, ‘OK. Now I get to go to work. I get to show who I am among the greatest out there.’” ASJ Editor’s note: For more on USA Shooting, go to usashooting.org. The Tokyo Olympics shooting competition website is at olympics .com/tokyo-2020/en/sports/shooting.

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SERVING YOU SINCE 1975

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FIELD

ALL ABOUT THE CURING

Author Scott Haugen cured over 1,000 pounds of coho eggs last summer. Here he’s bleeding fresh skeins, using multiple cures on baits cut to size and starting the air drying process with two previously cured batches. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

HOW ONE EXPERT PREPARES HIS EGGS FOR SALMON FISHING BY SCOTT HAUGEN ’ve never seen it done like that before!” It was a statement I heard over and over last summer while working at a fishing lodge in Alaska. Part of my duties included curing salmon eggs, a responsibility I insisted on. I’m picky when it comes to fishing eggs, even in Alaska. What caught me by surprise were the

“

number of veteran egg-curing anglers who commented on my process. Most said they’d never even thought of doing it the way I did. I’ve been curing salmon and steelhead eggs for over 50 years, and my goal is always to optimize the color and texture of the end product. For five weeks last summer I cured several pounds of coho eggs a day, as they were the primary bait

used by clients to catch silver salmon. Wherever upcoming salmon fishing trips may take you, save those eggs and try this curing approach.

MY EGG-CURING PROCESS STARTS by

quickly killing each fish that’s caught and immediately snapping a couple gill rakes. You want the blood pumping or quickly flowing before it coagulates, which can

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FIELD

Potatoes aren’t just a perfect match for steak, meatloaf or bangers (at least if you’re cooking in the United Kingdom). Tiffany Haugen likes to pair halibut and other fish with some spuds. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)

BLANKET ’BUT BETWEEN POTATO LAYERS BY TIFFANY HAUGEN

“

e’s a real meat-and-potatoes kind of guy” is a statement I often hear about people who aren’t food-adventurous. It’s slightly insulting to the potato, too, especially when combined with fish. From curries to colcannons to fish stew, potatoes across the world add a nice and complex carbohydrate to the dinner plate. In this fish-and-potatoes dish, they also surround and protect

delicate bottomfish from drying out in the heat of the oven. Fried ahead and partially cooked with aromatic, caramelized onions and garlic, these potatoes are anything but ordinary. Add the crunch of buttery Parmesanbuttered panko as a topping and you’ll have a simple, quick, flavorful dinner. It’s sure to become a favorite, especially with the easy clean-up of cooking on parchment. While this recipe works great with any fish, here we used halibut. Four halibut or bottomfish fillets, single serving size Half a lemon Three medium potatoes 1 cup diced onion 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese ½ cup panko or breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives Parchment paper Peel potatoes (or leave peelings on if

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organic) and chop into bite-sized pieces. In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until onion begins to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Add chopped potatoes, sliced garlic, salt and pepper and continue to sauté until potatoes become slightly tender. Do not fully cook potatoes, as they will go in the oven to finish cooking. In a smaller skillet or in the microwave, melt butter and toss with Parmesan cheese and panko/breadcrumbs. Tear off four pieces of parchment paper slightly larger than your fish fillets. Place a spoonful of potato mixture on each piece of parchment. Rinse fish, pat dry and sprinkle with freshly squeezed lemon. Place on top of potato layer and cover each fillet with the remaining potato mixture. Top each fish fillet with an equal amount of buttered panko/ breadcrumbs. Bake in a p r e h e a t e d , 375-degree oven until fish reaches desired doneness or 135 degrees. Garnish with fresh chives before serving. Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany’s popular book, Cooking Seafood, and other best-selling titles, visit tiffanyhaugen.com.

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FIELD

In order to optimize the egg-curing process, split big skeins lengthwise, up the center, then cut bait-sized chunks into the curing container. This maximizes the retention of connective tissues, thereby optimizing bait quality and performance.

(SCOTT HAUGEN)

compromise not only the meat, but the eggs as well. Once the skeins are free, cut an inch or so off the narrow end, making sure to remove all coagulated blood. One bad bait can ruin an entire batch, and having blood-free eggs to start with is very important. Next, force all the blood out of the vessels in each skein. With a paper towel, blot any remaining blood from the skein. Next, sprinkle a thin layer of egg cure into the bottom of a plastic or glass curing 26

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

container, just enough to cover it. Last summer I used many brands, and settled on Pro-Cure’s Wizard Egg Cure in Double Neon Red and their Flame Orange Bait Cure. Clients could choose their eggs, and these were the ones they repeatedly went to day after day, and both produced high numbers of salmon all season long. Grip a skein at the large end, hold over the curing jar, and cut into baitsized chunks. If the skein is small, simply start cutting at the narrow end, as this optimizes egg retention due to

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maximized skein being intact. The more membrane that’s intact, the firmer the bait will cure up and the better it will fish.

ONCE YOU REACH THE point on the skein

where the baits become too big, cut up through the center of the skein that’s hanging down over the container; start at the bottom and continue to the top. This gives you two strips of skeins to now cut into bait sizes. When the layer of cure is covered with fresh cut baits, add more cure. Sprinkle just enough cure to cover the baits, as too much can result in chemical burns or hard discolored baits. Continue cutting and layering baits and cure until the jar is full or you’re out of eggs. Cutting your baits into the size you’ll be fishing does two things. First, it maximizes the surface area of each bait being cured, thereby optimizing their color. Second, it saves time when on the river. Fewer things frustrate me more than watching anglers fumble with whole, cured skeins when fishing. They’re messy and it wastes time. Instead of having to cut bait-sized chunks, clean the knife or scissors, apply the eggs, then wash your hands and work area every time you need a fresh bait, all you have to do is grab a pre-cut bait and get back to fishing. They’re already air-dried to ideal firmness, so there’s minimal mess.

WITH THE CURING JAR full, place in a cool, shaded place, like the corner of a shop or refrigerator. Rotate the jar every six to eight hours. There’s no need to shake the jar, as you want the cure to slowly precipitate through all layers of eggs. If you have a big container of eggs curing, you can gently roll them around on the final rotation to ensure all surfaces of the baits are covered in cure. After 36 to 48 hours, remove the eggs, drain and let air dry. I like putting them on plastic racks or a piece of plywood; don’t put them on metal, which can taint the smell. Never in the curing process should eggs be exposed to sunlight, as this will darken them and weaken cell membranes. Once dried to the point where baits are tacky to the touch, they’re ready to

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FIELD

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Cured eggs ready to be drained then air dried. The batch soaked for 48 hours and the container was flipped every six to eight hours. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

JULY 2021 | aksportingjournal.com

fish. Keep finished eggs refrigerated for up to a month, or freeze for longerterm storage. It’s best to cure eggs then freeze them. Don’t refreeze eggs; the membranes may burst as they contract and expand in the thawing and freezing process, which makes them easily break down and fall off the hook when fished. THE KEY TO ANY well-cured egg is starting with a blood-free skein. Next, cut eggs to bait size and cover in cure. Keep eggs cool and shaded and handle with rubber gloves if worried about contaminating them with oils from your hands. Remember that a salmon’s sense of smell is measured in parts per billion, so no precautions are an overkill when it comes to achieving the perfectly cured egg. ASJ Editor’s note: To order signed copies of Scott Haugen’s best-selling book, Egg Cures: Proven Recipes & Techniques, visit scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott on Instagram and Facebook.

COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS BE DAMNED, VALDEZ DERBIES GOING STRONG FULL SLATE OF HALIBUT, SILVER, KIDS AND WOMEN’S EVENTS ON TAP THIS SUMMER AT PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND PORT BY CHRIS COCOLES

he Valdez Fish Derbies’ COVID-19-affected formats worked so well in 2020, it made sense to do it similarly this year. The Southcentral Alaska community is known for its popular summer halibut and salmon derbies, and when the pandemic shut down so many communities throughout the previous year, the usual fanfare and gatherings the Valdez events normally embrace had to be downsized. “Our focus last year was to tell people what they could do,” says Laurie Prax, Valdez Fish Derbies’ (valdezfishderbies .com) marketing coordinator and also the owner of local radio station KVAK. “We kind of went around and around, and then we said, ‘Let’s really analyze this. Really, the big events are what we can’t do. But the rest of it, we can do.’ We didn’t have in-person events. That is the accurate way to say it.” What that included was not having everyone get together in large groups. Putting social distancing signs around the marina and installing hand-washing stations was a starting point. “Because there’s a whole lot of room in Prince William Sound, it is kind of a social distancing event. We were pretty fortunate here in Valdez, because we’re small enough. And that kind of worked in our favor,” Prax says. “And I think we’re going to reap some benefits of that down the road because a lot of people from Palm-

Local angler Gary Gardner briefly led the Valdez Halibut Derby in June with this 133.2-pounder. The event runs through Sept. 5 for anglers who buy a $10 daily ticket (it’s $50 for a full-season ticket). The biggest fish will net the winner a $10,000 cash prize. (VALDEZ FISH DERBIES)

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The Silver Salmon Derby is one of Valdez’s most popular events and also features a $10,000 prize for catching the biggest fish. The derby starts on July 24.

(VALDEZ FISH DERBIES)

C t

er, Anchorage, came here just looking for somewhere to go and really enjoyed it. And we may see them back here.” Already, the summer-long Valdez Halibut Derby is running smoothly. Anglers can spend $10 on a daily derby ticket and they can keep weighing fish at the official station near the harbormaster’s office through Sept. 5.

even had some read promotional spots. “And it was so super cool to see. It just looked like they were having a heck of a day. I felt like it was cathartic,” she says. “It was a big connection; people were able to do something together. They felt like they were a part of something.”

KIDS’ STUFF

Last year, the usual top three largest-fish cash prizes for the halibut and silver salmon derbies (the latter runs from July 24-Sept. 5) were cut in half, but Prax says this summer’s first-, second- and thirdplace finishers will receive $10,000, $3,000 and $1,500, respectively. There are also daily prizes for first- and second-biggest fish – everything from apparel to charter-boat fishing trips. “We made a couple changes in the prize amounts to weather the storm. And nobody complained,” Prax says. “Everyone was super thankful for us doing it and running it.” In late June, the halibut derby’s leading fish was 144.6 pounds, but there will be plenty of opportunities for anglers to

Prax cited the success of 2020’s Kids Pink Salmon Derby – this year’s event is July 24 – as a test case for how these tournaments can work safely during the pandemic. Normally, the free event also includes a weigh-in for the young anglers. “Instead of weighing them at the weigh-in station for the kids’ derby, they (e-mailed) us a picture. We were sitting there wondering, ‘We don’t know who’s going to do it,’” Prax says. When sending in a pink photo, the boys and girls were able to submit a line about their day on the water. Prax’s radio station also got involved in the festivities. The kids who fished could call into KVAK and talk about their experiences on the air, and Prax 32

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BIG BUCKS AGAIN FOR BIG ’BUTS, COHO

JULY 2021 | aksportingjournal.com

buy more tickets throughout the summer for a tournament that started on May 22. “It’s probably the longest derby in the world,” Prax says. The Silver Salmon Derby usually attracts plenty of locals, other Alaskans and lots of out-of-state visitors who want to fish Prince William Sound. “The silver derby is big. It brings a lot of people here in July and August. That’s a lot of the reasons so many Alaskans come. It’s a great fishery and Alaskans really like silvers,” Prax says. “And a lot of people will do a combo trip and go to the Copper River and fish there also.”

MORE TO COME Special dates to keep an eye on for the Silver Salmon Derby include Big Prize Fridays on July 30 and Sept. 3. The largest silvers caught those days will also net the lucky angler an additional $500 along with the daily prizes. And catch one of 20 specially tagged silvers from Aug. 13 through Sept. 5 and you could win $5,000, $2,500 or $1,000 or other prizes like gift certificates. “They’re out there and you never know,”

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Prax says of the elusive tagged salmon. The always well-attended Women’s Silver Salmon Derby is set for Aug. 14, and again with a reduced event schedule than in the past. But it should still be fun. And as a whole, Valdez Fish Derbies have offered those who participate with a wonderful opportunity to get outside, fish and, most importantly, stay safe. “Really, the derbies are about fishing. And our mission is to promote sport fishing in Valdez. So we kind of never wavered from our mission, which was a lot more important to get out than it was in years’ past,” Prax says. “I think people take it for granted. It’s really nice to have them say, ‘Hey, we appreciate it.’ People have the realization that maybe it doesn’t have to happen. Having them realize what it takes to do it and really appreciate it (was nice). As bad as COVID was, that was a good benefit.” ASJ From the Women’s Silver Salmon Derby that’s scheduled for Aug. 14, to a pink salmon contest for the kids on July 24, there will be something for everyone this summer in Valdez, even if the events continue to be limited for pandemic safety reasons. (VALDEZ FISH DERBIES)

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Editor’s note: For more information, go to valdezfishderbies.com and like at facebook .com/valdezfish. Also, see our Outdoor Calendar on page 11 for specific dates of these and other upcoming events.

YOU JUST NEVER

As a longtime visitor to Southeast Alaska’s steelhead fisheries, author Tony Ensalaco – rowing off the launch in the frigid Situk River – knows the only thing he can predict is that the weather and fishing will be unpredictable. He experienced both joy and frustration during his snow-filled 2021 trip. (RANDALL BONNER)

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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ER KNOW

AN ANGLER EXPERIENCES THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF SPRING STEELHEADING, COMES AWAY WITH NEW JIG INSIGHTS, PERSPECTIVE BY TONY ENSALACO

“

can’t believe I’m actually paying for this $%#@” were the first words to spill out of my mouth as I exited Yakutat Airport. Outside the terminal it was freezing. All I could see was white. The parking lot was buried in a thick blanket of snow, and several more inches were about to fall. I had to laugh, thinking, “What kind of person who has just persevered through a long, brutal Midwest winter and been under lockdown for the last year, would voluntarily leave a place where spring and hope finally has arrived? And he chooses to travel to a region that is three pages behind on the weather’s calendar cycle, just so he can do a little fishing?” Believe me when I say that only a hardcore steelhead angler would make that type of irrational decision. The funny thing was that I wasn’t alone. In fact, I’ve never seen this place so crowded this early in the season. I’m sure that most of the visitors decided to come sooner rather than later because they were anxious to put the past year’s pandemic debacle behind them and start experiencing some sort of normalcy. As for me, my annual objective is to try and plan my trip to coincide with the beginning of the run – risking inclement weather and, most likely, lower numbers of steelhead in favor of finding a little more elbow room along the river. I could play it safer by going a few weeks later, which means more rods on the water, more reliable conditions and more fish in the system, but every now and again my risky strategy has rewarded me with an early push of steelhead. I’ve been one of the most fortunate anglers to get the first shot at them. But I quickly realized that this time wasn’t going to be one of those magical years.

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Tony Mann, one of several guides the author interacted with this year, pulls a Situk steelie out of the river. (TONY ENSALACO)

MY MOOD DIDN’T GET any better when I met up with my chauffeur, Pete Eads, the manager of Glacier Bear Lodge (866-425-6343; glacierbearlodge.com). After exchanging pleasantries, Pete informed me that four of his guides had floated the river the previous day and only managed to collectively bring one steelhead to the boats. Making matters worse, he warned me that the unseasonably cold weather – along with several feet of snow on the riverbanks – was keeping the Situk River’s water temperature from barely making it above freezing. Its flow was reduced to a super-clear trickle. Ice-cold water causes fish to turn lethargic, while low flows drive the steelies deep into the hundreds of logjams that are littered throughout the stream. The report reminded me of when I was challenged with the same type of frigid scenario back in 2008 and 2012, when the water temperature refused to significantly tick up while I was there, making the fishing difficult at best. “Terrific. All I need to do now is find a leaky boat and forget my lunch in the 38

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

vehicle when I float the river in the morning,” I thought to myself. “The first day will be a guaranteed total disaster.” As I stared out the truck’s window during the short commute to the lodge, I felt relieved that my father had made a last-minute cancellation, which saved himself from being subjected to, most likely, lousy fishing. Back when Dad delivered the bad news that he couldn’t make it, I only had a few days to mentally prepare that I would be fishing solo for the week. This wasn’t the way I envisioned my Alaskan fishing trip to be. The saving grace was that the weather forecast was calling for rain and a significant warmup, which generally improves the fishing, but I wasn’t too confident that any precipitation would help because of the massive amount of snow on the ground. After arriving at the lodge, my skepticism was temporarily quelled when I was reunited with my last trip’s fishing partner and fellow outdoor writer, Randall Bonner. Randy is the

JULY 2021 | aksportingjournal.com

newest addition to Glacier Bear’s guide staff and was the one who managed to put his clients onto the only fish caught the previous day. I also got to meet up with my buddies Ty Wyatt, Glacier Bear’s premier charter boat captain, and Ryan McClure, another one of Glacier Bear Lodge’s top drift boat guides. From the intel I was able to gather, there weren’t that many fish in the system. I needed to seriously adjust my expectations. The data suggested I would be lucky to catch one or two fish a day, and getting shut out could be a sobering reality. This was not the information I wanted to hear after making the 3,000-mile journey from Chicago. After spending some time catching up with everyone over drinks and a prime rib dinner, it was time to call it a night and retreat back to my room and prepare for he next morning. I went to bed with the least amount of enthusiasm I had ever felt before a big trip. Little did I know at the time that the fish gods were about to take pity on me. They were about to deliver an unexpected gift of piscatorial prosperity.

The way he was catching and releasing solid chromers at the end of his first day on the water, Ensalaco had high hopes for a productive trip. But it only got tougher to catch fish thereafter, though he did discover an interesting nuance in the bite that afternoon. (TONY ENSALACO)

THE DAY STARTED EXACTLY as I’d predicted. The boat ramp was a slush-covered mess and the river was as low as I had ever fished it, which made floating downstream a slow-go. The good thing was that while I was apprehensive about fishing alone, I quickly became comfortable rowing in the soft currents. But even though the water was crystal clear, I didn’t see many fish in the river. Despite the unfavorable conditions, my morale was still high and I actually connected with my first steelhead a couple hours into the float. I was sidedrifting a pink and white jig into an obscure pocket when the float slowly disappeared. I assumed that I had snagged up, so I really didn’t set the hook that hard. To my surprise, I felt the distinct methodical headshakes of a decent fish. Now I was faced with a dilemma: How was I going to maneuver the boat over to a spot where I could fight the fish – while I was fighting the fish? I don’t remember how it happened, but I managed to get the boat over to a shallow 40

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

gravel bar where I could safely get out. Of course, while I was exiting the boat and not concentrating on the battle, the steelhead took off across the river and proceeded to wrap me around a log on the opposite side of the stream. I had no choice but to act fast by jamming the rod to the side where the line was running and pull hard, hoping the 10-pound Maxima leader wouldn’t break. The trick worked, and I was able to work the colored-up steelie away from the trouble and guide it into the middle of the stream. After a brief sparring session, I found myself releasing a 33-inch spring-run male. The fish might not have been the biggest or baddest steelhead swimming in the creek, but it sure felt good to break the ice by putting an early tally on the board. After floating several more miles and landing two more steelhead, including a respectable 36-incher and another big brute slightly under 38 inches, I was feeling pretty lucky to

JULY 2021 | aksportingjournal.com

have been blessed with three fish and thought about calling it a day. Yeah, right.

EVERY REPUTABLE STEELHEADER KNOWS that

I wasn’t about to put the rods away until the drift boat was trailored and removed well away from the river. At precisely 4 p.m. I arrived at one of the more heavily fished holes in the lower third of the float. It used to be one of my favorite spots, but the area has changed over the years. It just hasn’t produced much over the last three seasons. That was about to change. As I approached the hole, I halfheartedly lobbed a cast down the gut of the run, and in an instant, the float vanished. When I instinctively set the hook, a silver flash appeared below the bow of the boat and it was game on. Again, the cold water helped me make fairly quick work of the 7-pound chrome hen before releasing her back to continue the journey upstream. What happened next was totally

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The author’s buddy (and occasional ASJ correspondent) Randall Bonner of Glacier Bear Lodge prepares a boat for launch. (TONY ENSALACO)

unexpected. For the next hour, I don’t think I wasn’t able to make three or four casts before getting bit. The hole was teeming with fresh, ocean-bright steelhead. The only thing I could think of was that I had accidentally stumbled onto a school that came in on the most recent tide, and I was lucky enough to be there at the right place at the right time. The fishing was as good as I had ever experienced. I didn’t land anything big – every fish was under 10 pounds – but they were all chromers and worthy opponents. I inadvertently discovered something that I’m sure made the difference. After releasing the first steelie, I mistakenly grabbed a different rod with a differentcolored jig. The very next cast I hooked up and landed that one as well. I kept fishing the same jig but couldn’t get a takedown, so I quickly changed to a third color. Bam! First cast – fish on. I discovered that it was imperative to keep rotating colors. I have learned over 42

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the years that even fresh steelhead can be put off the bite after being subjected to the same presentation over and over. When the party ended, every steelhead I landed had fallen victim to a differentcolored jig, and I firmly believe that the great fishing was due to taking the extra time to swap lure colors between fish. One other thing: I was sure to take pictures to document the collaborating evidence to verify my story if someone decided to slap down the B.S. card on me. If anything, the good fortune that I unexpectedly fell into made me cautiously optimistic for the next day, even though I was pretty sure that I had just experienced an anomaly. As every reputable steelheader also knows, as fast as the fish gods giveth, they can easily taketh away. And that’s what happened.

MY SECOND DAY ON THE water was tough. I didn’t touch a fish in the morning, but

JULY 2021 | aksportingjournal.com

I did scrape up some sporadic action in the early afternoon, which kept me from losing my mind. However, after several fishless hours, I was having serious thoughts about coming back next year because of how “hit or miss” spring steelheading can be. Alaska’s weather in April is never the same two years in a row, so timing the run is next to impossible. For example, during the week I was there, the air temperature was anywhere from the upper 20s when I arrived to reaching the 60s on the day I left. It snowed several inches during the first two days before changing over to sleet and finally rain. This fluctuated the river’s water level from super low, to dead-solid perfect, to high, cold and dirty (a steelheader’s nightmare), to dropping and clearing in a five-day time span. I was seriously contemplating taking a day off from floating the river. Then I came to the conclusion that since I’m only here for a few days a year, I might as well suck it up and make the best out of it. Besides, the day wasn’t a total bust, but I still couldn’t imagine floating alone the next day. As soon as I returned to the lodge, I asked Pete if it was possible if he could find it in his heart to let one of his employees play hooky from work to come fish with me. Against his better judgment, he graciously relieved Ryan McClure of his duties. It really helped my psyche having someone in the boat with me. I have fished with Ryan on previous trips and have always done well with him. On this day, we spent more time catching up with each other’s lives than focusing on the fishing. My favorite part about fishing with Ryan is that he offers me an insider’s insight on living and working in the Last Frontier and all of the quirkiness that comes with the territory. His best story this year was the one about the fisherman who had accidently knocked out the entire Borough of Yakutat’s power grid after making a poorly placed cast while he was trying out a new rod. How could that have happened? I’m not going to say another word because I know the dude. If someone wants to find out, then they’ll have to visit Yakutat to find out who the culprit was.

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Even spending more time shooting the $%^& than fishing, we still managed to boat a half-dozen steelhead, with Ryan managing to land the best one of the day, a big red-striped male, using his centerpin outfit. We had to chase the fish at least 100 yards downstream in the drift boat before Ryan was able to subdue his prize. Spending some time sitting up in the front of the drift boat and having someone other than myself to talk to gave me the break that I so desperately needed.

I WAS BACK TO fishing alone during the

final two days of my stay. Truthfully, I’ve seen worse fishing but knew it should have been a hell of a lot better, especially knowing how good it can be

under the right conditions. I had a lot of time to reflect while meandering downstream. I started entertaining the idea of trying a more consistent fishery in the future. Maybe targeting sockeye or silvers would be a safer bet instead of rolling the dice on the spring steelhead run. Just when I convinced myself to try other species, I connected with the last steelhead of the trip. He was another deep-bodied male with an olive-colored back and gunmetal sides – probably in the 16- to 17-pound class – and fought his heart out. While admiring the fish in the bottom of the mesh net, I realized the reason why I came all this way again. After removing the jig from the steelie’s thick upper jaw I bowed to the fish gods and said, “Yeah, Still, the Situk spit out some nice fish, as guide Carson Churchill could attest. (TONY ENSALACO)

maybe another year up here wouldn’t be so bad.” That last encounter ended the 2021 trip on a high note, and it was now time to head back to the lodge. One of the perennial highlights of this trip is hanging out in the bar until last call on the final day and cavorting with the locals. That night, the usual suspects were holding court around Glacier Bear’s dining room when Ty Wyatt suggested taking a road trip to another watering hole. We collectively agreed that a change of scenery was a fabulous idea, so we piled into Ty’s recently acquired Nissan Pathfinder and headed down the road. Once there, we met up with Carson Churchill and Tony Mann, a couple of Alaskan fishing guides. Carson will be guiding on the Nushagak and Togiak Rivers this summer, and Tony is a contract fly-out guide for Alaska West Air on the Kenai Peninsula. I had passed these guys on the river earlier in the week, but didn’t get a chance to really talk to them. The conversations centered on the health of our fisheries, as well as the new developments of the sport, which were beyond Illuminating. While Tony was pontificating his views on the future of the Kenai River to the left of me, Ty was explaining the intricacies and the nuances of Czechnymphing on the right. I sometimes forget that he’s a top-notch river guide when he’s not running ocean charters. Just when everyone was participating in some heavy discussions, out of the corner of my eye I saw Carson climb up onto his barstool and lunge for the bell that overhangs on the bar. He rang it and shouted that he was going to buy a round of drinks for the entire bar. That’s something you don’t see every day in the budget-conscious steelhead community. Carson’s unexpected act of generosity was much appreciated by the pub’s patrons. The night turned out to be the perfect way to end a difficult but enjoyable trip.

YEARS AGO, IF SOMEONE told me that I was only going to average less than a handful of fish a day on the world-famous Situk River, I probably wouldn’t have left my 44

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driveway. I could pull off those kind of stats on some of my favorite Great Lakes tributaries and save a couple large bills as well. But you know what? I’m still glad I went. I caught up with old friends and met some new ones. The fishing was far from spectacular, but like every steelheader knows, any encounter with a wild steelhead will always be special. Besides, there is so much more to Alaska than catching fish, which I’m slowly starting to understand. I was initially apprehensive about floating the river alone, but it definitely gave me a new perspective. And even though the fishing wasn’t what I had hoped for, I’m still glad that I made the journey north. Hey, Carson: Just a head’s up. Next year, it will be my turn to ring the bell! ASJ

Ty Wyatt (left) and Ensalaco swapped stories during a fun night at a local watering hole. (TONY ENSALACO) “I started entertaining the idea of trying a more consistent fishery in the future,” the author wrote. “Maybe targeting sockeye or silvers would be a safer bet instead of rolling the dice on the spring steelhead run.” But it’s not that easy to quit such a risk/reward destination that Ensalaco keeps coming back to. (TONY ENSALACO)

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STIKINE RIVER FLOAT NOSTALGIC, PEACEFUL AND BREATHTAKING

Paddlers head along the Stikine River, which flows from British Columbia into Alaska and gives birth to all five species of wild Alaska salmon. It’s a special place for author Mary Catharine Martin and her partner, fellow ASJ correspondent Bjorn Dihle. (MARY CATHARINE MARTIN)

BY MARY CATHARINE MARTIN

ach year, my partner Bjorn and I take a river trip. Parenthood (we have a 2-year-old and a fivemonth-old) has also meant that we’re thinking low-key options. COVID meant we were dreaming of travel. So earlier this year, it felt pretty natural to find ourselves talking about the Stikine, which is the fastest free-flowing navigable river in North America. It has its start in the Sacred Headwaters of the Klappan Valley in British Columbia (also the source of the Skeena and the Nass Rivers), then crosses the U.S.-Canada border and flows into the ocean near the Alaska communities of Wrangell and Petersburg. In Lingít, the river is named “Stax Heen,” which translates as silty, cloudy or bitter river, Wrangell-based poet Vivian Faith Prescott has told me. Here in Alaska, the Stikine delta –

the largest delta in North America – is a stopover for tens of thousands of migratory birds. Each fall, Alaskans travel up the Stikine to hunt moose (as do Canadians.) And the Stikine is a vital salmon river, with runs of all five species of Alaska salmon and many other fish besides. Southeast Alaska’s three transboundary rivers – the Taku, Stikine and Unuk – produce 80 percent of its king salmon. In short, the Stikine is essential to life in the region, as it has been for thousands of years. It has a deep cultural history as a long-standing trade corridor for the Tlingit and Tahltan Indigenous peoples, whose traditional territories encompass the river (something highlighted by a digital production that was one of my favorite efforts of 2020, When the Salmon Spoke.)

If you, too, are dreaming of paddling, fishing on or seeing an international river, it’s hard to do better than the Stikine.

THE TRIP

Six years ago, Bjorn and I floated down the Stikine with a couple of friends, Bjorn’s old fishing boat captain and her son. We all met in Wrangell and then flew over the border to Telegraph Creek, the only permanent town on the river, via small plane. On the road from more populated areas of British Columbia, cars arrive by driving alongside the “Grand Canyon” of the Stikine – a 45-mile stretch of roaring river tackled only by the most daring and skilled of whitewater kayakers, and by a few tour boats, like the one operated by Jim Leslie and family out of Wrangell, Alaska Waters, Inc. (907-305-0495;

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Mining across the border in British Columbia has been a hot-button issue for those who hope to protect rivers such as the Stikine. This is the mine waste dam at the Red Chris Mine, in the Stikine watershed in B.C. (GARTH LENZ)

alaskawaters.com). The stretch of river below Telegraph Creek, a town of a few hundred and home to mostly Tahltan people, is much gentler. There are a few small bumpy sections of river (though that may change with fluctuating water levels), but nothing that requires serious know-how.

MOOSE NEIGHBORS After we made our way from the airstrip, down through old Telegraph Creek (which, at the time, was blocked by a landslide) and to the water, our first major sight on the river was a rock formation known as “the Three Sisters.” The stretch of river after it was relatively easy to navigate. It was early May and stands of birch, poplar and alder trees were just beginning to green up. We watched moose moving along gravel bars – one night a bull woke us when it stamped past our tent and, then, swam across the river. It was easy to get lost in the quiet and wildness of the landscape. 50

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A LOOMING THREAT But the Stikine watershed is also the site of vast stretches of mining claims and development. The entire corridor of the Iskut, the Stikine’s largest tributary and one of its most important salmon spawning systems, is covered in claims. Acid drainage from the Tulsequah Chief, an abandoned British Columbia mine just over the Alaska border, in the Taku River watershed, one of the rivers being closely monitored for possible mining threats for salmon runs. (CHRIS MILLER/CSMPHOTOS.COM)

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Mining isn’t new to the region; what is new is the scale and number of the claims, the amount of waste they would generate and are generating, and the consequences if any of those mine waste dams fail. The Red Chris, one of the largest, is partly owned and operated by Imperial Metals,

Alaska Department of Fish and Game employees beach seine for juvenile Chinook on the transboundary Stikine River. (MARY CATHARINE MARTIN)

the company responsible for the 6-billiongallon Mount Polley mine waste spill in the Fraser River watershed in 2014. And it has the same dam design. Though the causes are manifold – salmon stocks are crashing all over B.C. since 2014 – the Fraser’s famed sockeye run has plummeted.

FINDING SOLACE Back in that sunny May in 2015 on the Stikine, however, we leaned back in our boats, looked up at the blue sky or watched snow-capped mountains as we floated by at 5 or 6 miles per hour. Occasionally, we’d turn our boats to

navigate through a choppy stretch of river. We were worried we were floating too fast, so we made sure we had extra time to explore river bars and sit at campfires. One morning we woke and saw the tracks of two wolves that had walked through our camp during the night. When we were still in Canada we watched three Alaska Department of Fish and Game employees beach seine juvenile Chinook. They said they aimed to collect 50,000 and tag them with coded wire. King salmon on our transboundary rivers have been suffering in recent years and Unuk Chinook are declared a stock of

Fishing along the Stikine River includes quite the backdrop for an angler to soak in. (MARY CATHARINE MARTIN) 52

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concern. The Alaska Board of Fish is set to declare Taku and Stikine Chinook stocks of concern as well at its next Southeastfocused meeting in early 2021. Back in November, ADFG predicted the Stikine would see only 9,900 returning Chinook in 2021. One afternoon we headed to Fowler Hot Springs, also called Choquette Hot Springs. We paddled up a calm slough that ended in sandbars, bear and moose tracks, and a faint path over a steep, muddy bank. There, we pulled up our boats and followed along a small creek, testing the water with our hands until it warmed. We saw dozens of small toads, sometimes right where the hot water bubbled up from the sandy ground. Brown bears had been using the warm pools to wallow in. That evening we camped at the outflow of the Great Glacier and walked up to the glacier itself the next morning.

OFF TO ALASKA Crossing the border from Canada into the United States on the Stikine River was the first time I’ve ever seen the lines on a map made manifest. Trees along the line of the border have been clear cut for a width of about 10 yards in straight lines as far as the eye can see. By this point all of us except for Bjorn, who bathes in ice water beneath

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The catch-and-release fishing for rainbow trout was solid along the Stikine. (MARY CATHARINE MARTIN)

the cool light of the moon, were looking forward to Chief Shakes Hot Springs. We surprised a curious brown bear on the banks above us and then turned into a still, almost invisible slough also known as the Ketili River. A few miles later we turned into the

shallow slough, just moments after a boatload of screaming people roared out of it at 30 miles an hour. Most people seem to be day visitors from Wrangell, and there aren’t many places to camp. We found a spot for two nights in as high and flat a space as we could.

The hot springs, though, were wonderful. One is indoors and one is outdoors, looking out onto a meadow filled with sunshine and birds. For our last night, we’d booked the Forest Service cabin at Garnet Ledge, a few miles away from Wrangell. We left the hot springs early and paddled out into the miles-long expanse of the Stikine Delta. Arctic terns hovered, doves and yearling seals followed us, and the wind at the mouth of the river blew so hard it was almost impossible to steer a boat filled with air. It calmed as we transitioned to ocean water, until the water was like glass. We navigated shallow waters, silt-banks, and driftwood trees, whose trunks all pointed just a little to the right of Wrangell. Bjorn and I slowed as we neared the cabin, not wanting the trip to end. That night we watched the most beautiful sunset of the trip, reminisced, and talked about the rivers we plan to float next.

ONE SPECIAL RIVER A view of old Telegraph Creek, the only permanent town on the Stikine River. (MARY CATHARINE MARTIN) 54

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Alaska is home to many rivers, each offering a different journey. The Stikine is one that is truly special. Despite the everpresent yearning to see new things, it’s a

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river Bjorn and I can’t wait to get back to it and share Stikine with our children. I hope future generations will have the same chance. ASJ Editor’s note: Mary Catharine Martin is the communications director at

SalmonState, an organization that works to keep Alaska a place wild salmon and the people who depend on them thrive. Part of that work is at Salmon Beyond Borders, which works to defend the transboundary Stikine, Taku and Unuk Rivers. To watch When the Salmon Spoke,

which was presented by Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission and Ping Chong + Company, in collaboration with SkeenaWild Conservation Trust and Salmon Beyond Borders, go to vimeo.com/424432430. Check out salmonstate.org for more.

“We watched the most beautiful sunset of the trip, reminisced and talked about the rivers we plan to float next,” Martin writes. (BJORN DIHLE)

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Author Paul Atkins has hunted not just caribou but essentially every big game critter Alaska has to offer. There is no shortage of options for those who want the challenge and thrill of a Last Frontier hunt. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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HUNTING ALASKA’S BIGGEST GAME FROM CARIBOU TO DALL SHEEP, A LOOK AT LAST FRONTIER’S STAR ATTRACTIONS, PART I BY PAUL D. ATKINS ’ve written about preparing for an Alaska hunt before, but it’s been a while, and to tell you the truth, most of it hasn’t changed much. Or maybe it has somewhat. It usually starts with either a text message or a phone call, which reminds me that fall is just around the corner. May, June and July are notorious for these prompts, as hunters start to get the Alaska fever. By summer they’ve usually figured out where they’re going, but really what they want to know is the “what” and “how” information. “I’m coming to Alaska to hunt caribou or moose,” they say. “So what do I need to do and what should I bring?” And lastly, “Will you go with me?” Here’s what I tell them: “Ha-ha. I’d love to but can’t. I’ve got too many irons in the fire as it is. But I can give you the basics and point you in the right direction.”

WHAT TO HUNT?

Needless to say, Alaska is a big state with endless hunting opportunities and adventure. It might be climbing a mountain looking for a goat; or maybe pursuing a sheep; or it could be heading south to hunt Alaska’s only deer species. Whatever you pursue, it will be an adventure that you will not soon forget. Like all great hunt memories – the good and the bad – those memories

will be determined by what you do to get ready, where you decided to go and ultimately what you planned to hunt. All of these variables are important and sometimes make for expensive decisions, so long before you get on the big jet and head north, you need to make sure you plan accordingly in order to make everything come together. Being knowledgeable – not only about the species you plan to pursue, but all other aspects of the hunt – is the key to success. First things first: What big game does Alaska offer? There are 10 species that a hunter can pursue. With a little luck, all can be taken with success. Let’s first talk about those with antlers.

CARIBOU

Caribou are on many want lists, and rightly so. The central barren-ground variety, which is found in Alaska, is very unique. They live on the state’s tundra and migrate with a determination that can only be compared to big game herds in Africa. They also have exceptional antler growth – with no two bulls alike. To see a vast herd roaming the landscape is something truly to behold. Even though most are in decline for various reasons, there are 32 huntable herds in the state. Alaska’s total population is close to 750,000 animals. The Western Arctic Herd, which is the largest in the state, has close to a quarter

of a million animals itself. Many people think that all caribou are created equal; this is just not the case. Like elk in the Lower 48, different units will contain bulls that vary greatly in size and trophy quality. For example the Mulchatna Herd, found close to Lake Iliamna, is much smaller compared to the Arctic Herd, but the bulls there are quite a bit bigger in rack and body size. To travel to where caribou live and hunt them is about as adventurous as it gets. Hunting caribou is also relatively cheap compared to other North American big game hunts. Tags are usually easier to get, and in some units you can take more than one. Caribou hunting is enjoyable and best experienced with friends or family. It can at times be tough and easy at others, but the key is to have a plan and stick to it.

MOOSE

Like Alaska, moose are big and trophy bulls can be found for the most part throughout the state, especially in the western side of the Last Frontier. Big bulls produce trophy racks as early as 6 to 7 years old, but the monster racks belong to bulls that reach ages of 10 to 12. To take a moose is about as grand an experience as I can think of and also something you will not soon forget. The toughest part of moose hunting comes after the shot. Big bulls weigh close to a

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A bull like this early-season caribou is a dream for any hunter who wants to come north. With 32 herds in the state and close to three-quarters of a million animals, success rates are high no matter where you go. Fall bulls (below) can be found if you choose to fly a little further and look a little harder. It’s especially enticing for those hunters looking for a fat bull in velvet. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

ton. Getting one from point A to point B is an experience in itself, but the reward is great. If you plan to hunt them, most willowchoked river valleys throughout the state harbor moose, while in some instances they can be found on the open tundra or among the spruce trees. Moose tags, however, are harder and harder to come by. Most are draw-only now; plus, with the ever-increasing wolf and bear population, the numbers are dwindling. The season runs Sept. 1-20 and a legal bull must be at least 50 inches wide or have three brow tines. Rut occurs around the middle of September 60

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and bull moose react to calls and even antler rattling. Calling in a big bull is a life-changing experience!

SITKA BLACKTAIL DEER

Pursuing blacktail deer in Alaska is one of hunting’s best-kept secrets. These smaller-framed and stockier cousins of mule deer are numerous and can be found in most of Southeast Alaska. Prince William Sound and Kodiak Island are favorite destinations for deer hunters. When winters are mild, the deer population can and will increase dramatically; the opposite can be said if the winter is severe. Seasons run from August through December, with the rut

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occurring in November. I’ve hunted each month of the season and found November to be the best time. I’ve also found that hunting the south end of Kodiak will produce the biggest bucks. Blacktails, like whitetails, will respond to decoying and calls, so it might help to bring them along for added success. This hunt will involve a lot of planning and a good set of nerves. Brown bears also like to hunt these unique deer.

ELK Roosevelt elk were transplanted in 1928 to Afognak Island, where they now exist in huntable numbers. They can also be found on Raspberry Island and near Petersburg,

Bears are a part of the Alaskan lifestyle, whether you hunt or not. Brown bears are as formidable an opponent as they come, and they can be found along the coastal regions of Alaska and are a favorite among residents and nonresidents. Black bears (right) are numerous and a favorite species for most rifle and bowhunters. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

in the southeast corner of Alaska. One of three elk species recognized by Boone and Crockett, Roosevelt elk are not as big as their cousins to the south, but to take one is quite an accomplishment. Hunters wanting a chance at an Alaska elk must apply for a tag and then hopefully get drawn. Some areas require successful applicants to have completed a hunter’s education course, so be sure to check before you apply. Elk season in the Last Frontier is from September through October. If you do get drawn, you will need to do quite a bit of research and leg work in setting up your hunt. Hunters also need to be prepared for a tough hunt, as the terrain can be extremely challenging. 62

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BRUINS – BLACK AND BROWN BEARS Of all the big game species in Alaska, I consider bears my favorite to hunt. They’re numerous – population counts show everincreasing numbers – and can be found throughout the state. Black bears are the most numerous, with a population estimated at 100,000 and they are the most widely hunted bruin, with harvests exceeding 3,000 each year. Black bear hunting does not require a guide and in some units up to three can be harvested. These bears can be found from sea level to high alpine, with the highest concentration in the forested areas of the state. Brown/grizzly bears are classified as the same species; however, the term

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“brown bear” refers to those animals found in coastal areas, while those found inland are called grizzlies. Kodiak bears are considered a subspecies, as they are genetically and physically isolated and can grow to be monsters. With numbers exceeding 30,000 in the state, brown bears are the only big game species in which nonresident harvest is higher than resident take. Brown bear hunting does require a guide for a nonresident, and for good reason. Brown bears – whether the coastal kind or the inland variety – can be aggressive. If you’re not experienced (most hunters in general have zero experience when it comes to bears), then the best guide you can afford will be

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Hunting “all white” Dall sheep is a mythical undertaking and for some the grandest experience of them all in Alaska. Arrowing a sheep after a hard 10 days of hunting and then wrapping your hands around a massive set of horns will make a grown man cry. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

worth their weight in gold when it comes to successfully harvesting your bruin.

MUSKOX

History tells us that the ancestors of all North American Natives – from Inupiaq Eskimos to Cherokee Indians – crossed the Bering Land Bridge from Russia thousands of years ago. If this is the case, I wonder if the muskox was one of the first animals they encountered? Probably, along with the saber-toothed tiger. A hundred years ago you could not find a wild muskox in Alaska. The population was totally wiped out by man and predators. Since then, muskox have been reintroduced to the state and are doing well. For nonresidents hoping to tag one of these prehistoric creatures, 64

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Nunivak and Nelson Islands are your best bet, but tags are hard to come by. Hunters must apply in November for one of these coveted tags.

DALL SHEEP

Probably the most popular big game animal Alaska has to offer, especially for nonresidents, is the Dall sheep. Like goats, these “all white” sheep are tough to take and only the toughest, hardiest souls who are up to the challenge should pursue this adventure. If you’re a nonresident, you must have a guide, but tags are pretty liberal and the chance of drawing one is pretty good. Dall sheep are found in the high alpine regions of certain mountain ranges, with the highest population found in

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Southcentral Alaska.

MOUNTAIN GOAT

Considered by many the toughest hunt in the world (I can attest to this), pursuing a goat with a bow or rifle is the ultimate challenge. They can be found in both Southcentral and Southeast Alaska and have also been introduced to Kodiak Island. The season runs relatively long, starting August 1 and running through December in some units, plus spring hunts are available. Even though you can hunt these tough formidable creatures throughout the fall, some hunters prefer to hunt them as late as possible. Early-season goats tend to stay high in the mountains, where feed is best, but as late fall and winter approaches,

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Whether it’s pursuing moose in the Interior or a Southeast Alaska deer hunt, Lower 48ers and residents of the 49th state can agree that it’s an experience of a lifetime. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

goats will migrate down to feed at tree line or below. Early-season hunters will have to be in top physical shape and have the stamina and will to get it done. Finding a goat this time of year will require them to reach the high alpine meadows that are very close to the peak of some mountains. Though still tough, winter hunters will need to brave the snowy conditions to reach the tree line for a possible shot. Those nonresident hunters wanting to take on the challenge will need to apply for a tag and also hire a guide who can help you get it done, while resident hunters can get a registration tag and DIY it. This hunt is not for everybody and is 66

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something you should consider carefully long before you decide to take the plunge. All aspects should be researched when it comes to this hunt

BISON

Of all the big 10, this is by far the toughest tag to draw, and once you do it, is the toughest to get access to. Alaska is one of the few places in North America where you can still hunt wild free-range bison. Wood bison can be found mostly in the Interior. The herd was introduced several years ago and have flourished due to the incredible conservation efforts of the Alaska Department of Fish and

JULY 2021 | aksportingjournal.com

Game. But like I said, getting the tag or drawing it is like winning the lottery! ASJ Editor’s note: Next month, Paul will answer all your questions about what to expect from your Alaska hunt. Paul Atkins is an outdoor writer and author from Kotzebue, Alaska. He’s had hundreds of articles published on big game hunting in Alaska and throughout North America and Africa, plus surviving in the Arctic, and is a regular contributor to Alaska Sporting Journal. His new book Atkins’ Alaska is available on Amazon and everywhere good books are sold. It can also be ordered at paulatkinsoutdoors.com and if you want an autographed copy, contact Paul at atkinsoutdoors@gmail.com.

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Alaska Sporting Journal - July 2021

Articles inside

STEELHEAD DRIVE HIM CRAZY

CATCH A SHOOTING STAR

WHAT TO HUNT IN THE LAST FRONTIER