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ALASKA

SPORTING JOURNAL

Volume 9 • Issue 3 www.aksportingjournal.com PUBLISHER James R. Baker ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Dick Openshaw GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott EDITOR Chris Cocoles

WRITERS Paul D. Atkins, Chris Batin, Bjorn Dihle, Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Jeff Lund, Michael Lunde, Bixler McClure, Krystin McClure, Martha Nudel SALES MANAGER Katie Higgins ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mamie Griffin, Garn Kennedy, Mike Smith, Paul Yarnold PRODUCTION MANAGER Sonjia Kells DESIGNERS Sam Rockwell, Jake Weipert WEB DEVELOPMENT/INBOUND MARKETING Jon Hines PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker OFFICE MANAGER/ACCOUNTS Audra Higgins ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Sauro INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn ADVERTISING INQUIRIES media@media-inc.com ON THE COVER Dennis and Nealy Morain, who hail from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary with a dream fishing trip to Alaska. You can imagine how much fun they had, right? (HEATHER BATIN) MEDIA INDEX PUBLISHING GROUP WASHINGTON OFFICE 14240 Interurban Ave South • Suite 190 Tukwila, WA 98168 (206) 382-9220 • Fax (206) 382-9437 media@media-inc.com • www.media-inc.com OREGON OFFICE 8116 SW Durham Rd • Tigard, OR 97224 CORRESPONDENCE Twitter @AKSportJourn Facebook.com/alaskasportingjournal Email ccocoles@media-inc.com

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CONTENTS

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VOLUME 9 • ISSUE 3

WHEN KINGS HOLD COURT IN SILVER CITY

How do you win big money at this month’s popular Seward Silver Salmon Derby? Well, you could follow the strategy of local anglers Krystin (right) and Bixler McClure, who last year could only hook Chinook at first. So how did the McClures win their loot? Check out their five rules of fishing!

(BIXLER MCCLURE)

FEATURES 21

HEAD FOR SUMMER CAMP National wildlife refuges throughout Alaska offer outdoors lovers low-cost camping options, fishing, hunting and some of the most gorgeous wilderness settings in the Last Frontier. Whether it’s angling alongside bears at Kodiak NWR, calling moose at Tetlin NWR or just getting lost in Delaware-sized Kanuti NWR, there is something for everyone on these federal lands. Insider Martha Nudel of the USFWS has the details!

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BE A CRUSTACEAN SENSATION Don’t forget that besides halibut, salmon and trout, the 49th state also produces massive amounts of yummy shrimp. Field to Fire columnists Scott and Tiffany Haugen pair seven tips for filling your pots with a hearty shrimp and potato curry recipe!

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TYING KNOTS Dennis and Nealy Morain hail from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and this couple from the aptly named Sportsman’s Paradise sought out another piece of outdoors heaven in Alaska. To celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary, they joined guide (and ASJ scribe) Chris Batin for a fishing trip of a lifetime.

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TAXIDERMY 101 Paul Atkins doesn’t consider himself a trophy hunter or angler, but he’s not opposed to occasionally preserving the memory of a lunker salmon or a wellearned mountain goat harvested in the high country with a replica or shoulder mount. Atkins has tips for what to do and with whom to create a long-lasting hunting or fishing memory.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 75 99 107

Decorated Army veteran finds niche running Anchorage tackle shop, helping anglers catch more Go bold or go home – young friends approach fishing, hunting with the right attitude An ode to Alaska’s other bruin, the black bear

DEPARTMENTS 17 19 19 47

The Editor’s Note Protecting Wild Alaska: Southeast poaching violations for multiple Juneau men Outdoor Calendar Fly of the Month: Articulated leech

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 © 2017 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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EDITOR’S NOTE

T

“

he coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.”

Historians are now throwing “cold” water on the idea that the great author Mark Twain made that famous comment that becomes a sound bite when the City by the Bay is referenced this time As Bixler McClure found out last year of year. But whether during a derby in Seward, Alaska’s he actually mouthed short summer is cherished by locals and visitors alike. (KRYSTIN MCCLURE) anything close to that, the artist formerly known as Samuel Clemens wouldn’t have been considered such a kook for even considering it.

I grew up about 12 miles south of San Francisco, and I feel like summer never really felt like summer until it was actually fall in Northern California. “Indian summer” brought the best weather to San Francisco and its immediate suburbs in September and October (warmer temperatures and little if any morning fog rolling through). I can tell you I’ve felt frigid on summer fishing excursions in San Francisco’s city limits, not to mention during evening baseball games at now torn-down Candlestick Park. So those of us from that part of California have no problem running with Twain’s he-never-said-it-butshould-have-because-it’s-damn-true quote.

I say this because Alaskans are basking in the moment as the short summer heads into its seventh inning stretch. But meanwhile, sunscreen and propane or charcoal for the grill are still the order of the day, as it’s officially summer through 21st of next month, so don’t let a good August or September day and all that daylight go to waste.

There are several fishing derbies to tempt locals and visitors who cast a line in hopes of landing awesome prizes.

With the Seward Silver Salmon Derby on tap Aug. 12-20, we called on our local team of Krystin and Bixler McClure to share their - shall we say – unique prize-winning strategies from last year’s event. Valdez (valdezfishderbies.com) has several events going on in August and into September, including the ongoing halibut and silver derbies and a ladies’ coho tournament on Aug. 12, and next month there’s the Kenai River Women’s Classic.

Other August events like the Sitka Seafood Festival not only celebrate Alaska’s connection to the fishing industry, but also take advantage of the long days and comfortable temperatures.

It won’t be long until Alaskans are breaking out the hoodies, beanies and boots again. Did Mark Twain ever say anything about winters in Alaska feeling like summers in San Francisco? Asking for a friend. –Chris Cocoles aksportingjournal.com | AUGUST 2017

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LENGTHY INVESTIGATION UNCOVERS MULTIPLE SOUTHEAST HUNTING VIOLATIONS

BY CHRIS COCOLES

C

riminal investigations – the real-life ones, not those seen in CSI-style genres – can be dragged-out, complicated messes.

The Alaska Wildlife Troopers around Juneau can vouch for all the hours of work solving such crimes can take.

For the better part of a year, Southeast Alaska officers combed over allegations of illegal deer hunting that occurred in the 2015 deer season. Troopers were first alerted to possible violations in February 2016, and seven men were charged in June 2017.

“This is definitely one of the most lengthy investigations that I have conducted as far as wildlife investigations

go,” trooper Jake Abbott told KTOO radio in Juneau.

Alaska State Troopers’ Wildlife Investigation Unit was assisted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement and uncovered a boatload of violations committed by seven hunters.

According to a Alaska State Troopers press release, charges ranged from taking big game from a boat in Game Management Unit 4 (Admiralty-Baranof-Chichagof Islands), providing false hunting reports, allowing a nonresident to harvest deer as a proxy hunter, taking deer over the limit in GMU 4 and a halibut fishing limit violation.

Some of the accused pleaded no contest and were sentenced to fines;

PROTECTING

WILD ALASKA others plead not guilty and will appear in court. Oklahoma resident, Daniel Collins, 22, “Did not make his court appearance and a $500 arrest warrant has been issued by the court.”

The most serious penalties so far were handed down to Juneau’s Wyatt Weimer, 25.

“Weimer plead no contest as part of a plea agreement to two counts of nonresident hunt deer as proxy when prohibited, one count of providing a false hunt report, one count unlawful possession, and one count of taking big game from a boat in GMU 4 – all of which were reduced to violations,” the press release states. “The remaining charges were dismissed as a part of the agreement. Weimer was sentenced to pay $1,650 in fines plus $800 in restitution to the state of Alaska for two deer taken illegally.” ASJ

OUTDOOR CALENDAR Aug. 1 Aug. 1 Aug. 1 Aug. 10 Aug. 10-19 Aug. 11-13 Aug. 12 Aug. 12-20 Aug. 20 Sept. 1 Sept. 1 Sept. 1 Sept. 1 Sept. 7-9 Sept. 15 Sept. 15 Sept. 25

Deer season openers in most Game Management Unit 1 (Southeast Mainland) areas Deer and elk season openers in GMU 2 (Prince of Wales Island) Goat season opener in GMU 5 (Yakutat) Caribou season opener in GMU 7 (Seward; north of the Sterling Highway and west of the Seward Highway) Sitka Seafood Festival; sitkaseafoodfestival.com Golden North Salmon Derby, Juneau; goldennorthsalmonderby.com Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby; valdezfishderbies.com Seward Silver Salmon Derby; seward.com Moose hunting season opens for nonresidents in GMU 7 Brown bear season opens in GMU 5 Brown bear season opens in GMU 18 (Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta) Muskox season opens in GMU 18 Moose season opens in GMU 6 (North Gulf Coast and Prince William Sound) Kenai River Women’s Classic; krsa.com/event-detail.php?event=3 Moose season opens in GMU 3 (Petersburg/Wrangell) Deer season opens in GMU 4 (Admiralty-Baranof-ChichagofIslands) Elk season opens in GMU 8 (Kodiak; Afognak Island)

Kenai resident Marcus Wong, 10, caught his first Kenai River sockeye on July 13, using an egg-colored bead on 25-pound test mono. Well done, Mark! (PAT WONG)

Editor’s note: For more specific information on hunting regulations, refer to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s handbook (adfg.alaska.gov).

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ALASKAN REFUGE

GETAWAYS

AS SUMMER WINDS DOWN, CONSIDER THESE LAST FRONTIER USFWS LANDS Jack Dean shows off the Arctic char he caught in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge wilderness. Late summer and early fall make for a perfect time for visitors to camp at Kenai and other refuges in the Last Frontier. (USFWS)

BY MARTHA NUDEL, U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

A

laska has often been called America’s last wilderness. The concept is vividly real on the 16 national wildlife refuges in the state.

While some of the refuges can only be accessed by boat or plane, others are more accessible.

Here’s a sampling of camping opportunities at each refuge, including one the size of a mid-Atlantic state, another with world-class fishing and

one famous for its massive bears.

KANUTI NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Kanuti Refuge, at approximately 1.6 million acres, is about the size of the state of Delaware and is de facto wilderness. Visitors here can see the great wilds of remote Alaska, with, if visible, signs of human manipulation or a permanent human presence. Camping is permitted on the refuge; permission is not required, but there are no services or facilities offered. And getting to Kanuti Refuge is part of the adventure.

The best way for a visitor to experience Kanuti NWR is to float in an inflatable kayak or collapsible canoe on either the Middle Fork or the South Fork of the Koyukuk River from the Dalton Highway to the village of Allakaket. Visitors can access the Middle Fork from the Dalton Highway at the small community of Coldfoot, where the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management operate the Arctic Interagency Visitor Center, where visitors can get current information about

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The Kanuti River winds through banks of golden trees in autumn on the Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. (BILL RAFTEN/USFWS)

regulations. Good areas for quiet fishing near the road system are found in small lakes such as Lower Ohmer, Watson, Kelly, Petersen, Forest, Dolly Varden, Rainbow, Paddle and many areas of the Swan Lake and Swanson River canoe systems.

Want to pack a tent into the wilderness, or perhaps stay in your RV? Kenai Refuge has it all. The refuge has more than 120 RV and tent sites. Free camping is available year-round in the Skilak area and on Swanson and Swan Lake Roads. You can reserve one of the refuge’s 14 cabins, or you can try your luck for one of the two cabins available on a first-come, first-served basis.

KODIAK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE river conditions and more.

The South Fork Koyukuk can also be accessed from the Dalton Highway at the bridge crossing, about 30 miles south of Coldfoot. Each river takes about six days to float and they offer ideal camping and the likelihood of seeing very few, if any, other people. Air flights are available to return to Fairbanks. Visitors can and do float the Kanuti River, but it is a more technically challenging float and requires a more expensive air charter pickup by

floatplane rather than commercially scheduled flights.

Fishing is part of Alaska’s great recreation tradition, as is hunting. Both are permitted on Kanuti Refuge.

KENAI NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Kenai Refuge is a playground for outdoor enthusiasts. The small lakes and rivers in the refuge’s northern portion are great for canoeing. Fishing is a great angling challenge, as each body of water has its own fish ecology and

An angler enjoys the fishing and scenery at Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.

(BRETT BILLINGS/USFWS)

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Kodiak Refuge is often called the Island of the Great Bear. Kodiak brown bears, genetically distinct, live in the wild in the rugged Kodiak archipelago. Kodiak Refuge was established in 1941. The 1.9-million-acre refuge is filled with misty fjords, glacial valleys and mountains. Its diverse habitats include 117 salmon-filled streams, 16 lakes, riparian wetlands, spruce forest, tundra and alpine meadows.

Some 3,000 bears roam the refuge. More than 400 breeding pairs of bald eagles have been counted on the

LODGING

When you go to Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, you might be competing with Kodiak bears for your salmon and trout dinner menu. (LISA HUPP/USFWS)

refuge, which provides migration and breeding habitat for some 250 species of fish, birds and mammals.

Popular fishing destinations such as the Karluk, Uganik and Ayakulik Rivers offer world-class fishing for salmon, steelhead and rainbow trout.

CABIN FEVER Kodiak Refuge has nine cabins priced at $45 per night, each available for reservations in advance. Cabins are equipped with oil stoves for heating, pit-style toilets and separate meat caches. Cabins are only accessible via boat or floatplane, and some have less access in the winter due to ice.

Summer and fall are high season for anglers, photographers and hunters who are looking for low-cost

cabins and camping opportunities in Alaska. Bookings can be made months in advance.

FINDING MORE INFO Helpful links for those interested in USFWS outdoor opportunities: KANUTI NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE fws.gov/refuge/Kanuti/ KENAI NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE fws.gov/refuge/kenai KODIAK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE fws.gov/refuge/Kodiak/ TETLIN NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE fws.gov/refuge/tetlin/ FISHING ALASKA’S NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES fws.gov/refuges/fishingguide/region_ALA.html#74530 HUNTING ALASKA’S NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES fws.gov/refuges/hunting/featured_articles.cfm?heid=1 ASJ

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Here’s just one journal entry from one visitor to the Uganik Lake Cabin at Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge: “We have had the most wonderful time here at Uganik Bay. The wildlife and landscape have forever changed my life. It’s not very often that people nowadays can leave the busy lives they lead – filled with fast-paced technology and lifestyles – to come here where they must leave it all. Nothing but the sounds of birds, fish jumping out of the water, and the constant lookout for a hopeful spotting of a Kodiak bear.”

TETLIN NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Tetlin refuge has two campgrounds along the Alaska Highway that open once roads are cleared of snow (usually in April). The campgrounds stay open until late autumn, usually October, while roads are still passable.

The refuge also has four public use/ administrative cabins that are available year-round if they are not being used

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A remote gem among America’s public lands, Kodiak attracts thousands of visitors every year. (LISA HUPP/USFWS)

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Contact the refuge at (907) 883-5312 to determine which cabins are available and get a permit. Stays can be no

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mand is especially high. Contact the refuges for specifics about the lottery.

While the campgrounds and cabins are available for free use, the refuge asks that visitors leave them in the same good condition they found them. Keep in mind that access to the cabins requires a floatplane; the refuge suggests that visitors contact the two air charter businesses located in Tok for arrangements. And oh, just one more thing: “Happy camping,” says Tetlin Refuge Manager Shawn Bayless. ASJ Editor’s note: For more on Alaska’s national wildlife refuges, go to fws.gov/alaska. Like at facebook.com/USFWSAlaska. Follow on Twitter (@USFWSALASKA).

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PROSPECT FOR SILVERS,

SETTLE FOR

KINGS Like this whale tail in the distance, an adjacent bait ball proved to be important for ďŹ nding a congregation of salmon for authors Krystin and Bixler McClure. (BIXLER MCCLURE) aksportingjournal.com | AUGUST 2017

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The waters of Resurrection Bay and beyond get a little more crowded in summer, when boats head out for the Seward Silver Salmon Derby, though the authors seemed to have much more success landing kings than coho. (BIXLER MCCLURE)

SEWARD RESIDENTS NEVER MISS POPULAR HOMETOWN DERBY, AND SCORE EVEN WHEN FATE INTERVENES

BY KRYSTIN AND BIXLER MCCLURE

T

he Seward Silver Salmon Derby is a rush of excitement in our small town. Thousands flock to Seward with rods in hand, hoping for a big fish for big prizes.

Normally, silvers of all sizes are hitting the docks to be weighed by hopeful anglers. Onlookers peer at the hogsized salmon on display in ice, and a 22-pound silver is a sight to see. But the 2016 Silver Salmon Derby proved to

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be a tough one. The silvers were scarce and the talk on the water was lots of boats doing lots of fishing with minimal catching. Resurrection Bay and beyond looked like a California freeway during rush hour: lots of boats moving in all directions and dodging each other in search of fish.

We had just received our new boat, Missing Lynx, at the end of June and decided to participate in the derby like we always do each year. We buy two days’ worth of tickets and fish without a care.

AUGUST 2017 | aksportingjournal.com

We’d never caught much in the derby because our sailboat lacked downriggers, which obviously makes trolling difficult. But Missing Lynx was equipped with two downriggers and I was enormously pregnant to the point where

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even walking uphill was difficult. The weather was decent, so we figured: why not just troll? We probably wouldn’t catch anything anyway, and that’s about all I could do due to my size.

WE BOUGHT OUR TICKETS and left the harbor. I drove – more slowly than normal to control the bouncing – while Bixler rigged up the downriggers. We were still new to using the ‘riggers and had yet to perfect our trolling technique. A few people gave us some pointers and we developed a few different rigs.

The chatter on the radio said some people were getting a few silvers near the islands in Resurrection Bay, so I pointed the boat that direction.

Amongst the cluster of boats trolling, I spotted a bait ball and a whale off of one island and we decided to start there.

Bixler has several “rules” of Alaskan fishing, the second of which is, Where there is bait, there are fish.

I snugged close to the island and engaged the motors to about 2 knots while Bixler carefully rigged up our downriggers. We slowly started trolling, thinking we would not catch much but talking and enjoying the one day of sunshine forecast for that week.

Not much was happening around us.

Boats with grim-faced skippers came and went, and I soaked up the sunshine and relaxed. Bixler was cleaning up the deck when he noticed one of the downriggers pop out of the corner of his eye.

“Fish on!” he yelled. “Put the boat in neutral!”

I throttled back and watch the rod spool line.

“That can’t be a silver!” I said. Silvers usually follow the lures up as you reel them in and leap out of the water. This fish was diving like a halibut.

“Grab the net!” Bixler said as the fish reached the surface. “Don’t lose the fish!”

“Hand me the rod,” I said. “I’m too big to lean over the gunwale.”

Bixler handed me the rod and I walked backward as the fish fought in a state of fury. I could tell it was bigger than the normal run-of-the-mill silver.

Bixler netted the feisty fish.

“Holy sh*t! It’s a king!” Bixler yelled excitedly. The Chinook, a good 15-pounder, flopped around on the deck 36

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

until Bixler bonked it. Our yelling and movement had caused other boats to slowly troll our direction as we threw the king into the fish hold.

“I guess there are kings here?” I stated in amazement.

BIXLER PULLED OUT HIS “rulebook” again as he readied the trolling rig.

“First rule of Alaskan fishing: If you don’t catch anything in five minutes, there are no fish.”

“Except for halibut,” I said as I moved back inside. I could tell Bixler was not listening; he wanted to get his second king before I took over. (We do have a rule for halibut which states, There are halibut everywhere; you just need to be patient.)

I kept on course towards the bait ball and within minutes Bixler pulled up a second king salmon, even larger than the first. We agreed to switch spots and Bixler made sure I was able to fight the fish.

FIVE SIMPLE RULES FOR CATCHING LIMITS

Bix and I joke about our “Rules of Alaskan Fishing,” but there is some truth behind them.

Fishing in Alaska without a guide does have a learning curve and is not as easy as one thinks. If you want to become one of those successful anglers who are pictured holding a derby-winning fish or a nice king salmon, try sticking to our rules.

Rule 1: If you don’t catch a fish in five minutes, there are no fish. Truthfully, sometimes it takes longer than five minutes, but if you have the right lure and see fish on the sounder, you should catch a fish quickly after dropping your rig into the water. If the bite turns off or is nonexistent, try moving spots or looking for bait in the water. The one exception to this is halibut, where you may need to spend some time “calling” in the fish.

Rule 2: Where there is bait, there are fish. Bigger fish eat little fish. Trying to find bait is the key to good fishing. During the height of summer, large schools of baitfish can be spotted by looking for clusters of birds and whales. A whale is a good sign of a substantial bait ball and is a good start for a fishing spot, especially when trolling.

Rule 3: Women always catch bigger/more fish. We don’t know why this is, but it seems that lady anglers have greater success in catching larger fish or reaching their limit first.

Maybe it is because they don’t “muscle” up the fish or maybe it is because they don’t listen to unwarranted fishing advice from their male counterparts.

Rule 4: The best fishing is always on a bad weather day. We joke we have better fishing on a rainy day. Truthfully, if there is a change in weather on the horizon, the fishing can be better. We’ve noticed that fish respond to changes in atmospheric pressure, so if you are fishing the calm before a storm, the action may be hot!

Rule 5: If you go out expecting to catch nothing, you will probably come back with a load of fish. Go out and just have fun! Don’t sweat trying to reach your limits or catch your target species. If you go out on the water with an open mind and a pile of lures, you just may surprise yourself. After all, we went out with the intention of catching silvers and caught kings instead! KM

AUGUST 2017 | aksportingjournal.com

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Bixler McClure showing off his haul of kings. (KRYSTIN MCCLURE)

“Remember, if you are having any contractions or anything, I’ll help you land the fish,” he said in a concerned voice.

“I think I can fight the fish, but you will need to clip the line to the downriggers since I can’t bend that far.”

Bixler reset the boat and I took command of the deck. The whale and bait ball had moved, so Bixler moved closer to them. A line of boats paraded behind us without a single catch.

A vessel to our starboard hooked a king and gave us a big thumbs up.

Apparently, they had figured out our secret as well.

I was watching the whale take a dive when the downrigger popped.

“Fish on!” I shouted as I grabbed the rod. Bixler, concerned as always, put the 38

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boat in neutral and ran outside to help.

The king dove deep and spooled line against the drag. I carefully reeled it up to the surface and Bixler netted it into the boat.

“Wow! That’s a big fish!” I exclaimed.

“Bigger than yours!” I smiled.

Bixler’s third rule of Alaskan fishing is that women always catch either more or bigger fish.

“One more king to go. This is way better than silvers!” Bixler remarked as he ran back inside the boat after resetting the downriggers.

We trolled again and quickly the rod quivered. I grabbed it and soon found myself fighting an acrobatic silver that we landed. Bixler reset the downriggers and we trolled again for my last Chinook.

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We soon had it; the salmon was a huge beauty, and we made plans to go out again the next day. Apparently, the Seward Silver Salmon Derby was a great way to catch kings!

THE FOLLOWING DAY WE awoke to rain and foul seas beyond Resurrection Bay, so we opted to troll closer to home. I could not fit into my rain gear anymore, so I sat inside while Bixler manned the downriggers. Again, we trolled in a random spot with a few birds and bait in the water and a fleet of frustrated boats. I drove a course through bait balls and was surprised when Bixler pulled up a small silver.

It was the last day of the derby and the outlook had been grim when we left the harbor at midday. No one had turned in a single fish.

We reset and trolled again. Very little time went by before I heard the magic words “Fish on” again. I throttled back and walked outside to help Bixler land the fish. It was fighting like a silver, but we could both tell it was bigger than any silver we had encountered.

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Fortunately, on a day when silvers were a little harder to come by, one of the coho the McClures managed to land was the derby’s biggest of the day and earned them the cash prize that went with it. (KRYSTIN MCCLURE)

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The authors have their own set of rules for a successful day on the water, and they added a new one on this outing: “When you go trolling for silvers during a hard derby year, you will catch nothing but kings.” (BIXLER MCCLURE)

“You are going to have to net the fish!” Bixler said. “I don’t want you fighting this one! It’s too big.”

I reluctantly grabbed the net and sat poised as Bixler fought the fish. He brought it close to the boat and I managed to net it. Bixler dropped his rod, grabbed the net and plopped the fish into the boat. We were shocked. It was the biggest silver we had ever caught.

(Our fourth rule is that you always catch big fish on a nasty day.)

The wind piped up, so we returned to the harbor where Bixler turned in his fish. Of the three silvers turned in that day, Bixler’s was the biggest, so he was elated when he learned that he had won the daily prize on the last day of the derby.

On the drive home, we were joking about Bixler’s unofficial list of rules which have often been repeated, but never written down.

“I think you should add one like, ‘When you go trolling for silvers during a hard derby year, you will catch nothing but kings’,” I said.

“Or, when the fishing is difficult during the derby, you will catch a winning fish!” ASJ Editor’s note: Bixler and Krystin McClure own and operate Seward Ocean Excursions, offering year-round, boat-based adventures around the Kenai Peninsula.

For more, go to sewardoceanexcursions. com or call (907) 599-0499.

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FLY MONTH ARTICULATED LEECH OF THE

Alaska features some of the world’s premiere waters for fly fishing, so we thought it would be a good idea to share some of the best Alaska-inspired flies available for your fishing destinations in the Last Frontier.

TYING MATERIALS Thread: No. 6/0 Uni or Verivas, gel spun or Kevlar (form articulation) Hook: No. 1 to No. 2/0 Gamakatsu or Owner Octopus hook Sacrificial front hook: Mustad No. 36190 salmon hook Tail: 2-inch rabbit zonker strip Flash: Flashabou Body: Marabou or crosscut rabbit srip Dubbing: UV-Ice Dubbing Articulation: 50- to 65-pound braid Weight: Dumbbell eyes

Silver salmon are the perfect target for an articulated leech to work its magic on Alaska’s rivers and streams.

(MIKE LUNDE)

F

ree-flowing streams filled with supercharged chrome silvers straight out of the saltwater are frustrated and engaged to aggressively strike any large foreign invader that enters their territory, which characterizes August in Alaska.

Out of all the streamer patterns available to purchase or replicate, the additional movement provided from an articulated leech drives migrating silvers – considered the most fierce of all five Alaska Pacific salmon species – absolutely bonkers.

An articulated leech is basically a leech-based streamer, with the back section containing a rabbit strip or sparse marabou feather for a tail, combined with a front section composed of identical materials. An articulation, or joint, is formed with Kevlar or low-stretch gel spun thread. The front section is composed of an inexpensive sacrificial front hook or Wad-

dington shank. They are necessary when targeting river systems under single-hook-only regulations.

To tie an articulated leech, tie a 2-inch rabbit zonker strip tail onto the back section of the stinger hook.

Sparse strands (e.g., four to eight strands) of flash equivalent in length of the tail are tied either underneath or on top of tail. A crosscut version of a rabbit strip is selected, tied in, and palmered forward until slightly behind the hook eye to formulate the body.

An alternative body material to use instead of crosscut rabbit is a sparse marabou feather, in which the longer fibers are used. After the back section of the articulated leech is complete, it must be physically secured to the front sacrificial streamer hook to form the articulation or joint.

A bobbin attached with Kevlar or gel spun thread assists tremendously for securing and formulating the artic-

ulation, which is generally formed with 50- to 65-pound low-stretch braided line or lighter-poundage wire. Monofilament is avoided in the articulation step due to its high stretchiness.

Once the articulation is secured, identical steps for completing the back region of the fly are repeated with one minor exception: the addition of a zonker strip tail, because the front section only contains a cross-cut rabbit or marabou body. Multiple strategies suffice for additional weight – think coneheads, dumbbell eyes, lead wire underbody.

Efficient color combinations for this fly pattern are dependent on the environmental conditions and watershed type, with purple, chartreuse, black/blue, and pink being top producers. To fish it effectively, cast to your spot, perform an upstream mend and make partial twitches or jerks as it swings broadside. A straight swing also works as well. –Mike Lunde

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Be A

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7 TIPS TO FILL YOUR SHRIMP POTS

BY SCOTT HAUGEN

S

hrimping continues to grow in popularity among Alaskans. More people are investing in boats, shrimp gear and time while dedicating themselves to catching these fine-tasting morsels for years to come.

I’m not an expert on shrimping, though I’ve shrimped with many folks throughout Alaskan waters. Every time I head out with someone, I learn something new, which makes it fun.

Last summer I headed out with Bruce Gipple, captain of nearly 25 years in Alaskan waters. He’s based out of Sitka, where he runs a day fleet of fishing boats, along with a comfortable 60-foot live-in boat that he takes out for a week at a time through the Inside Passage.

In addition to fishing for multiple salmon and bottomfish species, Gipple drops crab and shrimp pots. The week my wife Tiffany and I spent on his boat, The Huntress, the shrimping was better than I’d ever seen. While Bruce doesn’t claim to have all the answers when it comes to shrimping, he has been doing it for years. Here are his top tips for success.

THE ROPES Last summer, authors Scott and Tiffany Haugen spent a week on The Huntress, traveling the Inside Passage out of Sitka with Capt. Bruce Gipple. One of their greatest joys was shrimping, which yielded lots of delectable meat. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

“My ropes are 600 feet long, and in two parts,” Gipple says. “The lower part attached to the pot is a floating line, so it doesn’t lay in the rocks and tangle once it’s set. The upper half is

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a sinking line so it doesn’t float on the surface and tangle in your prop or the propeller of any other boats.”

THE DEPTH When we moved into arms to drop the pots, Gipple targeted about the 300foot depth mark. “It can vary, between 200 and 400 feet, but what I’m looking for is the shrimp ‘fuzz’,” he adds.

“When you look here, you’ll see a line of green and yellow along the bottom of the depth chart. Now, I can’t promise you, but I think that line is actually all shrimp!”

Sure enough, the fuzzy, differently colored bottom appeared only in select spots we moved through. And every time we dropped pots in these places, we pulled up loads of shrimp. Having a high-quality depth finder is the key to this approach.

STRUCTURE In addition to shrimp fuzz, Gipple looks for other features on his depth chart.

“You have to have nooks and crevices on the bottom where the shrimp

can escape danger and also get food,” he says. “You want to hit those rocky valleys, ideally with a good drop-off, but not too drastic or deep of a drop.”

Gipple reasons that the places that get really deep and really fast have lots of coral in them. Along with the currents and rocky structure, that factor can cause pots to get hung up. Get pots hung up that deep, in rough terrain, and you’ll lose them.

SOAK TIME Each time we dropped the shrimp pots with Bruce, we left them out overnight.

“Overnight is best, with a minimum of four hours if you have to drop them during the day while you’re fishing,” says Gipple. He adds that soaking them for eight hours is even better while warning that currents can play a big part in how long they are out.

“If there’s a slow current, you need the pots to set out, as it will take a while for the scent to disperse. It’s best if you can let them soak through two tide swings to draw in the shrimp from different directions.”

When dropping your shrimp pots, make sure the bottom structure is favorable for holding shrimp. Also, be certain the buoy is marked according to law and that you have proper ropes in place. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

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EASY DOES IT Shrimp can come and go as they please, unlike crabs in a pot. For this reason, Gipple says longer isn’t always better.

“Two days can be too long, for if the shrimp eat all the food, they lose interest and leave.”

THE BAITS “I love PowerBait,” Gipple says. “I think it’s ground-up shrimp heads in a pellet form; combine that with some fresh salmon carcasses and you have a deadly combination.”

The salmon carcasses we set out got cleaned to the bone by shrimp and sea lice, meaning the scent of the PowerBait was invaluable. Be sure to suspend the baits in the top-center of the trap so the shrimp have to work for it.

WARNINGS Gipple advises not to set your pots on a drop-off where there’s a lot of wave action, as the buoy can actually walk your pot off the shelf where they can be carried away. He also advises to clean the pots, and do it fast.

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Have a shrimp craving? You can save a lot of pricey restaurant bills by dropping your own shrimp pots and concocting this curry recipe. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)

FIELD

THIS SHRIMP CURRY SCORES

BY TIFFANY HAUGEN

S

ummer in Alaska not only marks a time when plenty of fish are caught, but also loads of other seafood, including shellfish. Be it clams, crabs or shrimp, there are some great-eating shellfish to pursue up and down the coast, with shrimp leading the trend in popularity.

Shrimp and potato curry is a fast, easy comfort food, and can be made with fresh or frozen shrimp. By cooking up your own catch, you can eat at least three times the amount, dollar for dollar, of what you’d spend in a restaurant.

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

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1 pound yam, sweet or baking potato 1 tablespoon peanut or coconut oil 1 inch fresh ginger, minced 1 tablespoon red curry paste 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon fish sauce 1 cup finely sliced kale or spinach 1 cup coconut milk 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice ½ cup fresh basil and/or cilantro, chopped Precook potato by baking, boiling or microwaving. Peel and cut into 1-inch cubes. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium heat. Add ginger and sauté one minute. Add red curry paste and brown sugar; sauté until bubbly. Add fish sauce, shrimp and potatoes. Continue to cook

AUGUST 2017 | aksportingjournal.com

one to two minutes, stirring potatoes gently. Reduce heat to low and add coconut milk. Simmer five minutes, remove from heat, add herbs and stir in lime juice.

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

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“As soon as the pots are pulled, clean them,” Gipple says. “You want all the kelp, grass and other debris off the pot, so it doesn’t dry, rot and cause potential equipment failure.”

Also, plan ahead to how you’re going to eat the shrimp, as that determines how you’ll store them – thus, how you’ll clean them. Figure out if you’re shucking only the body, saving the heads and/or saving the eggs on the females.

Finally, get a current regulations booklet and know the rules for your area. From there, it’s just a matter of getting out and experiencing what the craze of shrimping in Alaska is all about. ASJ Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen’s popular book, A Flyfisher’s Guide To Alaska, send a check for $38 (includes S&H) to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489. The 455-page work is one of the most complete travel guides ever written for anglers heading to Alaska. You can also order it and other books at scotthaugen.com.

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Having good bait and suspending it from the top of the pot is important for getting shrimp in the pot and keeping them there. Because shrimp can enter and leave a pot as they wish, be careful not to leave the pots out too long. Otherwise, you may run out of bait and the shrimp will leave. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

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LOVE,

ALASKA STYLE

Louisanians Dennis and Nealy Morain joined author (and longtime guide) Chris Batin on a memorable Last Frontier fishing trip in which everyone involved learned a lot about relationships and life in general. (HEATHER BATIN)

A COUPLE CELEBRATES A WEDDING ANNIVERSARY WITH A FISHING TRIP TO REMEMBER

BY CHRIS BATIN

A

ugust is full of comings and goings, and the ones I remember most often are couples traveling to Alaska to fish it for the first time.

I identify them immediately: When they arrive, they are clasping one set of hands as they walk, while holding custom fishing rod cases in the other. But how they leave Alaska is another matter.

Alaska fishing depicted in color brochures often creates a stereotype in the mind of each sex. To a man, a lodge is simply a dry place where food and drink are served, with comfy chairs for bragging and fish tales. Everything else is, well, Alaska.

To a woman, a lodge might mean

personalized room service, indoor plumbing and Jacuzzi, gourmet meals, manicured trails to the fishing spots and scheduled boat service. A reality check comes after hearing the horrified screams of fighting a red squirrel for the toilet paper in the outhouse, swatting clouds of mosquitoes in drafty cabins, or nicking a Botoxed lip on a chipped enamelware coffee mug. The anticipated romantic candlelight dinner is due to no electricity to eat by.

For guys, the fabled hot shore lunch is munching on chips and Skittles that were kept in the sun too long. On these return flights home, disgruntled spouses may select a seat as far away from the other as possible. A few may go as far as to slip the flight attendant a C

note to stockpile the seat’s magazine pouch with enough liquor servings to last the entire flight home.

Then there is a couple like Dennis and Nealy Morain, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where all such fishing-couple stereotypes are moot. Their story is one of fishing, love, commitment and personal discovery – within themselves, and each other – in the Alaska wilds. What they discovered should be a sound advice for happily married couples, as well as those seeking marriage counseling. Ask them their secret, and modesty precludes either from taking credit, so this is my tale to tell.

THE BACKSTORY Dennis and Nealy contacted me two years ago via email after reading an Alaska fishing story I wrote for a national magazine. Dennis wrote: “For the last 35 years my wife and I have fished south Louisiana together and loved it. Her retirement bucket list

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Chris Batin, left, shows Nealy and Dennis the proper knots to tie as they rig up for the first time to pursue pink and chum salmon on a remote Alaska tributary.

(HEATHER BATIN)

dream is to go to Alaska to a remote flyin fishing trip. I have been researching for months and still don’t know where to go or who to use. There are so many hidden costs. This trip of our lifetime will also celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary. Do you have any suggestions of what lodge to go to or anything that could help us get the best bang for our buck? Thank you so much for helping me to show my appreciation to Nealy for all her years of work. She deserves a trip like this.”

I rearranged my schedule to accommodate Dennis and Nealy. Why was I eager to introduce them to Alaska fishing? Well, call it gut instinct. My 43-year career as an outdoor photojournalist also included teaching Alaska sportfishing techniques and skills to several generations of Alaska’s top anglers, guides and outfitters. I have taught and guided high-ranking government officials, top CEOs and Ivy League professors who often appear on cable television. I was even honored once to guide singer Johnny Cash and his son John Carter Cash when they fished with me on the Alaska Peninsula. I towed 60

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them both across a remote river in an inflatable raft as the elder Cash sang “North to Alaska.” I’ve guided all types of couples and families – from the hardcore know-it-alls to innocent neophytes – before settling on a select few custom trips for people who share similar values, appreciate the skillsets I offer and use them responsibly in the Alaska outdoors. I believed Dennis and Nealy to be two such people.

Yet as I tell my anglers, always be prepared for the unexpected. Little did I know that in the long run, Dennis and Nealy would be the ones teaching me.

SETTING UP As spring rolled into summer, I arranged for nightly instruction and handled the arrangements for them at a lodge in remote Prince William Sound during a time when a variety of salmon would be present. To make it more challenging, Nealy would be spin fishing but also wanted to try her hand at fly fishing, and hopefully catch a salmon on a fly.

Dennis was an experienced fly fisher, but mostly, the directive from him was to ensure Nealy caught fish.

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In mid-August, I met them at Cordova’s Mudhole Smith Airport. Each had a 50-pound, black plastic tote – corner-locked and zip-tied – filled with the equipment I included in the list, and a whole lot more. I recalled what Dennis had written earlier: “We have been prepacked for weeks, and after going to the post office to get a shipping rate we were better off checking them in on the plane.”

I could see why.

“How long did it take you to pack and get ready for your trip?” I asked, straining to load the tubs into the pickup. I knew from experience that oftentimes the first fight of a couple’s trip begins with pretrip planning and packing. But not the Morains.

“We had such fun packing,” Nealy squeaked with excitement. “It took us months to buy all this stuff. Dennis is the packer of the family and he decided what we would need and not need.

I tried to sneak in a few things, but you know what? He removed them! We finally placed all our gear on the floor, and separated it into his pile and my pile. We weighed it all, and if we put

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something in, we would need to take something out.”

A guide always looks for the weak link in any client-couple’s relationship, and the sooner I discovered it, the better prepared I would be in the field. Experience has taught me that arguments or subzero staredowns often take place when one or the other catches too many fish, gets soaked and cold while the other fishes unfazed, or drops the other’s iPhone 7 with thousands of unbacked photos and videos into 400 feet of water. My couple mantra is, “For marital harmony, uploading to the Cloud is always better than downloading into The Abyss.”

I continued to look for personality tidbits so I could prepare the best possible adventure for them.

Nealy’s 5-foot, 5-inch frame is solid Southern charm, with a head of long black hair and an endearing never-ending smile. She recently retired as a civil servant for the state of Louisiana. She shows great resolve in taking care of the needs of her family.

At 6-3, Dennis towers above her. His short-cropped, salt-and-pepper hair and tightly trimmed beard gives him the distinguished and debonair look of a colonel. He walks with confidence, and rightly so. He owns and operates DRM Equipment, a heavy-equipment rental company. Dennis’s earlier directive was clear: The purpose of the trip was to celebrate Nealy’s retirement and their 35th anniversary. He would be secondary in instruction; she’d get priority attention to make her Alaska fishing dream come true.

This was my first challenge and it was a doozy, but in a good way. Giving priority attention to a woman like Nealy would challenge my patience. I have a code name for such women: “matriarchal nurturers.”

“I’ve always been focused on my family, Dennis and the kids,” Nealy said as we sat down for supper. “I guess I learned it from my mother, and I don’t really know how to put myself first. Just want to make sure Dennis gets to experience the Alaska fishing he’s read about! “ No man has two masters, and wise guides know the reason. Both wanted me to focus on the other. Dennis was 62

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The Baton Rouge, Louisiana, couple enjoyed some of the scenes of an Alaskan adventure: Sea lions on a buoy on the way out to the fishing grounds. Waterfalls are a highlight of any first Alaska fishing trip, not only for their beauty, but often, salmon hold near where the freshwater from the falls meet the saltwater. Pinks hold at low tide. Their aggressiveness in striking small lures or flies makes them an ideal salmon to pursue. (HEATHER BATIN)

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The Morains fish a remote cutthroat trout stream on Hinchinbrook Island.

The bog-water-stained stream offered different water than they were used to, and they found it a delightful change and challenge. (CHRIS BATIN)

king and called the shots. Nealy’s personality was to nurture Dennis. It’s a great thing, but for a guide it can be disastrous on the water. My concern was justified: It was possible they would continuously bounce me back and forth to each other – like a pingpong ball in the Olympics – to ensure that I met the needs of the other.

Nealy’s tongue-in-cheek humor and lighthearted bantering made me smile and reconsider my observation.

“Of course being the great fisherwoman I am, I’m sure I will catch at least one in the thousands swimming right in front of me,” she boasted to Dennis.

Such confidence is good in any angler, man or woman, but it’s often the foundation for intense competition between husband and wife, which was perhaps my second problem. Dennis, however, is a man who celebrates rather than becomes threatened by his wife’s enthusiasm. The week would be anything but boring.

FISHING COMMENCES Thousands of salmon were schooling in a saltwater cove near the lodge, and in no time Dennis and Nealy were learning the fine art of not snagging fish and “feeling” the take. Their faces had a quiet pleasantry about them, akin to someone listening to Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons.

At first, I thought they were jet64

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lagged. There was no braggadocio about who caught the largest salmon, or laser-focused, beat-you-into-thedirt competition with its sounds of silence and slow-burn frustration. I call the behavior “joint competition,” where each simply basked in the enjoyment of watching the other catch and land fish.

Of course, as time wore on, there would be the occasional razz if one caught a particularly larger fish than the other did. With his full beard, Dennis’ face was harder to read, but I suspect his expressions were the same as Nealy’s wide-eyed wonderment and amazement commonplace to first-timers who indulge in Alaska salmon fishing. Dennis was her man, and he was catching the salmon he had always wanted to catch, and she couldn’t be happier if she had caught the fish herself. I focused on Nealy, which made Dennis happy so he could focus on applying the techniques I had shown him.

Numbers of fish, while offering opportunity, also offer frustration due to unintentional snagging. It is a hard skill to learn. I gave Nealy and Dennis some retrieve tips, switched to smaller snagproof hooks, and told Nealy to focus on the feel of the lure through the water.

Soon they were both mouth-hooking fish consistently. I tensed when she asked how many fish each had caught, as I was the only one counting.

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“A lot,” I replied, not wanting to disrupt harmony with the truth.

At dinner, Dennis praised Nealy for catching the largest fish, and most likely the most, even if the first few I counted for her were snagged. The couple laughed and nuzzled together in their seats.

The introduction to Alaska fishing was complete. Awaiting us was big-water action out on Prince William Sound, with its smorgasbord of feisty saltwater silvers to 20 pounds, halibut, rockfish and lingcod.

OUT TO SEA The Morains brought good luck. Huge schools of silvers were pushing baitfish to shore, and we enjoyed a feeding frenzy the likes I have seldom seen in Alaska. For them, it was fishing beyond anything they had ever hoped to enjoy.

They were like giddy kids in a candy store – laughing, joking and giggling over fish caught and lost. They were hooked on the magic of Alaska fishing, and I was pleased to hear Dennis comment on things I often overlook and take for granted.

“This is something,” he said as he grunted into a depth-sounding silver.

“In Louisiana, we boat out 5 miles and fish in only 8 to 10 feet of water. Here, I hit the release and the line just keeps going down to 300 feet. I didn’t know I had halibut and rockfish until I brought

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them to the surface. But what really amazes me is how clear and deep the water is so close to shore. Look at this; we are fishing 15 yards from shore in what, 90 feet of water? Look at them.

The salmon are darting around like sharks below us.”

The big silvers were giving Nealy a hard time, hitting her lures and quickly spitting them out. I modified a squid lure onto a thinner, wider-gap jig hook, and soon she was outfishing everyone on the boat. I allowed her to bask in fishing the hot lure all day, not making another for anyone to use, as we had enough action mooching B2 squids. I invariably named the lure “The Nealy.”

She wouldn’t have been more proud if a country had been named in her honor.

Over the next few days, we visited isolated areas where the Morains fine-tuned their chum, pink and silver salmon skills. Adversity was plentiful, with snagged and wet clothing, lost fish and waders damp from condensation.

Their responses were smiles and compliments, even in the rain.

CHANGING IT UP For a very brief moment, I began to freak out. I found myself wishing for invariably – God forgive me – a disagreement, a cold stare or some sign of disharmony that I usually experienced while guiding couples. That way I could use my people skills as a guide to solve the conflict.

I must not have been doing my job, I reasoned, and knew what to do.

I asked if they were up for a 2-mile, hike-in adventure to an intertidal stream that requires walking in the water along the base of rock cliffs at high tide with several stream crossings through rushing, thigh-high water.

They agreed, and we were soon linked arm-in-arm, ready to make our first Alaska stream crossing. I played it up, even though I knew all safety measures were in place.

“OK, everyone is a link here,” I stressed. “If one falls crossing this whitewater, we could all fall down. It’s important to take a step and feel it before placing all your weight on it. These tidal rocks are covered with algae, are slippery, and twist and turn. The water is clear, but the depth perception can 66

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Dennis and Nealy with a partial day’s catch on a charter boat in Prince William Sound. (CHRIS BATIN)

fool you. What seems to be a small rock is a knee-high boulder that can tumble you. I haven’t lost anyone in my career, although a lot of people have gone swimming because they ignored my advice. Let’s go have fun and remember, no complaining!”

I emphasized for effect and intentionally planted the seed of perhaps nefarious suggestion with my last instruction.

We crossed the stream with a chorus of hoops, hollers and hallelujahs that nearby bears and crows must have thought represented Christmas in August. Indeed, heavenly blessings were with the Morains, as they caught and released about 100 salmon that morning.

I was content to stand back and watch, walking up to assist only when needed. This was their time and theirs to enjoy, albeit short-lived, as I prepared for the menacing gray clouds pregnant with coastal rain sweeping in from the south.

Within minutes the deluge was upon us, and I was ready to haul anglers and gear to the forest to wait out the storm. But they would have nothing of it. In the downpour, only narrow sets of eyes burrowed out of their rain hoods as they continued to fish, often together, sometimes apart. But they always acknowledged the catch the other made with some muffled, kind word or raise of hand in acknowledgement.

Unfathomable!

We ate lunch in the open drizzle so

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they could occasionally look up and drink in the scenery. Water trickled off their rain hoods and dripped onto their noses as they followed fast-moving clouds that rose like ghostly specters from dark tidal pools. They photographed huge fish-eating seals chasing salmon upstream, and Nealy was always on the lookout for a bear to photograph.

Walking back at day’s end, at low tide we had to cross a narrow tidal flat that had thousands of salmon stranded in a foot of water. We tried to avoid the fish, but it was an act in futility. Waves of what we called “tsunami salmon” slammed into our legs. Nealy squealed with delight as hundreds of fish rushed her at once, the impact of which nearly knocked all of us on our rumps. We all laughed and took note of eyeless salmon, fungus-spotted fish, spawned-out fish, and sea lice, along with remains of bear- and seal-eaten carcasses. I took their rods to allow them the freedom to indulge and explore. If I was a betting man, I’d say they had more fun walking with the fish than they did catching them. And in a way, so did I.

GOTTA FLY On their last day, they wanted to fly fish for salmon. Dennis is an accomplished fly caster and angler, and he had no issue landing or releasing salmon on his own. He was a wise man by requesting that I teach Nealy to fly fish. In the decades of teaching fly fishing and casting

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seminars, well over a third of my students have been women. The course instruction was usually a gift from the husband or boyfriend who tried to teach but failed and decided a professional course would be better. The women tell a different tale. The men had no patience, taught incomprehensible nonsense, expected progress too soon, or had sinned through a litany of other male incompatibilities.

Dennis was perfectly able to teach Nealy, yet it was part of her “adventure” to have me give her a “crashcourse” in fly fishing. In less than an hour, she was functionally roll casting, hooking and releasing salmon and scoring double hookups with uncanny regularity. If they unintentionally got too caught up in the action and committed an angling sin, I’d shout out the infraction such as, “High sticking!” and they’d repent with the proper action.

Maybe I had been wrong. Could it be?

Were my clients, new to fishing Alaska, the perfect fishing couple?

The final trip was a fly-out adventure to a remote island in the Gulf of Alaska. The Cessna 206 flew us to a remote section of wilderness beach. I scanned the tendrils of sand in both directions and was not surprised we were the only visitors. We quickly disembarked, watched the aircraft take off and shrink into a gnat-sized speck in the distance before starting the mile-long hike across the sand to the salmon fishing.

For the first 100 yards, I noticed Dennis and Nealy didn’t have the usual spark in their walk. Something was wrong. I looked closer, and they were beachcombing. I kept my distance and pretended to look for the stream I have fished over 30 times and could find in my sleep. I call it situational forgetfulness, a necessary deceit during couple disagreements or intense emotions, when the journey or a time out takes precedent over the destination. Once, when they thought I wasn’t looking, they stole a kiss and walked hand-inhand. When they began walking toward me, I reengaged.

“Yeah, you can find glass Japanese fishing floats, seashells or old bottles that have floated over from the Far East,” I said pointing to an old plastic 68

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Nealy with her trophy silver salmon she hooked on the “Nealy Lure,” the author’s mashup of a squid lure and thinner, wide-gap jig hook.

(HEATHER BATIN)

float with Japanese markings. That set them off again digging in the dunes looking for floats and shells. We eventually made it to the creek, and in short order they were ecstatic while fishing a new type of water for salmon.

After an hour of catching fish, they laid down their rods and sat in a sunlit, 10-foot clearing, surrounded by the cathedral spires of mature, rainforest spruce. Their feet hung over a bank that dropped to a lazy, tannin-stained forest creek that fed a deep pool peppered with the rises of porpoising salmon and feeding trout. I expected a fishing question, but Nealy surprised me again.

“Watching the plane take off and leaving us alone on this remote beach was eerie at first,” Nealy said. “You think we are in good hands?”

“I officially present this island and its beach and stream for your exploring pleasure,” I deadpanned.

The last day of an Alaska fishing trip for any couple is different from the first.

The pace is either tense from couple conflict, the day is rushed in order to crunch in the last bit of fishing, or it is relaxed and laid back. Dennis and Nealy caught their first sea-run cuts and some precocious jack salmon, which were the subject of jokes and commentary.

Select Alaska streams have a magic that often prompts spontaneous discussion on private, personal issues.

Sometimes the talk gets serious, and a wise guide doesn’t offer advice, comment or debate. He just listens.

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“My daddy died when I was 10, and us girls grew up with our mama in a single-parent household,” Nealy explained. “She never remarried and sacrificed a lot for us. I thought about mama passing up all the trips in her life.

I didn’t want my kids to say the same about Dennis and I. She never made a trip to Alaska and I feel regret for her in not taking the time to do this sort of thing. We are experiencing our Alaska dream trip so our kids won’t regret for us, the regret that I feel for her.”

Such insights don’t require a response, but with life experience, a good guide knows a simple nod is worth 1,000 words. And for the clients who open up about previous loves, braggadocio conquests, relationship problems or workplace issues, I have only one rule: Whatever is discussed in fish camp, stays in fish camp.

REFLECTIONS On the flight back to the lodge, I recalled the trip to their favorite fishing spot. My wife Heather accompanied us so Nealy would have some “girl time,” a thing women do to offset the high levels of testosterone when men start fishing together. In the wilderness, fishing women bond tighter than Super Glue, and Heather and Nealy were no exception.

Toward day’s end, after photographing Nealy and Dennis fishing side-byside, Heather lovingly put her hand on my shoulder.

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“Look at that,” she said. “He is doing things for her so she has the best possible trip, and she is doing the same, sacrificing some of her fishing time to check on him to ensure he is having a good time. Such selflessness.

Isn’t it lovely?”

I looked at her, still focused on their double hookup and auto-replied the two phrases I learned long ago that always ensures marital harmony.

“Yes, dear. You’re right, dear.”

After a gentle nudge in the ribs with her tripod, I realized the error in my lack of a more emotional response, and I gave it additional thought as a self-imposed penance. I later asked Dennis and Nealy the only remaining question I had left.

“How has fishing helped the two of you in your marriage over the last 35 years?”

Both started to speak at once, but Dennis deferred to Nealy. Finally, I got the rise I wanted, but it was not what I expected.

“When stuck with each other on a boat, miles from the nearest shore, you either resolve the issue, or someone is going swimming, or get ready to be used for alligator bait!” she emphasized with authority. Dennis smiled and Nealy continued.

“Fishing is an integral part of our marriage. While waiting for the fish to bite, we often drift off into la-la land, lost in our own thoughts or relaxing at other times, or just talking when we need to. Like here, where we fish back home offers no phone reception, so we have time to reminisce about our lives together, our faith, or go into long uninterrupted talk sessions. When our kids were young, we took them along. Dennis anchored a baby crib in the boat, secured it to the console, and we went fishing. Dennis is one of the few men committed enough to family to endure the image of a playpen instead of a livewell in his boat.”

A DREAM FULFILLED Dennis and Nealy visited Alaska to partake in their Alaska fishing dream to watch, experience and savor the state’s scenery, fish and wildlife. But as I look back, it was I who was there 70

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Batin (far right) leads the way across a major stream and intertidal area to access some remote, upstream silver, pink and chum salmon fishing. The stream crossing was one of the highlights of the trip, as the couple is not used to wearing waders, or crossing fast-moving streams. They did extremely well, not just with this tricky crossing but getting along seamlessly on their fishing trip of a lifetime. (HEATHER BATIN)

to watch them. It was a sight far more rare in the Alaska wilds – a couple’s time of renewal, tenderness and celebration, sharing the joy of a good cast, helping out with tying a knot or pulling up a rain hood.

Such caring acts are often as unnoticeable as a midge taking flight off from a side current. Such things of beauty may or may not be seen, but as I discovered, I always feel them with my heart, even at a distance and blinded by preconceptions.

Dennis emailed me soon after they returned to Louisiana.

“Nealy and I often talk about that time when all we wanted to do was catch fish on a fly. You taught us to respect everything that goes with fly fishing and then enjoy the fish. Thank you for the time you took out of your life to teach us.”

Guides often say they are in the business not for the money, but because they love the job. For me, I love the people, which is why I can’t take credit for Dennis’s and Nealy’s experience.

They didn’t need the fanciest lodge or the best fishing to enjoy the time of their lives. They just needed each other.

They exemplified how a married couple should be, where Alaska fishing was a spur, a tonic, to celebrate further the commitment in their hearts. I asked if this was their secret.

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“Our secret is our faith and putting the other person first,” Nealy replied, softly and with conviction. “You just gotta put the other person first. By doing that, that makes the other person, the recipient, so appreciative, so loved, that they will do the same for you in return. Do this, have faith in God and the rest will fall into place. Going on this trip, when Dennis went all out to make it first and special for me, endears me to him beyond words. The companionship and camaraderie made the trip so special. It still is.”

I realize now that Dennis and Nealy Morain experienced Alaska fishing in the only way they knew how. The trophy they took home was not a salmon, but rather the fulfillment of their shared dream of Alaska fishing adventure that was on par with the mutual respect, love and devotion they have had toward each other throughout their married lives.

I’m sure they’ll be back for more adventures in Alaska, a land where fishing is loved, and lovers love to fish. ASJ Editor’s note: Chris Batin is editor of The Alaska Angler and author of numerous award-winning books on Alaska fishing, hunting and the outdoors, available at AlaskaAngler.com or contact him at ChrisBatin@AlaskaAngler.com.

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Located on the north bank of Ship Creek

AT HOME ON SHIP CREEK

AN ARMY VETERAN FINDS A HOME, A TACKLE SHOP AND A PASSION FOR FISHING IN ANCHORAGE

BY CHRIS COCOLES

L

ocal anglers around Anchorage who just want to spend a day fishing inside Alaska’s largest city often choose salmon-filled Ship Creek just north of downtown.

Hard against the waterway that empties into Cook Inlet stands a small red building, which since 1993 has operated under various names and ownership but closed its doors in 2007.

Dustin Slinker, an Indiana native and an Army Airborne Scout from 1998 to 2011 – he is a Bronze Star awardee and Purple Heart recipient – purchased the facility, rebranded it as The Bait Shack (907-522-3474; thebaitshackak.com), and reopened it shortly after his military service ended in 2011.

It’s now a go-to spot for Ship Creek’s legion of salmon seekers looking to stock up on tackle or rent out gear to fish the adjacent waterway. We caught up with Slinker to find out a little more about his cozy little shack.

Chris Cocoles You once dreamed of owning a bait shop. What’s the feeling like now to have that goal come true?

Dustin Slinker It was always just a dream.

I never honestly thought it would become a reality. Now after six seasons, it still remains as fun as it did when I first purchased the building and was trying to figure out how to run a bait and tackle shop. Every day I wake up and look forward to going down to the creek and opening the doors of The Bait Shack.

CC Tell us about fishing as a kid in Indiana. What are some of your early fishing memories?

DS I fondly remember going and fishing with my grandfathers at a very young age. Oftentimes they would have me using a cane pole and I was catching

Army Airborne Scout veteran Dustin Slinker, a Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient, took over a small tackle shop adjacent to Anchorage’s Ship Creek, The Bait Shack. (DUSTIN SLINKER)

bluegills and sunfish. I am sure now it was because there was no casting involved, so there was no way to tangle up the line. And with the bluegills and sunfish so plentiful, we always filled a bucket with them. I also recall waking up early mornings and tagging along with the neighbors when they would go fishing. My father was not much of a fisherman, but somehow I fell in love with the sport. My buddies and I would ride our bikes 5 miles in either direction to go fishing in the summer

months. We would leave early in the morning and head to a creek or pond and then have to make it back in time for baseball practice or games.

CC When you were stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, you really fell in love with Alaska and its fishing opportunities. What was your welcome-to-Alaska experience like?

DS I actually landed in Anchorage on my birthday. It was cold out and I saw what I thought was 5 feet of snow on

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A dinner bet with Dustin’s wife Amy (right with daughter Annabelle) prompted the Slinkers to stay in Alaska. “We were talking about future plans if I decided to retire from the military and the idea of buying a tackle shop in Florida,” Dustin says. “The conversation turned to the tackle shop once open on Ship Creek.” (DUSTIN SLINKER)

the ground. I was coming from Texas, so my heaviest jacket was a sweatshirt.

Shortly after during processing with my new unit, which was just starting up in Alaska, I found myself boarding a military aircraft heading north to the Delta Training Area, where I proceeded to conduct my first airborne operation in Alaska. This kicked off the next five month of bouncing back and forth from Anchorage to the different training areas in the northern part of the state. We were sleeping on the ground in temperatures that reached minus 70 at night.

CC You spent a lot of days fishing for salmon at Ship Creek since you lived so close. Do you have a story of a memorable fishing trip there?

DS My first year in Alaska I planned my military leave around the king salmon season. I spent 14 days on Ship Creek from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. My wife and I were sharing my truck at the time and I would have her drop me off on her way to work. I tried to mimic the guys down on the creek who were catching fish. At this time, many anglers were not fond of new guys and weren’t really giving 76

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up the know-how to catch salmon.

The Alaska Wildlife Trooper who was responsible for the Anchorage area was watching me one afternoon and had been for about 20 minutes. I was the only one in the area and obviously had no clue to what I was doing.

I got out of the water and walked up to introduce myself to him. I figured he wanted to check my fishing license.

I asked him if that was the case and he replied with a “No.” He followed up that comment with one that he had been watching me for the past 10 days and I had been fishing completely wrong. The trooper took me to his vehicle to show me exactly the type of tackle I should be using.

A few days later I took my wife king salmon fishing for the first time.

We arrived well before the 6 a.m. start time to get our spot. She cast her line into the water right as the creek opened and it didn’t take her five minutes to hook into and land a king. The trooper was watching the entire thing and proceeded to give me a hard time that my wife was capable of catching a king in less than five minutes, but he had watched me

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for two weeks and I didn’t land anything. Ever since then, I have been all about learning new ways to fish and help others catch fish down here on Ship Creek.

CC What was the process in purchasing the tackle shop? Did you kind of feel like you were destined for this?

DS I actually purchased The Bait Shack on a bet with my wife over dinner one night. We were talking about future plans if I decided to retire from the military and the idea of buying a tackle shop in Florida came up. The conversation turned to the tackle shop that was once open on Ship Creek. What is now The Bait Shack had been previously in operation, but it had closed its door after the 2007 fishing season.

CC You made a lot of upgrades to The Bait Shack. What were some of the changes that you made?

DS The Shack has completely had an overhaul; it just has so much more function ability about it. Before it was dark on the inside and very cluttered, and many items didn’t really have a purpose or an application on Ship

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Creek. I have dialed in the tackle that produces the most fish for these waters. I offer anglers the tools that are going to help them be successful on the creek. I have added larger bait coolers, after previously they were just micro fridges. I have upgraded the fishing equipment that is rented out, and I now supply a lot of St. Croix rods and Penn reels.

CC It looks like you’re really active with Anchorage’s military community.

What’s that been like for you as a veteran yourself?

DS It is an awesome feeling helping military members get into their first salmon. I always look back to when I arrived and individuals were not very forthcoming with giving out information. So I really just want to see people out on the creek enjoying the moments and catching fish. Our military members usually have a short stay in Alaska before they move on to their next duty station, so I don’t want them to be wasting time figuring out how to catch salmon.

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“I have dialed in the tackle that produces the most fish for these waters,” Slinker says.

“I offer anglers the tools that are going to help them be successful on the creek.”

(DUSTIN SLINKER)

CC What plans do you have for the future?

DS I’m not really sure, but as long as I continue to have fun with operating The Bait Shack I will continue to. Once I stop finding enjoyment with what I am doing,

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it will be time for me to put a for-sale sign on the door and move on. I just do not see that happening in the immediate future. I really enjoy the interaction with all the different types of individuals who

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Silver salmon taken out of Ship Creek this summer. It’s a popular spot for urban anglers who fish within the city limits of Anchorage.

(DUSTIN SLINKER)

come through my door. So I guess I will continue to fish and yell “Fish on!” ASJ Editor’s note: Like the Bait Shack at facebook.com/thebaitshack.

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THE CASE FOR

TAXIDERMY YOU MOSTLY HUNT FOR THE MEAT, BUT THERE’S A TIME AND PLACE TO CREATE A MEMORY OF YOUR ADVENTURE

BY PAUL D. ATKINS Caribou are what brought the author to Alaska and the Arctic many years ago.

Here are a couple of bulls that he’s taken the last few years. Taxidermist Kelly Ward in Kansas created this wonderful pedestal mount, giving a hunter who’s mostly in it for the meat memories he won’t soon forget. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

I

knew he was big, but I didn’t know how big. The early-morning fog kept our view to a minimum, and all we could see was a big antler rising above the fireweed a short distance from the tent.

Antler size didn’t really matter to Lew and me; we were after meat and having a monster moose down meant that our quota for the fall would be met with a full freezer. aksportingjournal.com | AUGUST 2017

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Replicas, especially when it comes to fish, are all the rage, and for many who like to catch and release, it is one way they can preserve a memory or honor their fish.

Ron Camp has the uncanny ability to bring a fish to life through nothing but a photo and measurements. This big chum salmon was taken on a summer fishing trip up the Kobuk River. (LEW PAGEL/ TROPHY FISH REPLICAS)

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Now, I have taken a lot of moose over the years and have been in on the harvesting of many more – big ones, small ones and even cows, all in the name of filling freezers and also filling dreams. I had never really taken a big one myself, but vowed one day if I did, I would have it mounted and placed on my wall. It wasn’t to brag but to remember that glorious time spent on the Arctic tundra.

A MEMORY MAKER The art of taxidermy has come a long way in the last 20 years, and recently even more so. Back in the old days, if you had a fish or an animal done, all you could do was hope it was close to what that particular species was supposed to look like.

And if you’ve ever seen one of these relics in an old bar or hotel, then you know what I mean.

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One of the toughest animals to hunt and take in Alaska, Dall sheep are extraordinary in their own right. They are beautiful and for some the pinnacle of a lifelong dream of hunting in Alaska. If you’re lucky enough to accomplish this, then you definitely should hang it on your wall or present it in a way that represents your adventure.

(PAUL D. ATKINS/DAHLBERG TAXIDERMY)

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These days it has become an art form like no other. Spectators flock to witness good taxidermy work.

They’ll stand in amazement, gawking and taking photo after photo of what good artists can do. If you don’t believe me, head down to your local Cabela’s or Bass Pro Shops store and you’ll see what I mean. The animals there are so incredible and lifelike that it is hard to believe that they aren’t real. The set-up and presentations are phenomenal too. Full dioramas – with added scenery depicting the animal’s native habitat – bring it all to life. They are worth going to see, even if you don’t plan to buy anything at the store.

SKILLSET NEEDED Taxidermy basically breaks down into certain areas based on what you want done and more specifically what you want done with the species you were lucky enough to take.

Whether it’s big game, small game, waterfowl or fish, all are different and require different skills to make

that “picture” you have in your head become a reality.

It’s rare, but there are taxidermists who can do it all – from moose to mice. It doesn’t matter what the project is; they are usually pretty good at it. If you find one of these rarities and you like what they do, then my advice is to stick with them. Usually these “do-it-all” types of shops are bigger and employ various specialists in the art of a specific animal, and they are faster too.

Bigger shops usually employ more people and can do multiple jobs at one time, allowing hunters to get their mounts back faster. The time factor is one of the biggest gripes, and rightly so. Hunters, in my opinion, shouldn’t expect their bear or caribou to be done in a month. A good rule of thumb is one year from the date you brought it in. Some are a lot quicker, and some take forever. Remember that good work takes time.

There are smaller operations that specialize in one area and then ship the secondary stuff off to other taxi-

dermists who specialize in that area.

Here’s an example: You find a guy who does caribou and other Alaskan big game, but he doesn’t do waterfowl. He does your caribou but sends your duck to a bird guy. That’s great, but he then charges you a handling fee. My advice is to avoid the middleman. Take your big game to someone who specializes in moose and caribou, and bring your ducks to the duck guy. It’ll save you a ton of money in the end, I promise.

Like most things when it comes to taxidermy work, not every taxidermist or “wildlife artist” is created equal, and you must be careful if planning to invest in having an animal or fish done, especially if it represents something special timewise, moneywise and, most importantly, memory-wise. Believe me, as a person who has spent a small fortune on taxidermy work, I’ve learned to only trust a few when it comes to producing the desired look I’m after. There have been a few times that the result didn’t meet my expectations and I regretted it. Luckily for me, those times and mounts were few and far between, but I never took anything to that shop again.

LOTS OF OPTIONS Taxidermy shops are numerous throughout the country and each state has many. For example, Alaska is loaded with shops and most do absolutely amazing work. Most in the state who do taxidermy are hunters, which in my opinion is one of the biggest factors when selecting someone to mount your trophy.

If you’re lucky enough to take a big moose, then I believe you should take it to somebody who hunts moose or at least knows what an Alaskan moose should look like.

Sounds ridiculous, but you wouldn’t take a muskox to a taxidermist who only does whitetails.

“Mounts” come in many different shapes, sizes and configurations. Everything from a simple horn mount to a complete diorama with habitat included are possible. Shoulder mounts are the most common and 88

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Atkins's well-stocked wall holds trophies from Arctic Alaska and the Lower 48. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

prices will depend on the species size, difficulty (fleshing, tanning, claws, etc.) and how much extra foliage, rocks and detail you want with

your mount.

Pedestal mounts are becoming more and more popular, where instead of hanging your animal on the wall, it’s

suspended on a pedestal, whether it be wood or a fake rock for example.

Some of the best-looking work in my opinion are pedestal mounts.

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GO EURO Another popular and much less expensive route is to have your trophy done as a European mount. The skull and or horns/antlers are boiled and cleaned then whitened for a clean, simple look. Taxidermists also use bugs – Dermestid beetles to be precise – where the skull is placed in a tank and the insects do the rest. It takes time, but the bones seem to last longer and look cleaner to me.

Many hunters are going the European route these days to save on money, wall space and also for that “cool primitive” look. I could write a whole book on the subject, but we’ll keep it to those basics.

THE REPLICA ROUTE Last but not least are those taxidermists with the ability to recreate your trophy by building a replica of it. This is seen more with fish than any other, and the guys and gals who do this (and are good at it) are true artists.

My good friend Ron Camp is a prime example. He owns and operates Tro-

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“Taxidermy isn’t for everybody, and there are those who scoff at the idea of getting anything mounted,” the author writes. “But for some it’s a way to preserve a memory.

It’s a way to remember an adventure.” (PAUL D. ATKINS/LEW PAGEL)

phy Fish Replicas, and the detail he puts into his fish is nothing like I have ever seen. He recently did a chum

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salmon for me based on the measurements and a picture I sent him, and it turned out phenomenally. The lifelike

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appearance, plus the habitat that surrounds the salmon, makes it look like it just came out of the Kobuk River. It is truly amazing work!

Taxidermy isn’t for everybody, and there are those that scoff at the idea of getting anything mounted or even a bear rug done. To each their own, but for some it’s a way to preserve a memory, decorate their house or man cave. For some it’s a way to remember an adventure and be reminded of that “incredible bear hunt” they had up in the Arctic each time they walk past it in their house or office.

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QUELLING STEREOTYPES I get questions on a regular basis about why I get most of my bigger animals or big fish done.

The question I get most: “Are you a trophy hunter?” I usually answer no, which would be essentially the truth, but like most hunters here in Alaska I prefer to kill old mature animals, but if I can shoot the biggest I see, then it’s a plus for me. For most of us and me personally, trophy hunting means trophy meat, and the subsistence lifestyle that I lead is just that.

If I invest in the gear, time and money, like most of us who live and hunt in Alaska do, then yes, trophy hunting is what I do. From head to tail, an animal taken under fair-chase conditions with all the proper tags and license is mine. My family enjoys the meat and I enjoy the memory for years to come.

Fall will be here soon, and whether you hunt for the pure joy of it, or to fill the freezer, or to kill the biggest animal you can find, or maybe catch the biggest fish, it’s something you will never forget. Preserve that memory. ASJ Editor’s note: For more information on taxidermists who get it right or to contact Ron Camp at Trophy Fish Replicas, please contact the author through his website (pauldatkins.com). 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. He is a monthly contributor Alaska Sporting Journal.

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BOLDER IS BETTER A GROUP OF CALIFORNIA FRIENDS BOND IN THE ALASKAN BUSH

BY JEFF LUND

T

his summer, my first set of friends from California will come up and get their weeklong slice of Alaska. It’s been fun to see how far we’ve altered the threshold of adventure for a few of them since they first visited.

“I’m really excited to come up; I don’t even care if we fish,” said Brian, a high school teacher and softball coach before he was shown the ways of taking terminal salmon with a snagging hook.

Fast forward five years and he’s the one checking the tides and recommending we get up at 3:30 a.m. to get on the road and make sure we get to the snagging grounds on time.

His sense of wild has changed. His perception of the amount of adventure he can handle has changed. He craves the outdoors – as long as it’s for about a week, in summer and under my supervision.

GO BOLD OR GO HOME It’s normal to get hooked by the idea of being bolder. Not in that teenage rebellious type way, but in that, me-in-nature sort of way.

I’m reading Deep Survival, by Laurence Gonzales. Rather than a “So there they were …” collection of outdoor stories, it attempts to answer the “Why would someone do that?” question that we, the rational, logical readers – existing outside the context of emergency or adventure – ask.

According to Gonzales and his exhaustive research into survival phenomenon, we function in outdoor or adventure systems created by experience, but oftentimes those systems are flawed.

However, as long as the system works, we have faith in it – because it’s worked.

But at some point, the flaw in the

Deer hunting in the rugged terrain of Southeast Alaska will test you mentally as well as physically. It’s that challenge that’s drawn the author and his buddies to take on everything the Last Frontier’s wild lands offer with a bold attitude. (JEFF LUND) aksportingjournal.com | AUGUST 2017

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system will be revealed and since we’ve been conditioned to believe that if we make decisions that satisfy requirements within our system we’ll be OK, when it doesn’t happen, we fail to act properly. In those moments, we can only hope then that the consequences aren’t dire. And since all these routines and systems are executed by humans, accidents are going to happen, no matter how much better safety gear gets.

someone else lives their life through Netflix characters.

I’m not sure which is more dangerous.

BE PREPARED

The author (rear) and his buddy Zack Trudeau during a Sitkine River float.

PUSHING THE LIMITS Gonzales quoted an engineer after the space shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003. The engineer spoke about the expectation and understanding of astronauts when it comes to the inherent danger and potential totality of a disaster – a state of mind the general public doesn’t share.

The engineer concludes, “Sh*t happens, and if we just want to restrict ourselves to things where sh*t can’t happen … we’re not going to do anything very interesting.”

Alaskans don’t live the lives of astronauts, but the heartiest do put themselves in situations where they might feel like they are on the moon – isolated, maybe even from rescue.

I live a pretty docile life compared to the ice road truckers, commercial divers, commercial fishermen, bush pilots, etc.

(JEFF LUND)

I go on overnight solo hunts into the alpine and skiff trips to troll or to access more secluded rivers for steelhead. My risk is acceptable, comfortable and minimal in comparison to some, thanks to my threshold.

It’s hard to simultaneously embrace “Be Bold” to live a life worth sharing and “When in doubt, don’t” as a way to preserve it, especially in the context of recreation.

We don’t have to hike before the snow melts; we don’t have to troll for kings when it’s blowing 20; we don’t have to hike mountains alone. We get to. It’s a reward for living in a time in which all the generations before us worked and innovated to advance us to a point in American history when we can seek risk for recreation, while

My buddy Jesse Knock is an extremely prepared and competent hunter. He doesn’t skimp on equipment, especially things like crampons for foot stability in the alpine. Still, a fall almost killed him (Alaska Sporting Journal, February 2016).

He was totally ready, didn’t do anything wrong. Still, something happened. His common sense and knowledge of how to act in an emergency provided him enough clarity to get himself help.

That doesn’t always happen. We’ve read about, or maybe even know experienced hunters or guides who make fateful decisions. Read Into Thin Air if you haven’t.

Preparedness can be funny, though.

In May, a girl in Florida escaped the grasp of an alligator because she calmly executed what she was told to do in the case of an attack. She was impossibly poised in the face of what would have been absolute terror for almost all of us.

However, she had been told what to do, so in those crucial moments, there was a file in her brain for such an incident.

The principle of fire drills in schools is to help kids know what to do in the event of a fire, even though the vast majority

Jesse Knock overlooks the terrain during a goat hunt. Knock’s courage displayed during a near-fatal fall provided a valuable lesson on how to handle adversity.

(JEFF LUND)

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Chris Renke and Robby Abney enjoy some downtime during a trip. (JEFF LUND)

don’t take the drill seriously.

A few years ago, a lady in Juneau punched a black bear that was taking off with her dog. Totally irrational. Totally not what you’re trained to do. Totally worked.

So if being prepared doesn’t prevent accidents, preparation and experience don’t necessarily improve situations and totally irrational things work, where does that leave us?

For many, it’s at home, watching

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and reading about boldness rather than living it.

LIFE IN BUBBLE WRAP For the outdoor crowd, most of our preparedness is reactionary and techbased – the last lines of defense to get us out in case our plan crumbles. We don’t run through the specifics because we can’t plan for specific what-ifs. If an alligator bites you, do this.

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You can’t be that specific on a fishing trip to a remote river – far too many variables. What do you have, where are you at, what’s the weather, what’s the temperature, all that before we talk about animals? So you deal with general things and hope if specifics are needed you’ll make the right call, or the people you’re with will.

It’s really not something you talk about. If you’re headed on the trip of a lifetime to Alaska for Etolin elk, Brooks Range sheep, Kodiak bear, etc., there are passing thoughts and maybe a safety briefing, but the assumption is, understandably, that you’re coming back.

You plan more on where the hide will fit on the wall or who will be over for the feast once you return home. Alaskans aren’t immune to this.

Spending a lot of time outside here is inherently dangerous. But yeah, I hear you. What’s the alternative? Maybe the bigger problem isn’t just how to safely be bold but to be bold, period.

A study released in June found that teenagers are as sedentary as 60-year-olds.

It shouldn’t be too surprising. To be unapologetic in our pursuit of an inherently dangerous lifestyle isn’t really understood by the urban society that often deems it archaic, if not barbaric, in an attempt to eliminate our preferred type of boldness.

There’s a great irony with the anti-GMO and pro-free range supporters who are also anti-hunting. “Get it yourself” seems like the perfect slogan for that crowd. When we do, it’s inhumane.

It breaks hearts when the animal is in

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A rafting trip down Prince of Wales Islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Thorne River is just the kind of adventure the author and his buddies embrace when they get together. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where they feel most at home. (JEFF LUND)

the back of a truck going down the highway but not when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s neatly wrapped at the grocery store?

So donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hunt because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mean.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do things that are dangerous, because they are dangerous. Accountability and implied risk are being replaced with blame and the need to post signs telling people that you shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pet the bears or bison. Duh. Nature is not a zoo.

We have commercials of families taking kayaks on the city bus to ďŹ nd an urban lake to remind ourselves that the world isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just strip malls, corner coffee shops and man-buns. We have to convince kids to go outside and play as if being outside and running around is the new â&#x20AC;&#x153;eat your vegetablesâ&#x20AC;? battlecry.

The demand to insulate us from potential danger through technological advances or governmental regulations is only separating us from the boldness that made us survivors and innovators in the ďŹ rst place.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re making cars that require less skill to operate. Strange, huh? We are so bad at driving that the new advancements will allow us to be worse.

Maybe I have this all backward. Maybe the truly bold survivors are the ones who brave freeways ďŹ lled with distracted drivers.

Sleeping in a tent on a mountain during a storm?

Piece of cake. ASJ Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: Ketchikan-based Jeff Lund is the author of Going Home, a memoir about ďŹ shing and hunting in Alaska. Find his book on Amazon.

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THE BLACK (BEAR) LIST

A large black bear hangs around a deer hunting camp. While less celebrated than larger and more feared brown/ grizzly bears, black bears are as much a part of the fauna of Alaska as the state’s more iconic critters. (BJORN DIHLE)

RECONSIDERING THE OTHER BRUINS OF ALASKA’S URSINE KINGDOM

BY BJORN DIHLE

T

he American black bear may lack the charisma of brown/ grizzly bears and the romanticism of polar bears. It may be treated like the ugly, quirky stepdaughter of the ursine world. It may be considered akin to an overgrown and clownish dog, a connoisseur of garbage cans, which it also has a certain kleptomaniacal tendency towards.

However, the black bear is the most prolific and versatile bear in North America, a species that thrives from the deepest recesses of the wilderness to the steel and concrete of Pittsburgh.

More than just about any other animal, black bears don’t shy away from the absurd. I live in Juneau, were many folks have a few bear stories that sound like jokes.

“How’d the black bear crash a cupcake party? Through a sky-light.”

“A black bear walks into a bar ...”

“What happened to the guy who had too much to drink and stumbled into the wrong house and left the door open? Why, a black bear came in and pooped next to him.”

“What happened to the black bear

that tried to eat a girl’s dog? The girl Rhonda Rousey’d it.”

I, too, have a handful of funny black bear stories. One involves my mom attacking one with a broom when it tried to borrow a little flour from her pantry. Another occurred during the black of night when my brother, assuming someone was burglarizing his house, blindly chased a bear down the street, over the guardrail and into the woods.

Another is too inappropriate to go into details, but I’ll just say I once encountered a black bear during mating season that by all appearances seemed to be “loving” itself.

Black bears can also inspire the absurd in people. Last year while walking down Perseverance Trail near Juneau with a friend, I heard panicked screaming. A woman came sprinting around the corner.

“Run! There’s a bear coming!” she cried, before sprinting away. She was followed by a number of other hikers turned runners, all whom looked like they’d just had their death sentence read. I hate to admit it but I got a little nervous. Was this bear a man-eater?

Was it on a rampage, leaving a trail of carnage in its wake? A bear slowly ambled into view followed by two cubs. It

didn’t appear to have a care in the world; in fact, it seemed to be just enjoying a stroll, mostly amused at the people running and screaming. We stepped off the trail and let the trio pass as they placidly continued their reign of terror.

ACT LIKE A BEAR A black bear’s anatomy is remarkably similar to that of a human. There’s a rural legend from back east – like a lot of bear stories it might suffer from a few exaggerations; I’ll add a few of my own to dress it up a little more – of someone finding a flayed body without a head, hands or feet hanging from a tree. Horrified there was some sort of psychopath on the loose, the police were called in. They were in the process of taping off the scene of the crime when a hunter appeared. Hearing there was a serial killer in the area, the man was horrified.

He asked if it was OK to grab the bear he’d shot that morning and hung in a tree before clearing out.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game estimates there are around 100,000 black bears in the state, and that around 2,800 are taken by hunters annually. In Southeast Alaska, most bears are harvested in the spring, when they’re feeding primarily

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As two fatal attacks earlier this year reï¬&#x201A;ects, black bears are capable of violent incidents, but they are generally nonaggressive and at times clownish. Still, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get too close to them. (BJORN DIHLE)

on greens and considered best eating. Many folks in the Interior prefer to take bears in the fall while theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re feasting heavily on berries. The meat

should be thoroughly cooked, as bears are well known for their parasites, including trichinosis.

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sometimes clownish nature, black bears should always be treated with a respect. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re wild animals and occasionally will attack humans. The

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summer of 2017 has been particularly bad in Alaska, where two young people were preyed upon by black bears days apart and died, one just outside of Anchorage and another at the Pogo Mine, 275 miles northeast of Anchorage.

I don’t know if there was something in the air, but a week after the second fatal attack, I had a somewhat spooky encounter with a black bear on the Yukon River. We were breaking camp when a cinnamon-colored adult walked out of the woods and across a gravel bar straight at us. Despite our yelling,

the bear walked within 70 yards and then circled us before heading back into the woods.

Getting too close to bears for photos is no good at all, so please use common sense.

COLOR COMBINATIONS A lot of people are surprised to find out many black bears aren’t black at all.

Color can vary from coal black to cinnamon to white. Black bears are generally pretty easy to distinguish from their larger cousins, the brown/grizzly

This black bear plays tag with a hustling otter. You’re bound to see one when visiting Alaska, so enjoy these magnificent bears in the wild. (BJORN DIHLE)

bear. They lack dished faces and humps for the most part, although some black bears do have humps.

They have short claws and are adept tree climbers. Besides contending with human predation, black bears are frequently eaten by their larger cousins. I’ve heard a few folks theorizing that, based on the population of black bears in Lynn Canal north of Juneau having gone down, brown bear numbers there have expanded. I’m not sure if this true, but I’ve seen more brown than black bears in recent years on that side of the fjord.

There’s nothing that makes the woods as exciting and edgy as bears. If you feel like it, treat yourself and learn a bit more about our furry neighbors – the good, the bad and the funny. Maybe you can even come up with your own rural legend. ASJ Editor’s note: Bjorn Dihle’s first book is Haunted Inside Passage: Ghosts, Legends and Mysteries of Southeast Alaska. He can be followed at facebook.com/ BjornDihleauthor/.

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