Alaska Sporting Journal Sept 2019

FISHING • HUNTING • ADVENTURE

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

OLYMPIA US Marine Sales & Service 3525 Pacific Ave. SE (360) 455-0788 www.usmarinesales.com

Volume 11 • Issue 4 www.aksportingjournal.com PUBLISHER James R. Baker GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott EDITOR Chris Cocoles WRITERS Paul D. Atkins, Tony Ensalaco, Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Mary Catharine Martin SALES MANAGER Katie Higgins ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mamie Griffin, Mike Smith, Paul Yarnold DESIGNERS Celina Martin, Jake Weipert WEB DEVELOPMENT/INBOUND MARKETING Jon Hines PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker, McKenna Boulet ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Aumann INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn ADVERTISING INQUIRIES media@media-inc.com ON THE COVER Some rivers have special meaning to outdoorsmen. For Paul Atkins (left) and Lew Pagel, catching chum salmon in the Noatak River and its tributaries in Western Alaska has become a tradition of sorts.

(PAUL D. ATKINS)

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 CORRESPONDENCE Twitter @AKSportJourn Facebook.com/alaskasportingjournal Email ccocoles@media-inc.com

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

CONTENTS

VOLUME 11 • ISSUE 4

FEATURES 27

TAKING A GUIDED TOUR For Lower 48ers taking a dream fishing trip to Alaska, hiring the right guide for your needs is one of the most important planning decisions you’ll make. As our Tony Ensalaco writes, ensuring that your host helps you catch a lot of fish is just part of the process.

Ensalaco, a regular visitor to Alaska, shares his experiences with guides and what to look for when shopping for a fishing mentor.

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HOT WATER NOT COOL FOR SALMON Baked Alaska has been the theme throughout this summer. As temperatures have soared in this state known for mild summers, water temperatures in salmon spawning water have also risen, causing fish die-off conditions in several rivers, most notably in the Koyukuk. In her latest Salmon State column, Mary Catharine Martin gets some perspective on this troubling trend.

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(PAUL D. ATKINS)

A NEW MEMORY MADE

For Paul Atkins (above) and Lew Pagel, longtime collaborators on hunting and fishing adventures in the Arctic, the Eli River has provided them with plenty of moments they’ll always remember fondly. Recently, Atkins and Pagel caught chum salmon, traded stories in camp and stalked a big grizzly during a trip on the Eli. Take a float down memory lane (or is it river?) and follow their latest story.

WATERFOWLING WITH DAD Scott and Tiffany Haugen are moving back to Alaska, where they once taught together. And this has always been a family getaway for the Haugens. Scott and his dad enjoyed what the former called “our most Alaskan day ever” during a waterfowl hunt in the Aleutian Island outpost of Cold Bay. Tiffany Haugen reminds not to overlook the gizzards and hearts of ducks and geese as a protein source in our monthly From Field to Fire column.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 17 The Editor’s Note 21 Outdoor Calendar 71 The Gear Guy: Choosing premier riflescopes 75 Company profile: Caribou Gear Outdoor Equipment

Alaska Sporting Journal is published monthly. Call Media Inc. Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Inc. Publishing Group and will not be returned. Annual subscriptions are $29.95 (12 issues) or $49.95 (24 issues). Send check or money order to Media Inc. Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Ave South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168 or call (206) 382-9220 with VISA or M/C. Back issues may be ordered at Media Inc. Publishing Group, subject to availability, at the cost of $5 plus shipping. Copyright © 2019 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

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

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SEPTEMBER 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

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Like in Alaska this summer in multiple river systems, high water temperatures have affected California’s run of Chinook salmon and caused die-off for fish. It’s a problem both states have dealt with. (CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE)

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ur columnist Mary Catharine Martin of the conservation group SalmonState wrote this month that Alaska’s unseasonably hot summer took a toll on spawning salmon, and it hits close to home for this California native.

Alaska’s usual mild summers have traditionally made for optimal river conditions for spawning Pacific salmon. Martin writes that many fish have been found dead in Alaska’s rivers this summer due to the unusually higher water temperatures, with the biggest die-off occurring in the Koyukuk River of Western Alaska (page 39). At least 850 unspawned chum salmon were found dead along the river.

In the northern half of California, an extended drought that only in the past year or so began to return to more normal conditions affected the runs of Golden State Chinook in major salmon fisheries such as the Sacramento and Feather Rivers.

In the winter of 2016, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Service reported that just 3 percent of the Sacramento River’s juvenile salmon survived in their journey to the Pacific before they could return for spawning.

“We just didn’t have enough cold water to work with,” Maria Rea, West Coast assistant regional administrator for NOAA’s fisheries service told the San Francisco Chronicle back in 2016. “Despite everybody’s best efforts, the plan wasn’t effective in preventing really significant mortality.”

A solid run of Chinook last summer and promising projections for fall-run fish in California this year make for good news, though water allocation debates in that state have conservationists worried about the future of its salmon.

In Alaska, it’s unclear if the salmon die-off is the start of something more dire, but it’s important for Martin and others at SalmonState to get an idea of why this has been happening.

As for me, during a recent trip to California I spent a morning trying my luck at a local lake in the usually mild San Francisco Bay area. In about three hours of fishing for catfish, I barely managed a bite and spent most of the time cooking in the August sun, as I was there during a heat wave.

I’m sure the fish in the lake that weren’t biting my bait were just thankful to find some cold water wherever it was available.

-Chris Cocoles

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SEPTEMBER 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

OUTDOOR CALENDAR

Moose seasons get started on Sept. 1 in several of Alaska’s game management units. (KENT MILLER/

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE)

Sept. 1 Last day of Valdez Halibut and Silver Salmon Derbies, End of the Year Awards; valdezfishderbies.com Sept. 1 Black bear season opens in Game Management Unit 2 (Prince of Wales Island) Sept. 1 Archery bull elk season opens in GMU 3 (Etolin Island) Sept. 1 Moose season opens in GMU 5B (Yakutat) Sept. 1 Moose season opens in GMU 7 (Seward) Sept. 1 Goat season opens in GMU 13D (Nelchina/Upper Susitna) Sept. 1 Moose season opens in GMU 15 (Kenai) Sept. 1 Brown bear season opens in GMU 14B (Mat-Su Valley) Sept. 5 Nonresident moose season opens in GMU 9B (Alaska Peninsula) Sept. 6 Bison season opens in GMU 11 (Wrangell Mountains/ Chitina River) Sept. 8 Moose season opens in GMU 12 (Upper Tanana/ White River) Sept. 13-16, 20-22 Kenai Silver Salmon Derby; kenaisilversalmonderby.com Sept. 15 Brown bear season starts in GMU 1 (Southeast Mainland) Sept. 15 Deer season opens in GMU 4 (Chichagof Island east of Port Frederick and north of Tenakee Inlet) Sept. 15 Black and brown bear seasons open in GMU 16 (Lower Susitna) Sept. 15 Goat season opens in GMU 6D (North Gulf Coast and Prince William Sound) Sept. 25 Elk season opens in GMU 8 (Southwest Afognak Island)

aksportingjournal.com | SEPTEMBER 2019

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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SEPTEMBER 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

1. Alaska Canoe & Campground www.alaskacanoetrips.com 2. Big Sky Charters www.kenaiguide.com 3. Denise Lake Lodge www.deniselakelodge.com 4. Kenai River Suites www.kenairiversuites.com 5. King Salmondeaux Lodge www.kingsalmondeauxlodge.com

ALASKAN FISHING AT ITS FINEST! At Big Sky we take pride in being a full-service fishing and lodging operation, with a family atmosphere and a special, personal touch.

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K E N A I G U I D E.CO M FOR CALLS IN ALASKA

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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LET ME GUIDE YOU HOW TO CHOOSE AN OPTIMAL EXPERT FISHING HOST

BY TONY ENSALACO

M

onths of anticipation were obliterated sometime between the words “good morning” and dropping the boat into the river.

Within moments of meeting our guide for the first time, he made it abundantly clear that he was the boss. We were basically along for the ride. He

described our rigid itinerary, which consisted of how we were going to fish – no exceptions. What time we would be off the river - no exceptions.

He told us doesn’t like to take pictures while we are fishing. He said that we could take all of the pictures that we wanted with the salmon that were kept from the trip – no release shots. He proudly proclaimed that he has been do-

ing it his way for over 25 years and had no intention of changing the routine on this day. When my buddy Pedro Gonzalez worked up the nerve to ask if he could try some fly fishing, the guide immediately shot down any likely hope of that plan by rudely responding in a raspy voice. “You can bring your gear, but I probably won’t let you use it,” he barked at us.

Needless to say, any scrap of posi-

Guide Jeremy Warter (right) and a client show off a Nushagak River king. One of the priorities you’ll have when planning an Alaska fishing adventure is choosing a perfect guide for your needs. (TONY ENSALACO)

aksportingjournal.com | SEPTEMBER 2019

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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tivity that remained vanished before we were allowed to make our first cast.

I CONSIDER THAT EXPERIENCE as an anomaly. I have been out with a cross section of guides a handful of times and I found them to be extremely courteous and professional, and I would have no reservations about fishing with most them again. Let’s face it: They wouldn’t last too long in that type of business if they weren’t completely qualified and didn’t know how to get along with a wide assortment of personalities.

I also don’t think the outing was a complete bust. Despite our limited interaction with the guide, we caught our share of fish and I was still able to learn a few things.

Being a Great Lakes angler, I have never intentionally targeted silvers because most of the rivers in my backyard don’t host fishable runs of them.

The silvers I have caught in the past

were welcome surprises while fishing for late-season kings or early-run fall steelhead. I purposely hired a guide so I could learn the nuances of catching silvers and was able to pick up enough info to set me up for the rest of the trip. So it was mission accomplished.

The blunder I made was allowing an employee of the lodge where I was staying to choose our guide without offering any of my input. The only request I had made was that I wanted to fish with the one who had the most experience.

Normally, that way of thinking would make sense. You can never go wrong with a seasoned professional, unless that particular guide happens to be stubborn and doesn’t feel that he has to conform to his client’s different needs and skill levels.

I personally felt that he might have been suffering from “burnout,” a condition that unfortunately happens to some veteran guides, as well as other occu-

pations. It’s when the person has been doing the same task for a long period of time and loses the initiative to put out his best effort every time he performs.

If I would have done my due diligence, I probably would have chosen to fish with someone else.

SO THEN, HOW DO you find a guide that is right for you? There really isn’t an exact blueprint, but you should know that different guides offer different experiences and will fit certain anglers better than others. The first question you have to ask yourself is this: Why do you want to hire a guide? The obvious answer would be to catch lots of fish, right? Yes and no.

Of course, catching tons of fish until you can’t lift a rod anymore is never a bad thing, especially if that’s your sole intention. Personally, I have never gone out with a guide because I just wanted to catch tons of fish.

The reasons why I have gone on guid-

Kristen (left) and Danny Kozlow with a limit of Alaska sockeye salmon. Understandably, as long as the guide gets them on some fish will please most anglers. (TONY ENSALACO)

The best guides are the ones who know the rivers inside and out. (TONY ENSALACO) 28

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

THE PERFECT DESTINATION FOR YOUR ALASKAN ADVENTURE

WELCOME TO THE YAKUTAT LODGE One of Alaska’s finest world-class fishing destinations, we offer affordable vacations where you can tailor a trip to your “taste and budget.” Easy access, with daily jet service right to the lodge door, river and ocean guides, a full-service restaurant and cocktail lounge, and comfortable yet rustic to downright fancy lodging accommodations in rooms or cabins, at our airport facility, or on the bay.

We also have a tackle and gift shop. Let our staff welcome you home, and our professional and experienced guides and captains “Share Alaska with you!”

THIS IS WORLD-CLASS FISHING, AS GOOD AS IT GETS! STEELHEAD | SOCKEYE | PINK SALMON SILVER SALMON | DOLLY VARDEN RAINBOW TROUT | HALIBUT | KING SALMON LINGCOD | PACIFIC ROCKFISH

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Getting out into the saltwater – with a glacier as a backdrop – also makes finding a reliable guide that much more important. (TONY ENSALACO)

the best and what areas can be eliminated. The reason doesn’t matter; once you decide that you want to get a guide, the next step is to do some research.

THE FIRST PART OF our Alaska morning

ed trips was because I wanted to gather information about a new river, learn a different technique or discover how to fish for a species that I am not familiar with.

If I caught some fish along the way, then I considered that a bonus. In fact, one of my worst fishing experiences was with a guide who produced a six-man limit of king salmon before 10 a.m. It was because I didn’t learn squat. I booked a trip with a guide to learn how to fish an unfamiliar river.

When I told him my intentions upfront, he assured me that I would pick up a few things from him. What ended up happening was that we launched the guide’s boat from a private ramp that was 30 yards adjacent to one of the best holes on the river.

All the guide had to do was to run half of a football field upstream to position the boat above the hole, run out a dozen plugs behind the boat and wait for a rod to slam dunk. My party took turns fighting the fish once one of the rods doubled over – all in plain view of our vehicles. We never moved. My only takeaway from that trip was that I needed a car wash.

Reconnaissance and catching fish aren’t the only reasons why someone might want to hire a guide. Some anglers will go out with a guide after spending long days of hiking the streams or operating a boat themselves. They are looking to take a much-needed break.

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

I have met several groups of diehard DIY river fishermen who will schedule a saltwater excursion or even pay for a river guide in the middle of their Alaskan stay for that reason. In the case of the river guide, they are not looking for his expertise. What they are really doing is hiring a chauffeur so they can take a well-deserved breather.

My philosophy is that if I ever do retain a guide’s services, I would prefer to go out with him at the beginning of the trip. That way I can either get some sort of an idea of what methods seem to be working or know what stretches of river are fishing

SEPTEMBER 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

was spent floating downstream with hardly any verbal interaction. If one of us asked the guide a question, he replied in short and not so detailed answers that were of no help to us.

After enduring a couple of hours of awkward conversation, we finally came to the conclusion that it was best to cease communication altogether because of the obvious tension that was permeating throughout the drift boat.

There was an imaginary wall of separation between us, even though we were sitting a few feet away from each other.

Fortunately, the day got somewhat better once we started getting into some fish. Bent rods and screaming drags always seems to alleviate any unresolved friction among anglers, so the strict regimen and the sparse small talk was temporarily forgotten.

Since I’m not big into photography, I wasn’t concerned about taking pictures of the feisty, acrobatic silvers we were releasing. As a hardcore river rat, I’m more interested in getting my lure back into the water and hooking up again rather than delaying a hot bite by digitally documenting any piscatorial conquests.

After landing a number of salmon, the Don Hinkle (right, with Danny Kozlow) is known as a guiding icon on the Situk River near Yakutat. An experienced guide usually means a good day on the water.

(TONY ENSALACO)

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Kristen Kozlow with a nice king, the kind of fish the best guides will work hard to score for their clients, who likely paid a lot of money to get here. (TONY ENSALACO)

trip actually started to become enjoyable, even though I could still tell that we were fishing under a time constraint. There was no doubt the guide was adamant about sticking to his agenda. He planned on making it back to the takeout on time.

Pedro and I would be getting into some fish from a hole we just arrived at.

Out of nowhere, the guide would abruptly pull up the anchor and tell us that we were about to move downstream.

In fact, for most of the morning he never let us get out of the boat, even though we fished some areas that appeared to be more suitable for bank fishing. I suspected that the reason he kept us sequestered was to save on time. Then, he surprised us by acting out of character.

A little more than halfway into our float, the guide threw us a curveball by pulling over and beaching the boat. He ordered Pedro and I to disembark and fish an unappealing stretch of river several yards downstream. He also instructed us to bring the net with us because he was going to stay back and watch from his rower’s seat.

It didn’t add up that he wanted us to get our waders wet after spending the morning jostling with each other in the front of the cramped boat. All the while we were searching for innovative ways to make unobstructed casts around each other.

Don’t get me wrong. It felt great to finally get some elbowroom, even though we didn’t catch any fish out of that hole.

In fact, it was one of the only spots that 32

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Ryan McClure of Glacier Bear Lodge was kind of a guide-in-waiting when he fished with the author before becoming a licensed guide.

“He did everything right,” Ensalaco writes. (TONY ENSALACO)

we couldn’t scrape up any action.

I have heard that some guides will purposely have their customers fish low-percentage spots so the guide can take a break. I personally know one who stops at unproductive holes to rest, and refers to such places as “sandwich holes.” They allowed him to eat an uninterrupted lunch without having to cater to his clients. I guarantee that was the guide’s intention for putting us on that particular hole.

As the trip was coming to an end, our guide seemed to become a little more friendly – and definitely more flexible. He even offered to pull over and give Pedro a chance to tangle with a coho with his fly rod. It was obvious that the guide was trying to soften the mood, so we perhaps might consider becoming more generous with his tip. Too little, too late.

FINDING A GUIDE CAN be done in several ways. If your trip’s package doesn’t include a guide already, you can rely on a manager where you are staying to make arrangements with one of the guides that they normally work with. This will make the process easier, but it also limits your options.

One problem to be aware of is when you book a trip at the last minute and the best guides will, most likely, have already been taken. This can happen when planning a trip during the peak of the season, and the most popular ones have been reserved for months.

SEPTEMBER 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

During busy times, lodge and hotel managers will often scramble to find anybody that is semi-capable of filling a guide’s role just to keep up the demands of their clients. I have been on rivers during the height of the run and it seemed that anyone who knows which way is downstream becomes ordained as a qualified guide.

Personally, if I was shelling out hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a once-in-a-lifetime trip, I would want to fish with a full-fledged guide. If you plan on hiring a guide during the historical peak of a run, then my advice is to book months – or on some crowded fisheries – a year or two in advance to be sure you are getting a professional and not a backup.

You can also find guides on your own.

I have found guides by perusing the different outdoor publications like this one that have special planning sections that are divided by different areas or regions.

A few of them even have sections dedicated to guide businesses.

This type of advertising can get you started in the right direction, but it only gives you a limited amount of information and will usually leave out important things like the cost of the service. And you still need to contact the guide for his availability.

Another way is to do a Google search of the body of water you would like to fish or an area that you plan on visiting, and then let modern technology do its thing. A guide’s website can give you

more details, including the price of the guide’s fee and the days that are still open. You can also find out how long the trip will last, the best times of the year and the various species that are available and what you should bring, among other things.

ONCE YOU HAVE NARROWED it down to a few choices of potential guides, the next step is to have a conversation with him.

This is to find out if you are going to be compatible with each other. I think it should be conducted similar to a job interview, but with a unique twist.

You are the one doing the hiring, but

the guide is going to be the boss. Of course, you are not going to make an appointment to sit him down in an office and drill the guide with questions.

An in-depth phone call would be a smart thing to do. Explain to him what you are looking to get out of the trip and ask him what he expects from you.

If your intention is to relax and enjoy the vistas while you wait to reel in the fish as the guide does all of the work, but he expects you to have a more handson approach, then maybe you should

search for someone else.

Another variable that needs to be addressed is the cancellation policy. Sh*t happens – it’s Alaska, after all. Horrible weather, blown-out rivers and emergency fishery closures are some of the risks you take when visiting the Last Frontier.

I once scheduled an early-spring steelhead trip that almost had to be delayed because the roads leading to the river were not accessible due to the 10 feet of snow that was covering them.

Guides had trouble accommodating the trips that had to be canceled and rescheduled, and some fishermen who expected to be fishing from the guide boats were out of luck that week because of the lack of availability. Make sure you find out about alternative options if you are forced to change the original plans.

You are going to ask questions, but don’t forget to talk about yourself.

Guides can be versatile but often specialize in certain styles of fishing. You might be talking to the most knowledgeable guide on the river, he might only be proficient at gear fishing and you’re looking to wave a fly rod. Otherwise maybe you should find someone that better fits your needs.

Another thing you should also inquire about the guide’s policy on keeping fish.

If the service runs a strict catch-and-release operation and you’re interested in filling your freezer, then, well, you know.

You need to be honest about your

ability and stamina. Most anglers see themselves as experts, even though they might be new to the type of fishing they will be doing. If you’ve never done it before, be upfront with the guide so he knows what to expect.

Guides deal with clients of all skill levels and know how to prepare ahead of time to have the right equipment and customize the day to match skillsets.

Tell the guide about your fishing endurance and please let him know if you or anyone in your group have any existing health ailments. The guide is responsible for you, so explain what you can and cannot do. Fishing in Alaska can get pretty intense between the long days and the countless battles, so it can get pretty taxing on an angler if you’re not mentally and physically prepared.

Remember that the main goal of your guide search is to discover compatibility.

You will be spending hours in close proximity with someone who you just met, so you need to make sure that your personalities will mesh. You don’t need the greatest or most seasoned guide to have a great experience.

I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH to take one of the most memorable trips I ever had this past spring with a young guide who hasn’t even had a full year of experience under his belt.

I was fortunate to have shared a boat again with Ryan McClure, the main-

Ensalaco (above) is an experienced angler himself, but you can never stop learning from a local guide.

“The selection shouldn’t only be based on which guide catches the most fish,” he writes. “It’s probably more important to find one that accommodates your personality and needs.” (TONY ENSALACO) 34

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tenance manager at the Glacier Bear Lodge in Yakutat, Alaska (866-4256343; glacierbearlodge.com).

The last time I fished with Ryan he’d been working on becoming a certified guide. Since then, Ryan became licensed and did some guiding last fall during the silver salmon run.

The day I fished with Ryan wasn’t an official guided trip, just two dudes doing some steelhead fishing together. I was anxious to see Ryan get into some ocean-bright steelies, which he did, but he was more interested in working on his guiding skills.

The last half of the day turned into a guided simulation, which Ryan passed with flying colors. He did everything right. He piloted the boat like he has been doing it longer than the years he has spent on this earth. He was knowledgeable about the town as well as the fishery. He also demonstrated his versatility when he pointed out different things along the river.

Most important, he was a hard worker and tough as nails. The weather took a turn for the worse in the early afternoon, and even though Ryan spends most of the year in the 49th state, he wasn’t aware of how to dress for the miserable conditions.

I could tell he was uncomfortable and offered to cut the day short, but Ryan refused. He stuck it out like a consummate professional and even managed to land a 35-inch chrome buck on his new centerpin outfit despite being completely drenched.

Ryan is studying to be a helicopter pilot, but he definitely will be a big success as an Alaskan fishing guide. I recommend booking a trip with him while he is still available.

ALL GUIDES AREN’T CREATED equal. Choos-

ing the right one can definitely make or break a trip. The selection shouldn’t only be based on which guide catches the most fish. It’s probably more important to find one that accommodates your personality and needs.

Alaska has a tremendous amount of fishing guides, so searching for one can be as overwhelming as the state itself. By doing some research – followed up by a conversation or two – you should have a good idea if the guide is right for you. ASJ

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HEAT WAVE TAKES TOLL

UNUSUALLY WARM SUMMER HAS CAUSED SALMON DIE-OFF IN ALASKA WATERS

BY MARY CATHARINE MARTIN

F

rom the Koyukuk River, to the Kuskokwim, to Norton Sound, to Bristol Bay’s Igushik River, unusually warm temperatures across Alaska this summer led to die-offs of unspawned chum, sockeye and pink salmon.

That warm water this summer acted as a “thermal block” – essentially a wall of heat salmon don’t swim past – and delayed upriver migration.

Stephanie Quinn-Davidson, the director of the Yukon Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, took a team of scientists along 200 miles of the Koyukuk River to investigate a die-off of chum salmon at the end of July. The team counted 850 dead, unspawned chum – and that, she said, was a minimum count.

“We were boating, going about 35 or 40 mph, and we know we missed a lot,” she said. “On a boat going by relatively fast, we were probably getting at most half the fish and at least about 10 percent of the fish.”

Locals to the area said this same thing happened four or five years ago, she said, but not to the scale it did this year.

She attributes the deaths to heat stress.

“We cut open the fish, looked for any size of disease, infections, parasites…. By all indications, these fish looked healthy,” Quinn-Davidson said.

“They didn’t have any marks on them or any sign of disease or stress otherwise.

And the die off event coincides with the week of heat we had.”

The total run was more than 1.4 million chum, she said, with some arriving before the warm weather event.

“We definitely had chum salmon

Scientists examine dead chum salmon found unspawned along the Koyukuk River this July, as a warm summer has taken a toll on salmon, which have headed into river systems with high temperatures. (STEPHANIE QUINN-DAVIDSON)

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The Koyukuk River was particularly hit hard by the hot summer. As many as 850 chums were found dead. (STEPHANIE QUINN-DAVIDSON)

spawn,” Quinn-Davidson added. “And chum salmon continue to make it to spawning grounds. There are salmon that made it through. Hopefully they’ll pass those genes on that allowed them to persist.”

FISH SUFFERED According to KYUK Alaska Public Media, in the Kuskokwim there was a die-off of salmon having “heart attacks” due to the warmer-than-usual water along the ocean.

In Norton Sound, large numbers of pink salmon were observed dead before spawning, according to KNOM radio.

Conservation organization Cook Inletkeeper put out a release on July 10, noting that on July 7, stream temperatures on the Deshka River hit 81.7 degrees Fahrenheit – more than five degrees above the previous highest-re40

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corded temperature in that location, according to science director Sue Mauger.

In the Deshka, the warm water created a thermal block that prevented the salmon from moving upstream.

Mauger said she and others are in the middle of an intensive five-year temperature survey on the Deshka to figure out the location of the river’s cold waters, which could serve as refuges during climate change.

“We have so many different types of systems (in Alaska) with different hydrologies,” Mauger said. “Some are fed by glaciers, some by snowpack, some by groundwater… and the joy of salmon is how diverse their life histories are, to capitalize on all that different habitat… but when you’re hitting temperatures in the 80 degrees, there’s no doubt fish are in high stress, and if they’re surviving they must be hitting cold water refugia.”

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STATEWIDE ISSUES Even Bristol Bay, which experienced its second highest harvest of sockeye salmon ever – 43.1 million – experienced at least one die-off.

Nushagak/Togiak area management biologist Timothy Sands said there was a large die-off of sockeye on the Igushik River. After hearing reports, he received a video from a boater around July 20 of dead unspawned sockeye lining the banks of the river. He has seen a thermal block in that river prevent salmon from migrating upstream before, in 2016.

Sands thinks that’s what the problem was this year. “They couldn’t go upriver because it was too warm and the water didn’t contain enough oxygen, so they died,” he said. “The warmer the water gets, the less dissolved oxygen is in the water.”

Daniel Schindler, a University of Wash-

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“We cut open the fish, looked for any size of disease, infections, parasites … By all indications, these fish looked healthy,” Stephanie Quinn-Davidson, director of the Yukon Inter-Tribal Fish Commission,said of the dead salmon. “They didn’t have any marks on them, or any sign of disease or stress otherwise. And the die-off event coincides with the week of heat we had.” (STEPHANIE QUINN-DAVIDSON)

ington professor of aquatic and fisheries sciences, noted that in addition to warm water containing less oxygen, it increases salmon’s metabolisms and need for oxygen, creating a “double whammy.”

SUFFOCATION POSSIBLE A Juneau-based research scientist for the University of Montana, Chris Sergeantco-wrote a paper on warm, crowded, low waters’ effect on salmon.

In essence, warm, low water plus large populations of salmon can lead salmon to suffocate. Climate change will lead to this kind of thing to happen more frequently, Sergeant said, especially in snow-fed systems like the Igushik.

Bristol Bay experienced an early spring, Sands said, so though there was “a fair bit of snowpack,” that snowpack melted early, meaning it wasn’t there to cool the river in June.

The Igushik was also particularly affected because of its geography, Sands said.

“I’ve described it as a long pond,” he said. “The tide goes more than halfway up the river to the lake. It’s very slow-flowing, very muddy. When it was really sunny out, it just heats up that river faster.”

Though Sands doesn’t have estimates of the actual number of fish that died, based on the setnetter catch rate he said between 200,000 and 300,000 were in the river during the warm water event that killed the salmon there. A small amount of fish – Sands estimates between 500 and 700 – made it up to the spawning grounds during the thermal block, but most of the escapement goal was met from fish that swam upriver afterwards.

The die-offs “are happening around the state and seems to have coincided with that week of really warm, warm temperatures,” Quinn-Davidson said.

Are you aware of warm waters affecting salmon where you live? We – not to mention fisheries scientists – would like to hear about it Email information and/or photos to mc@salmonstate.org. ASJ Editor’s note: Mary Catharine Martin is the communications director of SalmonState, a nonprofit initiative that works to ensure Alaska remains a place wild salmon thrive.

Check out salmonstate.org for more.

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HAPPY TIMES ON THE ELI CHUM SALMON, A BEAR AND MORE MEMORIES MADE ON A SPECIAL ARCTIC RIVER

BY PAUL D. ATKINS

W

e had been fishing all day with no luck. A lack of interest on the fishes’ part had made it a long morning and afternoon of casting and reeling with nothing to show.

So when the big chum hit my lure late that evening, I was surprised, to say the least. Lew Pagel, who luckily was back at the boat, saw it and came running with the net and captured the big guy just as he worked the lure out of his mouth. I was thankful.

AUGUST IS THE MONTH of anticipation. It’s the month when things start to get serious, especially for hunters who want to get out and see what the country has to offer. It’s the month that is a welcoming time for anglers too, those of us who like to chase

So many memories. This spot is something author Paul Atkins has seen and experienced many times. His longtime friend and hunting partner Lew Pagel and his boat get ready to push off for another adventure in search of chum salmon and bears. (PAUL D. ATKINS) aksportingjournal.com | SEPTEMBER 2019

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big chum, Arctic char and various other species that make their home upriver.

The weather is still warm as well, and even though the mosquitoes are in full force, a boat ride north is more than just a boat ride. It’s a ritual.

Our goal, as usual, was to head north to an old familiar spot in hopes of catching a few fish and, if we were lucky, maybe see a bear or two. If we were really lucky, maybe we’d find a shootable moose.

It’s funny sometimes how an adventure unfolds. You know you’re going, and you know you’ll be out there in the thick of it, but you’re never really sure how things will turn out.

You hope, or I should say, dream, of bending the rod a few times or maybe crossing the path of a bear that will make the neighbors jealous. And if things go completely right, you’ll fill numerous game bags with an early-season moose. But like I said, you never really know.

In the old days, the boat ride upriver was boring for me. It was an unevent-

ful excursion of waves and passing willows, with me in the front proclaiming, “Let’s hurry up and get to camp so we can start hunting.”

We couldn’t get to our destination fast enough in those days. But now, it’s different. I cherish the ride more than ever. It’s still familiar, like an old house.

It’s one I’ve traveled many times over the many years I’ve been here, but now I see it in a new light.

I’ve had several boat captains over those same years, especially in the early days, but none as good as my good friend Lew, who drives his boat now and allows me to sit up front and view all the wonders that the river offers.

As I sit there, I reflect mostly on the specific places I’ve been and recall the time spent on various adventures throughout the years. I don’t know if that means I’m getting old or maybe I’ve just been lucky to have gone out as much as I have. Could be both.

THE RIVER ITSELF IS old and has changed

very little over the years. Maybe there

are a few more cabins and makeshift camps here and there, but the nooks and crannies, the sloughs and sandbars haven’t changed much. The infamous Hugo Mountain still sits close to the mouth of the river.

It’s a place I first visited when I came here. It looms large at the river’s edge, towering above like a big grey rock, which it is. As we passed it on the boat, I remember it was where I saw my first grizzly and a place where my dad took his first and only caribou all those years ago.

Everyone who lives here knows the river and all have their favorite place on it. I know I do. As we rode, I saw a more familiar place – the tundra valley right past Hugo, where I took a caribou in full velvet, and that was August!

That was a long time ago and something you will never see again. Or there was that long stretch of river before the rock canyon, where I rode a trail dragging a sled full of sheep during a winter subsistence hunt. The snow was so deep and perfect – no bumps – we flew

All camps are different, whether it’s on the river or the tundra or anywhere else in the world. This camp was ideal with a perfect view of the river. (PAUL D. ATKINS) 50

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across that day.

Then we got up into the hills, where Nap Creek comes in and is considered – by many regulars – one of the greatest hunting areas on the river.

This is one of the few places where at one time you could have a trifecta on moose, caribou and bear.

Past the creek it started to get really familiar for Lew and me. This is muskox country, and even though the hills and tundra were empty of snow and ice, it soon would be covered in them.

I pondered the past as we cruised by the area in the boat. I was thinking back to previous hunts when we ended up filling those ox tags.

The mountain to the right was where we took last year’s bull, and across the river was where I just about crashed my snowmachine trying to get to those animals. It’s very nostalgic for me each time we go through there. I kept wondering though, where will this year’s muskox be?

But back to reality.

LEW AND I FINALLY made it to our spot, the Eli River. It’s a place I’ve written about before, and if you read it you know it’s dear to my heart. We’ve been coming here every year with high hopes to take a bear or two, plus catch a few of those ornery old chum salmon that everyone gives me grief about.

Pagel takes in the scene at camp. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

But it’s just a fun time. This year however, we were early. And there was someone camped in our old spot, which has become another nuisance these last couple of years.

I guess that’s my fault though, considering I’ve written about it and de-

scribed how great it is. I know sometimes places should be kept secret. But not this place; it’s too special.

Anyway, we decided to camp a little further down river this time so we could keep away from other people and the conflict that usually arrives from that.

A nice gravel bar with deep water and a view to the surrounding area looked perfect, so we anchored. We quickly off-loaded the boat and got the big green Cabela’s tent set up.

Lew had fire duty and I whipped up something for our dinner. As we sat by the fire and ate a delicious MRE and wondered what the next day would be like, we know that it was perfect. That’s the thing; every hunting camp is different, but the feeling isn’t.

THE NEXT DAY FOUND Lew and I fishing

August means seals upriver. Like many humans in the area, they are there for the fish. During midday you can find them sunning themselves on sand bars and logs. (PAUL D. ATKINS) 52

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the river next to camp. The fish were jumping and splashing, but not as vigorous as they had been in the past or would be in a short couple of weeks.

I caught a small Arctic char, released him and then told Lew that we should head upriver for the day.

We maneuvered through the river

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to explore more than anything else.

We discovered sloughs and streams that we hadn’t seen before. It became more of a scouting adventure than just another voyage.

We even saw a bear that piqued our interest, but it wasn’t meant to be. Finally, we reached an old familiar spot where we had caught many fish before.

It was a couple of years earlier at least, and even though the gravel bar seemed to be gone, it still looked the same other than the high water.

We fished for a couple of hours with zero luck. They just weren’t biting. The water was high and maybe we were early – I don’t really know. So, we sat in the boat drinking Mountain Dew and eating a Snickers, trying to decide what we were going to do with all the daylight.

I told Lew, “Let’s go around this corner and drift down and see what there is south of us.” Within a mile after departing the surroundings started to look familiar – very familiar.

“Hey!” I said to Lew, “this is we were last year when all those bears attacked us and we chased that big moose into the willows.”

“You’re right,” he replied.

We landed the boat on the sandy bank and immediately started looking

Even though they are at the bottom of the preferable salmon chain, Atkins loves to catch these big fighters. It’s something he and Pagel cherish during the late summer. They are great to catch on a rod and reel and also delicious when cooked on the grill. (LEW PAGEL)

for bear tracks. There weren’t any, which was kind of a bummer. Dumbfounded, we decided that going back to camp was a waste of a good evening, so we decided to stay, fish, work on our tans and hopefully be attacked by bears again.

When you get to camp step one is to gather wood. There is nothing better to the author than having a fire while in camp. It gives you a feeling of home and calmness. (PAUL D. ATKINS) 54

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My tan was turning to a sunburn when the big chum hit the pink Pixee at the end of my line. And before I knew it, I had a fight on my hands.

The fish was churning, swimming and fighting like a banshee. I worked the

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salmon seemingly down the bank. Lew, who was in the boat, came running to my rescue and netted the big guy easily.

We had a fish!

Even though I get scoffed at and made fun of by those who live south of here, I really like catching chum and eating them, especially the early ones that are just making their way into the swift water.

In no time, Lew had hooked one too, giving him a fight but eventually landing in the net. Great! We now had caught two fish, so we figured they’d start biting and we would catch more.

We figured wrong – no bites the rest of the evening. But It didn’t matter; it was bear-thirty and time to go hide in the willows and wait.

Getting back to camp after an intense evening of bear hunting is a pleasure all its own. Fresh fish, beans and a drink or two made it all better. (LEW PAGEL)

AT DUSK, WHICH IN northern Alaska at this time of year is about 11:30 p.m., the air started to get cold and the bugs began to form herds around our heads.

Sitting uncomfortably in the sand, Lew and I kept on while continuously looking at our Thermacells to make sure they were working. We wondered if a bear would actually show up.

We didn’t have to wonder long. The old familiar sound of gravel under foot came from behind us. I slowly peered around to catch just a glimpse a small bear coming out downwind of us. He realized as soon as he did that something wasn’t right and left in a hurry.

It was getting late and I told Lew that we better pack up and go. With the boat loaded I pulled the anchor and pushed us off the bank. I decided to have one more look downriver to see if there was anything moving just in case.

Immediately I saw him, “There’s a bear,” I whispered to Lew, “and he’s a big one”! Lew couldn’t believe it. But sure enough, there he was, and he was walking straight at us.

Now, as you may or may not know, Lew and I have been hunting together for many years. One thing we do is share – more specifically we take turns on certain hunts.

Last spring, I was lucky enough to take a super nice bear, so this time it was Lew’s turn, next time it will be mine and so on. Anyway, I told Lew to make his way back up to where we were sitting and wait.

Heading back home took a little longer than expected. A fog bank rolled in and visibility seemed a little iffy at best. The last thing you want to do is make a wrong turn and end up stranded on a sandbar. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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“Even though you really don’t know how a day will end in the Arctic,” Atkins writes, “it’s still amazing when a plan does come together.”

(PAUL D. ATKINS)

felt like when they had to go into the long grass looking for a wounded cat.

We didn’t have to go far when the blood trail picked up and led us to the bear, which was dead where he lay after a perfect shot. He was enormous – bigger than we even thought. The work began and so did the worrying. Skinning bear in the dark and in the thick stuff was no fun, but we eventually got it done. By the time we got back to camp it was 4 a.m.

EVEN THOUGH YOU REALLY don’t know

how a day will end in the Arctic, it’s still amazing when a plan does come together. We accomplished our goal of catching a few fish, getting a bear and, most importantly, carrying on a tradition or ritual, if you will.

It’s another place on the river that will mean something. Now, if I could just find that moose. ASJ

Editor’s note: Paul Atkins is an outdoor writer and author from Kotzebue, Alaska.

He has written hundreds of articles on big game hunting and fishing throughout North America and Africa, plus surviving in the Arctic. Paul is a monthly contributor to Alaska Sporting Journal.

“He’ll walk right to you and then shoot him when he’s close,” I said. Lew got there and I watched through the Leicas as the story unfolded.

I kept thinking, Was this destiny or just another ritual we’ve gotten used to?

Either way it would be another memory for sure. At the sound of the shot, the bear turned, headed to the brush and was bleeding profusely.

Once Lew got his hearing back from the boom of the rifle, we boated over to have a look. There was blood, but not much of it. The bear’s tracks led into a wall of willows, where we were met by an onslaught of mosquitoes.

It was miserable, but as I was armed with my 10mm and Lew his rifle, we proceeded into the dark abyss. It was nerve-wracking. At that moment I wondered if this was what hunters in Africa 58

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Bears are plentiful on the river, and even though we were a bit early this year, this guy showed up right at dark. Lew made an excellent shot but the aftermath of getting him out of there was a bit tricky. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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FIELD

OUR MOST ALASKAN DAY EVER

A FATHER-SON TRIP FOR WATERFOWL ALSO FINDS SALMON, BEAR, WALRUS SIGHTINGS

BY SCOTT HAUGEN

F

or 29 years I’ve been fortunate to travel throughout much of Alaska.

From Fairbanks to Adak Island, Ketchikan to Barrow, I’ve seen a lot.

I’ve also lived in the Arctic and by the time you read this, I will have relocated to another exciting place in Alaska, where Tiffany and I will soon call home.

When it comes to hunting and fish-

ing, there are many great adventures to experience in Alaska. But last fall I lived one of the greatest outdoor experiences of my life, and my dad was with me.

WATERFOWLING WITH POP Last September we traveled to Cold Bay, Alaska, and hunted with our good friend

and noted outfitter Jeff Wasley (fourflywaysoutfitters.com, 608-385-4580).

I’ve been lucky to hunt with many avid waterfowlers over the years and Wasley is among the best of the best. His passion for duck and goose hunting is contagious, as is his love of fishing, wildlife viewing, spending time with his dog and doing anything else that encompasses Alaska’s great outdoors.

After Wasley met us at the airport,

Jerry Haugen, author Scott’s father, with a triple on black brant that poured into the decoys (one of the birds was banded).

Brant meat is ranked atop the best of the best among avid waterfowl hunters and this dad/son trip to Cold Bay was epic.

(SCOTT HAUGEN)

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FIELD

boil on medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove gizzards (liquid can be added to gravy or soup) and pat dry.

In a large skillet, heat oil and butter on medium-high heat. Sear gizzard chunks until browned on all sides.

Let cool completely before adding remaining pate ingredients. In a mini-chopper or food processor, combine cooked gizzards, mayonnaise and chive/green onion. Add hot sauce to taste and additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve with flatbread or crackers.

TERIYAKI HEARTS

ENJOY A ‘HEART’-Y MEAL

BY TIFFANY HAUGEN

T

wo of the most overlooked parts of ducks and geese are their hearts and gizzards.

Granted, it takes more than a few to make a meal, but collect these over the course of a few hunts and you’ll have yourself some tasty and highly nutritious meat. Waterfowl hearts and gizzards are both low in calories, high in protein and a 3.5-ounce serving of heart has nearly all the iron most folks need in a day.

These parts are easy to deal with.

For the hearts a simple wrap in plastic wrap and added to a sealable plastic bag will keep them in good shape in the freezer for a few months. Once you have a dozen or so, unthaw them in the refrigerator, clean them up and cook them for dinner.

Gizzards are treated in the same way; just keep tossing them in a bag until you have a few pounds, unthaw and clean them right before cooking them up.

1 teaspoon granulated onion 1 teaspoon granulated garlic ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper Three bay leaves 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil ½ cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons finely chopped chive or green onion Hot sauce (optional) Clean gizzards by placing on their side, splitting down the center between the two grinding plates, removing the grinding plates and all surrounding silver skin. Chop cleaned gizzards into bite-sized portions.

In a large saucepan, bring water and seasonings to a boil. Add gizzards and

GIZZARD PATE Eight to 10 gizzards 6 cups water 64

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To prepare waterfowl hearts, trim off the top of the heart to remove fat and other tissues. Larger goose hearts can be cut in half for faster cooking. Marinate hearts four to six hours in a favorite teriyaki sauce or marinade.

Thread onto wooden skewers and grill on well-lubricated grates or sear in a hot skillet with a tablespoon or so of olive or coconut oil. Hearts are best served medium-rare, so they only need a few minutes per side. Serve with additional teriyaki sauce, hot sauce and/or a sprinkle of cilantro.

Editor’s note: For 150-plus more great bird recipes and signed copies of Tiffany Haugen’s popular cookbook, Cooking Game Birds, visit scotthaugen.com. Follow Tiffany on Instagram and Facebook.

It may not sound appetizing, but smart foodies understand that you can use the heart and gizzards of waterfowl and create simple but delicious protein dishes. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)

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FIELD before we knew it we were in waders, going brant hunting and getting the rundown as we went.

“The number of brant in Izembek Lagoon right now is incredible, about the most I’ve seen this early, and more keep coming every day,” Wasley said with a smile.

I’d hunted brant in November here with Wasley, and I thought there were a lot of birds back then. But on this sunny afternoon, clouds of brant blanketed the lagoon, their calls echoing over the coastal flats for miles.

Soon, three strings of brant decoys were set and Dad and I were lying sideby-side in a two-man layout boat. When the tide shifted, wave after wave of brant started moving. Shooting our three birds each happened quickly. Wasley joined

us and soon bagged his limit.

Before we knew it we were back at camp, enjoying fresh grilled black brant for dinner.

“This is the best-eating bird I’ve ever had,” proclaimed my dad, a waterfowl hunter of over 65 years.

SHOTGUNS AND SALMON The next morning we headed across the lagoon, coming to a secluded creek mouth where we’d hunt from shore.

Here we set out duck, brant and Canada goose decoys. A buddy of Wasley’s joined us, and in only a few hours we each had our limits of eight ducks, six cacklers and three brant. We again ate good that night.

A day later we grabbed the fishing rods instead of the shotguns and headed out for some coho in remote streams. Catching our five-coho limit each was simple and a blast. These were good-sized silvers – I’ve caught a

lot of coho in a lot of places throughout Alaska – but these were perhaps the biggest size average I’d seen.

That afternoon we took to the hills and hiked to a small, clear stream.

While Dad and Wasley immediately started catching Dolly Varden, I broke out the camera and started snapping pictures of spawning chum salmon.

Two hours later Dad found me. “Forty-seven,” he said. “I know, there are a lot of salmon out there,” he said.

I was not looking up from where I was laying.

“No; 47 Dollies… I just caught and released 47 Dollies,” my dad said.

I looked up to see an ear-to-ear grin on his face. He urged me to join in. “I caught every (fish) on this soft bead; you need to go try it. They’re everywhere.”

BRUIN ALERT I looked down where I’d been lying and saw brown bear tracks all around. Cold Author Scott Haugen and guide Jeff Wasley with a day’s limit of puddle ducks, Canada geese and black brant from Izembek Lagoon. This is early-season waterfowl hunting at its finest!

(SCOTT HAUGEN)

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Haugen was also pleased with this stringer of hefty coho taken from a small stream near Cold Bay, part of a trip that featured a little bit of everything. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

Bay is considered one of the premier places in the world to hunt giant brown bear. “You want to go see some bears,” Wasley said.

Soon we were in the Suburban and driving toward Cold Bay. Before we got there we came across two big bears wrestling on the tundra, which we watched in awe.

Before the week was over we’d see 11 brown bears. We even got to watch them catch salmon at low tide when we were duck hunting one evening.

WOWED BY WALRUS The next morning found us heading back across Izembek Lagoon in search of ducks and geese. As we motored across the foggy bay, Wasley smirked.

“Do you smell that?”

By the intensity of the odor I figured it was a dead whale. It wasn’t.

“Walrus, lots of walrus,” Wasley said as he pointed out to the edge of the fog.

Silently drifting by more than 100 walrus that had hauled out onto a sandy island.

I couldn’t believe what was happening.

In all my years of living in, and travel68

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ing throughout Alaska, this was the first time I’d laid eyes on a pod of walrus. It was a moment I didn’t want to end, and certainly one I’ll never forget.

A BIRD BONANZA That morning wrapped up with more limits of ducks, geese, and Pacific black brant, all of which dumped into the decoys. It was the best waterfowl hunting Dad and I had ever experienced. It was perhaps the most Alaskan day we could ask for, as catching a couple fresh coho for dinner on our way back to camp was the icing on the cake.

Alaska offers the earliest general waterfowl season in the country, opening September 1. If you want to experience the action, along with great fishing, wildlife watching and just enjoying all Alaska is about, it’s waiting for you in Cold Bay. ASJ Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen’s best-selling book, Hunting The Alaskan High Arctic, visit scotthaugen .com. Follow Scott on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

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SCOPING OUT THE BEST IN OPTICS

BY PAUL D. ATKINS • ILLUSTRATION BY JOSEPH FRUEAUF

“C

an you see him?” I asked my son Eli as he peered through the scope.

“Yes!” he replied under a heavy breath. I knew the Leupold scope sitting on top of my 7mm Mag was dialed in.

For Eli, it was now a waiting game.

The old saying, “You get what you pay for,” is never so true as it is when it comes to optics, especially when it comes to buying a riflescope. I’ve used a variety over the years, some expensive and some dirt cheap. The expensive

ones were always better and, if properly sighted in, they did their job and more.

The cheap ones? Well, not so much.

TOP BRANDS Let’s first start with the Leupold line.

These scopes are some of the best on the market and available at an affordable price. Rugged dependability with performance features next to none is their trademark.

Leupold scopes come in a variety of powers and options too. They have ex-

cellent resolution, clarity and contrast in the brightest and dimmest light conditions. I have several and I highly recommend them.

Two of my favorites are from the more expensive brand, but again, you get what you pay for. Trijicon has been a long standard in what scopes should be and how a scope should perform. I’ve taken more animals over the last few years with a Trijicon on top of my rifle than any other.

They have an illuminated reticle for

Seeing is believing. Without a good scope you’re taking a chance at either missing out right or worse, making a bad shot. So remember to consider what you’re willing to pay for in terms bang for your buck.

(PAUL D. ATKINS)

fast acquisition and are perfect in low light, whether it’s at dusk or dawn. They are perfect for big game here in Alaska, especially the dangerous variety.

The other marquee brand to remember is Swarovski, a name that needs no introduction. Granted, they aren’t cheap, but a quality product is never cheap. With a wide field of view and clarity like no other, these scopes are rock solid and perform in all conditions.

I currently have a Swarovski on my 300 Short Mag, and even after being banged around in boats, on snow machines and planes, I never doubted its performance during the moment of truth.

BEST OF THE REST

Known for their reliability and rugged performance, Leupold scopes are America’s number one riflescope, chosen by hunters for years. Nikon might be more known for cameras, but Nikon riflescopes have made their mark. The Gear Guy really likes the Prostaff model, which is easy to sight in and the clarity for the price well worth it. (Below) A relatively new brand on the market is the Vortex brand, which has become very popular everywhere. They come in a variety of powers, configurations and price ranges. (CABELA’S)

A couple others among the scopes world worth mentioning are from Nikon and Vortex. I like the Prostaff model by Nikon. It’s a great value for one thing and easy to use. The 3x zoom provides an extra-wide field of view and the reticle provides quick access to your target.

Scopes by Vortex have become very popular among hunters and target shooters as well. Price range varies depending on what you choose, but these scopes are rugged, fully multi-coated and deliver sharp, brilliant images. Another plus is that they’re waterproof and fog-proof. I currently have a couple on my predator rifles. They have performed flawlessly here in the Arctic.

No matter what you choose to put on you rifle, you need to make sure it does what you need it to do. My advice is to look at several and buy the best you can afford. ASJ Editor’s note: Follow Paul Atkins on Twitter (aktrophyhunter).

If you’ve ever looked through a riflescope made by Swarovski, you’ll see the difference immediately. It’s super clear with a wide field of view. These scopes are tough, rugged and worth every penny. (CABELA’S)

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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Trijicon scopes, a favorite among discerning hunters, are made to perform. The illuminated post is easy to see in all light conditions, especially if you’re hunting the big boys. (CABELA’S)

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SEPTEMBER 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

(CARIBOU GEAR)

BAGGING UP GAME MEAT A

laska Sporting Journal How did you guys get your start in this business of making game bags?

Caribou Gear Owner and Founder Ted Ramirez With over 40 years of hunting in my home state of Colorado, surrounding states and 18-plus years hunting Alaska, I was able to get a perspective on quality gear. When you are spending that much time out in the field, especially in the bush of Alaska, you can see and experience which gear truly works and what holds up over a long season of hunting. Game bags were always a major issue with what existed back then.

I would spend from 10 to 25 days in the bush of Alaska hunting bear, moose or caribou. The mesh form-fitting bags simply didn’t hold up, and because of the stretch fabric this allowed insects to easily access meat content. Canvas bags are strong but are too heavy, bulky and in the humid conditions of Alaska wicking moisture and causing them to be unbreathable. I spent five years perfecting the fabric and design. The added features on the Caribou Gear game bags are designed out of experiences with meat in camp and meat being transported from the field to the public transporter coolers. We found the visual aid and safety features a handy feature, to say the least. With that I set out to design a game bag unlike any other. Caribou Gear game bags are so unique that they are patented.

COMPANY NAME Caribou Gear Outdoor Equipment WHAT THEY DO Provide quality big game and fish game bags for easy transporting from the field.

CONTACT INFO (303) 798-5824; caribougear.com

(CARIBOU GEAR)

ASJ How have your products evolved over time in terms of changes you’ve made to make them more reliable?

TR In the beginning we started with the multi-bag sets in the Magnum packs, Single-Quarter bags, Carnivore, Full-Carcass bags and the ever-popular Camp Meat bag.

As time passed and money allowed, we added the High-Country series for the hardcore backpack hunter. Other than the elongated bags of the Carnivore, we have never changed the fabric or how the bags are constructed. aksportingjournal.com | SEPTEMBER 2019

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

75

er to carry all the required bags into the field. You can be assured that no matter what season or location you may be hunting, your game meat is protected from insects, dust and debris. This is important because you’re not likely going to carry all quarter bags out in a single load. Also, given the fact that our game bags do not stretch, they keep wasps, bees, flies and dust from gaining access to the meat. When bouncing down the road or trail and dust is building on all exposed gear, you’re assured that your game meat will make it to the dinner table grit-free.

(CARIBOU GEAR)

ASJ In your time of making these bags,

what do you think is most important to hunters and anglers when it comes to having a quality game bag?

TR Quality game meat! Great-tasting game meat is by far the most important thing to all sportsmen. Living in the Rocky Mountains as an 18-year-old married man and father, game meat was a major part of the menu during the long winter months. Waste due to trimming or poor-tasting meat wasn’t an option.

ASJ On your website, you mentioned

the importance of cleaning/washing your bags thoroughly after each use in terms of bears. How important is that in a bear-filled state like Alaska?

TR Washing bags is a detrimental procedure, assuring best breathability. But cleaning washed bags to total cleanliness – rendering them odorless – is also a safety feature. Keeping your bags clean is very important so you are not taking smelly bags from previous hunts into your next hunt camp. You do not want to attract bears into camp.

compact package of the High-Country series has just the right amount of room for all meat care. They are designed for that backcountry hunter, when every ounce counts. The series features four quarter bags and one meat parts bag, none of the extra items that come in the Magnum series. Finally, the complete system is designed species-specific, so you are carrying the bare minimum for the species being hunted.

ASJ As hunters yourselves, what do you think makes your products so effective for transporting your big game meat and keeping it safe for the pack out?

TR A key feature of the Caribou Gear game bags is that they are extremely lightweight as possible, without giving way to being too delicate to handle and without taking away the added safety and convenience features of the lock loops and reflective attachments. Because of this, it simply allows the hunt-

ASJ Tell us a little about the Magnum Pack and High-Country series you offer.

TR The Magnum packs are designed species-specific, with lots of extras such as waterproof/tear-proof ID tags (content identification tags) and locks, 2-mil plastic bag, nitrile gloves, and meat transfer form. The bags are dimensionally larger and allow air to circulate around and under the meat on bone quarter. This makes it easier to care for meat in the field. The reduced size and 76

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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ASJ Is there anything else we should know about your products?

TR With the advent of the Caribou Gear game bags, we have seen many game bags of all shapes and sizes come to light. With each, we find that all are made with a variation of nylon, from ripstop tent fabric to straight silk like nylon. Our bags are designed from the ground up from a liquid state, controlling content and weave count for best breathability and strength, unlike a pure nylon or tent-like fabric that retains moisture, promotes bacteria growth and can be delicate to use.

Caribou Gear Outdoor Equipment Company was simply created out of personal necessity and the love of the hunt for the quality game meat it would produce. ASJ Editor’s note: Like Caribou Gear Outdoor Equipment Company at facebook.com/ caribougear and follow on Instagram (@caribougear).

(CARIBOU GEAR)

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