October 2008–“Rainbow River”

“…what a fine way to end a season of fishing in Alaska, Rainbow fishing with friends after the first snow!  With temperatures hovering in the high teens and low twenties by ‘morn, we set out on the Kenai River’s clear, shallow water with high hopes and warm gear from head to toe.  We were not let down.  Eagles soaring overhead, caribou swimming across the river, a huge brown bear on the beach and an all-you-can-eat-smorgasbord of “steak & eggs” for these hungry bows & dollies.  If you’ve been there, you know what I mean.  If not, put this on your list of must do’s in the fishing column and give us a call–we’ll set you up.  High-jumping, hard-fighting, I’ll bite your hook when I feel like it kind of trout.  And bite they did, on every pass, as we drifted beads and flesh of every variety in front of their beautiful speckled heads.  Silvers showed too, hitting flesh flys with gusto, even though they were late in the spawn phase.  Clear skies one minute, fog the next, but little wind made the conditions perfect overall.  Off the water now, waiting for another year to pass to do it all over again.  These fish get under your skin.”



















September 2008–“Fall Silver Salmon Fishing on the Kenai River”

“…another fall season on the beautiful Kenai River has come and gone.  Here are just some of the highlights!”



















July 27, 2008–“First Fish Father & Son”

“….all the way from the small town of Oldenburg, Germany, Ulrich & Killian & Familie came with eyes wide open to see as much Alaska as possible.  Uli was in the German exchange group with me more than 25 years ago, and this was his first visit to American since that time.  Day 1, our mission was King Salmon, and Killian caught one on the first drop of his line into the water (many thanks to the help from Jillian who saw the pole bend completely down and took it from the holder to give to Killian).  I was meanwhile busy talking with the captain of another boat who had stopped by to say hi, and didn’t even see the commotion that was taking place on the back deck until the other captain said, hey I think you’ve got a fish on!  It was the classic case of chaos where we tried to bridge the language gap and find the right words for “reel up” and “keep it tight” and “put the pole in the water” as the fish darted away from the boat, under the boat, in front of the boat, and close to other boats as well.  In the end we miraculously succeeded and put the fish in the net, jubiliation followed!  Uli would follow with a nice King a couple days later, one that would show him the strength and agility of these fish, making him work for his dinner right to the end!”





 

July 24, 2008–“Familie Farmer”

“…aus Karlsruhe kommt neue Freunde fischen, die werden wir nie vergessen. Unser Freund in Bern, Urs Wehrli hat für uns in Fliegen Fischen, das internationale Magazin für Fliegenfischer, eine Werbung geschaltet, der Vater Bruno von der Familie Podlech hat die Seite ausgeschnitten und mitgenommen, um uns zu finden in Soldotna! So eine wunderbare Zeit war es für uns, und hoffentlich auch für sie.  Lachse, spielen, essen und so viele lernen von einander. Kommt wieder bald zuruck bitte Bruno, Markus, Harald und Bernhard vom Wiesenhof!”

July 16, 2008–“68,000 Reds in a Day!”

“…these are the days that make the Kenai famous for it’s incredible Red Salmon runs, drawing visitors from all corners of the world.  More than 68,000 Sockeye (Red) Salmon entered the Kenai River today and swam past the sonar counter just upriver from our house.  Many were caught by us, by our guests, and by others down river from Kenai Riverfront even before they made it to the Alaska Fish & Game sonar counter.  The Sockeye run is in full force now and the fishing is incredible once again.  More to come on the Red reports for 2008 (after we get some sleep).”



July 15, 2008–“Red Rondezvous”

“…after a long year of waiting, the Red Salmon have returned to our shore in force, and it was time for the kids to all have a shot at the action this afternoon.  And, action it was!  Great fishing for several hours, with multiple hook ups, some that got away, and some really nice Sockeye Salmon in the 10~11 pound range.  Taylor fought one so hard that he had to hop on a friend’s boat and fight it down river, Cooper battled the biggest one of the afternoon as it dashed into the fast current and eventually tired enough for Coop to coax it up the shore; and Jillian caught one as nonchalantly as a professional rider saddling up, bringing it to the net with ease and grace.  Allison is next up, she’ll probably be the first on the shore in the morning, showing us all up with a full limit before breakfast!  Summer is in full swing once again…let the fun begin!”











July 12 & 15, 2008–“First Reds”

“…Jesse caught the official first red of the season off our shore, nearly two weeks later than last year, you just never know when the Salmon will arrive in Alaska.  (Photo to come later).  Jim caught the 2nd Red on the 15th and it’s filleted and on it’s way to the grill already!  Here we go again…Red Fever will be hitting the shore any moment!”

July 12, 2008–“Sölle Malle Cho!”

“…das gehört alle am Kenai Fluß diese letze drei Tage weil aus der Schweiz und fertig für viel Spass kommen sie Drei…Urs, Roland, und Matthias, und viel Spass und Abenteuer haben wir gehaben.  An die erste Morgen, bei Sunken Insel in die nähe von unser Camp, hat Urs die erste King Lachs gefunden.  Keine normale Lachs war Er, neh, stark und grösser aus die Andere, so Gross war Er das die Rud ist gebrochen, in zwei Stücke, aber für ein paar Minuten könnte Urs mit Ihn spielen…trotzdem könnten wir diesem Klugen Lachs nicht ins Netz zu landen.  Ein paar Regenbogenforella haben wir auch gefunden, aber nicht bis Abend haben wir wieder die King Lachse gefunden, und nicht ohne unseren “Good Luck Boy Cooper” mitnehmen.  Urs war erste wieder, ebenso Matthias hat fast einen Lachs gefangen während Er etwas kochen wäre, und Urs hat ein schöner Lachs, grösser als Morgen getroffen.  Nach ein schnellem Kampf, war ins Netz mit kein Problem…gut gemacht meinen Freund…und auch FrauFisch war sie!  Nur fünf Minuten später und Matthias hat auch ein Lachs gefunden, und grösse wie Er wünscht auch!  An die Zweite Morgen, beim RudeBoot, hat Roland zwei JackKing Lachs gefangen, aber nicht gross genug zu nehmen.  Urs hat ein grossem Lachs gefunden, aber diesem starkem Lachs hat die Linie sofort gebrochen!  Am die letze Morgen hat nur Roland genug Energie wieder zu Fischen, aber nach ein Dolly Varden, und ein Rainbow, hat er nur eine Chance mit ein grossem Lachs zu spielen, und diesem Lachs hat das fishhook sofort gebrochen…ach so, viele Abenteure hatten wir.  Wieder für Roland eine schöne Regenbogenforella, und Traums um die SchwarzeTigerA*@ bis nächstes Mal am Kenai Fluß zu kommen!  (es gibt Children in the area, nuh?) Guk mal die Bilder von alle, und denkt mal ob du könntest auch so schwer ein Lachs halten für alle die Photos!  Wunderspass mit unserer gute Freunde aus der Schweiz, wir werden diesem Zeit zusammen nie vergessen.  Danke viel mals für alles!  SÖLLE MALLE CHO!”











July 11, 2008–“Ready for the Big One”

“…it’s just a matter of time till Kennan lands a big one, in the meantime, he’s practicing holding his catch up properly for photos…he’s a professional afterall!  Standby, more fish to come!”

July 11, 2008–“The Net That Got Away”

“…landing a King Salmon, especially one over 50 pounds, is done much easier with a net.  We three Jims aboard learned this lesson the hard way, having forgotten it ashore for the first time in forever, so we had to make do and try to get it in by hand.  We may have succeeded if we had had more river to work with, but confined to a small area, by an unusual high concentration of boats pushed up by high tide to the area we were fishing, made it almost impossible.  After a couple close passes near the boat, where we sized up this nice fish, I made an attempt at a grab and a stunning blow, but the King simply shook his head, broke the leader and swam away.  Nonetheless a great catch (and wake up call) for the senior Jim of 82ish, and his retort was simply “I wanted to let him go anyway!”.”

July 9, 2008–“Honeymoon King!”

“…freshly married and ready for adventure, Aubrianne & Andy made the trek to Alaska and the world famous Kenai River for their first fishing trip together as newlyweds, Andy was understandibly anxious to get her hooked on one of his favorite pastimes.  Hitting the river at 0-Dark-Thirty (get used to it Aubrianne), on a cool July morning with winter gear for warmth, Andy’s only hope was that her pole would strike first—and it did!  Where you ask?  At Honeymoon Cove of course, a favorite fishing spot here on the Kenai where many a dream has come true.  Dinner tonight was Coconut King Salmon with Thai Chile Sauce, Cedar Planked Cajun Salmon, and Smoked Salmon Caesar Salad.  Many thanks to Captain Jim Rusk for a memorable honeymoon day at Honeymoon Cove on the Kenai!



July 5, 2008–“Clamming Family”

“…after a colder than usual spring, like many parts of the world, we finally had a chance to get out on a nice day to dig some Razor clams, with a minus 5 foot tide.  It turned out to be one of the best clamming days we’ve had in years, and even the hours spent cleaning clams were alot of fun thanks to my great clamming partner!  The kids always enjoy the time on the beach playing in the mud with Mom & Dad, and so do we :).”




July 5, 2008–“Daddy’s Proud, Mommy too!”

“…two years ago, young Jack Walker, then just 7 years old, caught his first Kenai King just before moving from Alaska to Washington D.C. where his father had been promoted to a new military command position.  For two years he’s held on to that memory, despite his young age, and despite the challenges in his life.  Today was a day to relive that memory by catching another Kenai King, but this time it was to honor his fallen hero and Daddy, Colonel Sam “Wheels” Walker Jr., (1963-2007), taken from his loving family far too early.  Despite slow fishing conditions (not another fish in sight anywhere up or down river), Jack had beaming confidence and a flashy smile, anxious to catch another King, so he said a quick Fisherman’s Prayer and within minutes this gorgeous King Salmon was on his line.  You could here the cheering, laughter, and tears for miles around.  This was no ordinary catch, this was a miracle fish, and a fitting end to an all too short visit.  Come again soon young Jack and family–Chantalle, Ike, and Sammy the 3rd, we love and miss you all.  Your Daddy is forever proud of you Jack, and your Mommy is too.”



July 4, 2008–“Leathergirl”

“…it’s always nice to meet friends of friends, but it’s especially nice when those friends become instant fishing friends too.  This was the case with “Leathergirl”, our nickname for BobbiJo, best friend of our dear friend Chantalle, who was plenty ready to hit the water in pursuit of a Kenai King.  Maybe it was her constant smile, or maybe it was the good spirit and friendliness she brought to the river, or maybe it was her trusty leatherman tool, er, I mean leathergirl tool ready at her side, but it didn’t take long for her to hook a nice fresh King in exactly the same spot as the last King we’d found.  Five minutes, maybe ten tops, and this King was on the line and Leathergirl was handling it like a pro.  A cow and calf moose were the backdrop for a nice photo on the shore as we celebrated this great catch with her.”

June 30, 2008–“Alle Guten Dinger Sind Drei!”

“…mehr kann ich nicht sagen!  Toll, unglaublich, und uberts kühl.  Dass war die letze Tag bei uns für Max und Familie, und er hat drei schöne King Salmon geangelt am Kenai Fluß.  Vergess es nicht mein Freund, dass war ein Moment of Excellence!”




June 29, 2008–“…Better Than a Good Day at Work!”

“…you know the saying, ‘A Bad Day Fishing is Better Than a Good Day at Work’, but the truth is around here we have very few true bad days of fishing.  To me, time on the water, away from the everydayedness of life, is one of the best things in life, whether we catch fish or not.  Now in the case of this day, a Sunday morning with nice weather, great friends, and lot’s of fish action, it’s really better than the BEST day at work!  Sabine & Sven sure seemed to be smiling widely as they fought their first Kenai Kings, and the smiles continued as the Sashimi was sliced shortly afterwards as well.  None of us will forget this day, especially when we’re stuck in the office, behind a computer, or in a traffic jam.  Too bad about the Europameisterschaft Final, aber doch haben wir die Fernsehen am Boot mitgebracht, und gerade nach der Spiel haben wir diese zwei schöne Lächse geangelt.”





June 28, 2008–“Kachemak Bay, Homer Alaska Halibut”

“…you can always tell when fishing is picking up for us, because the fishing reports get more sporadic and less frequent, just too much time on the water and little time to eyeball the computer!  Still, it’s fun to write the stories and share the photos, especially when your fishing with friends from afar and watching them catch their first fish.  On this day, Halibut was the goal, and everyone aboard had the chance to take on some of these tasty fish from the deep.  Everyone learned too that even the small ones can be a big challenge to reel up from the bottom as they shake their heads and fight the line with all they’ve got.  Dinner tonight?  How about Jalapeno Halibut Poppers with Guacamole, Montreal Halibut on Cedar, Sweet & Sour Halibut,  and Blackened Halibut with Brown Sugar.  Mmmmmm.  Halibut is the ultimate fish for experimentation in the kitchen.  Guten Apetit!”





June 26, 2008–“Midnight Rainbows”

“…more rainbow trout this evening with my friends Max & Sven, and a beautiful evening it was indeed.  We took a couple passes for Kings, but it was the Rainbows that were active as the sunset here in the land of the midnight sun.  At just about midnight we took this picture, showing what the light is like for us this time of the year, and why we like to fish practically around the clock!”


June 25, 2008–“Zum ende die Regenbogenforelle”

“…with all the confidence of a lifelong fishermen, our friend and brother from another mother  Max K. found this nice fish at the end of the rainbow this morning, as we fished in the morning sunshine, glistening on the beautiful Kenai River.  A quick fillet & fry and this was our breakfast to bring good luck as we headed off the river to watch the European Soccer semi-final match between Germany and Turkey…we hope it will work!  Mit viele überzeugung wie ein lebenslanger Angeler, unser Freund und Bruder von ein andere Mutter, Max K. hat am ende des Regenbogens diesen schönen Fisch gefunden, während wir bei Morgensonnenschein am wunderschönen Kenai Fluß fischen waren.  Schnell filletiert, gekocht und wir hatten ein glückliches Frühstück vor der Europameisterschaft zwischen Deutschland und Turkei…wir hoffen es funktioniert.”


June 22, 2008–“Hochzeitstag Happiness”

“…frisch aus Deutschland, Fischers Fritz fischt frische Fische!  Nach nur einem 9 Stunden Flug aus Frankfurt direkt kommen unsere Freunde, mit viele Hoffnung eine alaskanische Lachs am Kenai Fluß zu angeln!  Und, danken wir unserem Lieben Gott, dass wir hatten diese schöne Lachse gefunden…ein sehr wunderbar Geschenk für unseren Hochzeitstagfeiern mit über 50 unsere bestem Freunde zu essen!” 




June 15, 2008–“Father’s Day Fish”

“…I can think of no finer gift on Father’s Day, than watching my kids catch fish!  After sourdough blueberry pancakes and moose sausage for breakfast, and a leisurely midday, we slipped out on the river for a quick hour or two of fishing.  Turns out, that’s all Jillian needed to land this nice King on the second strike of the day.  The first turned out to be a false alarm that just got everyone in ready position, but the second hit and Jillian set the hook and began the battle.  This was a strong, fresh fighting fish, just in on the afternoon high tide, near river mile 8.  Jillian sure looked like she was having fun as this fish ran and jumped and did what it could to avoid the net.  Looks like we’re set for fresh fish again after depleting stocks at the Salmon Bake last night…more Omega 3 on the way!  Way to go Jillian, nice Father’s Day fish, I’m thankful to see the tradition live on.”



June 14, 2008–“Salmon Bake!”

“…after a couple days of rest, and some time for boat maintenance and other chores, Jim & Jim set the course for Mud Island to find a fresh fish for tonight’s Saturday Salmon Bake.  We cooked a breakfast of moose sausage, fried egg & havarti cheese sandwiches on the FinnCooker to start the morning off right, and just as breakfast was settling we had our first strike.  Just a quick pop of the line and the fish was on and off, just a warning as it were.  We reeled the plug up and juiced it, releasing back in the same spot and in less than a minute another strike followed and the fish was on the line!  Jim A. held on as the fish screamed under the boat and then took several spirited runs around the stern.  We could almost taste the fresh flavor of King Salmon as we finally coaxed the fish into the net.  Tonight at dinner it was grilled with two different rubs, some was roasted on the cedar plank and glazed with homemade Birch Syrup, and it all tasted as good as the finest Filet Mignon.  Cool weather may continue, but it’s great to see the fishing continue to heat up!”


June 11, 2008–“Taylor’s Prayer!”

“…supper time on the Kenai River is a good time to gather the family on the fishing boat with a hot pizza and cruise down the river for some evening fishing.  Taylor asked for a moment of silence to say his fisherman’s prayer, and his prayer was answered shortly after his last bite of pizza when he said he had a fish on!  No one else believed it at first, but he reeled and reeled until the line wouldn’t come up anymore and sure enough a nice little Jack King Salmon!  Ahhhh, to be seven again and find fish like this in your front yard :)”


June 11, 2008–“Try, Try Again”

“…after some near misses the day before, it was time to give Chad a chance to redeem himself to Dudley, Sherm and the gang, not to mention his wife Karen who was clearly getting hungry for some fresh King Salmon!  This time, she left the bananas back on shore, lifting the age old curse, but maybe a little too much so…as she, er, well…she hooked into a beauty of a King before Chad had the chance!  Okay, okay, the truth is that Chad is a gentleman, and like any man that wants to stay married to a beautiful gal, he fully supported the tradition of “Ladies First”.  At least that’s his story and he’s stickin’ to it!  Karen did her part to feed the flock, fighting this King with all she had, even reaching into the water with her pole to try and bring the beast out from under the boat!  All the while, Chad encouraged her along cheerfully, even rubbing her shoulders and holding onto her to keep her in the boat.  That otta score him some points later I hope.   After a good, strong battle, we netted this fish and Karen celebrated her first Kenai King.  Meanwhile, Chad found himself in a bit of a tangle, and we made him swab the decks after his wife’s fine catch.  Enjoy the memory, and Try, Try again my friend Chad!  Check out Chad’s new Tundra 2009 Desktop Calendar for a more laughs than you can fit in a fish box!  Also, watch for Tundra auf Deutsch coming to Europe next year!”






June 10, 2008–“Swiss Fish & Cheese!”

“…mit nur wenig Zeit, aber viel Glück und Hoffnung hatten unsere Freunde aus der Schweiz eine sehr erfolgreiche Kenai-Angel-Erfahrung! Eigentlich waren nur Ferien für ein Raclette am Alaskanischen Feuer geplant, aber wir konnten natürlich der Fischerei am Kenai nicht widerstehen. Zumal ein Run mit vielen Lachsen den Fluss hinaufkam. Eins, zwei, drei und wir hatten drei grosse King-Salmons geangelt, und auch einen Red Salmon extra! Wau! Super!Viele Grüsse in die Schweiz und nehmt die Zeit nicht so schwer – die Europameisterschaft wartet auf Euch ! Wir leiden mit Euch!”





June 10, 2008–“Funny Little Fish”

“…with breakfast on board of steak & egg pitas to be cooked, we headed to one of our favorite spots called “The Breakfast Bar”, and began another great day of fishing, offering up some freshly cured salmon roe as well as some sardine wrapped plugs to the next wave of Kenai River Kings returning to spawn.  We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast as the tide continued to rise and all was quiet on our boat as well as the other boats around, the proverbial calm before the storm as it was.  After a long troll, just past Eagle Rock, we regrouped and refreshed baits, dropping in at the Crossover.  Our friends, Chad & Karen Carpenter, world-renowned for their hilarious “Tundra” comic strip, were both eager to catch their first Kenai Kings, bananas notwithstanding (they didn’t get the memo on that) and Chad almost did so as a King hit his eggs while he was letting his line out and trying to put his rod in the holder!!  Unfortunately, that King snapped the line as it hung up on something, but another pole took off at the same time, it was the first double hookup of the season!  It turned out to be a Jack King Salmon, in the newly created slot, measuring 27 inches, so our friend Denny made quick work of that one and put it in the box.  Not more than 10 minutes later, Chad hooked into a dandy of a King and we chased it across the river into the open lane to try and bring it in, but as it came along side it spit the hook and swam away to freedom.  Things then took a turn for the worse as we brought in this funny little fish (a hooligan smelt) on a King Hook, hardly bigger than the lure itself.  Seen below, Chad is holding it up proudly nonetheless!  Better luck next time, as the saying goes!”


 

June 8, 2008–“Cooper in Command!”

“…late Sunday evening now, after an early Sunday Salmon Supper and much needed nap by Cooper & Dad, we headed back out on the river for the first “Sunset Salmon Cruise” of the year.  A stunning night.  The light on the water was gorgeous, no wind, and less cool than lately.  Cooper, Taylor, Mom, Dad & good friend Denny all agreed it was a good time to hit the water for one last chance at a King and a nice relaxing end to the weekend.  At 9:00pm we shoved off, at about 9:05 Cooper raced across the deck of the boat to take command of a fishing pole spinning wildly out of control, with a splashing salmon on the other end of the line who had mistakenly chomped down on one of our favorite secret plugs called “Seasick GoldenBoy”.  Dad was chatting on the cell phone with Walter when the fish hit, so he was of little help, and everyone else was cheering and overwhelmed by the moment.  Taylor especially, was rooting for his twin bro, sharing the excitement as the fish took off across the water.  Walter tuned in on the dropped cellphone, for a virtual fishing experience, and as we drifted past our front yard the big sisters both came running down to watch as well!  It was a great family moment, wish you were here…come early, fish late, that’s one of our motto’s for life!”

P.S.  On the last drift, as the sun set behind our island, Taylor’s line took off as well, tangling Mom’s line, with a big fish splashing and jumping.  Unfortunately, we only have video of that fish, because he managed to spit out the same Seasick Golden Boy plug after he came along side the boat due to the tangle.  Curse the one that got away, eh Taylor! 🙂






June 8, 2008–“Tyler’s Turn!”

“…waking up early on a Sunday isn’t that hard for a nine year old boy when the promise of a King Salmon waiting just down river is the only thing on your mind!  With his pocket knife in hand Tyler set out with high hopes for success on the Kenai River, aiming to catch some fresh salmon for his Mom & Dad to enjoy for their 16th wedding anniversary here on the riverfront!  He was so quick to climb aboard the FinnCooker that he forgot his life jacket, so he sprinted up to the house to grab it and we were on our way.  After a couple passes down the quarter mile and sunken island, where the trout were robbing our fresh salmon egg bait, we returned to the secret pool behind the hidden rock and dropped our lines one more time before breakfast of biscuits & gravy.  WHAMMMO, the line that Tyler had been watching intently all morning took off like a kite caught in an updraft, and Tyler flew from his seat to get a grip on the pole while his Dad held on to keep him in the boat.  The young buck of a fish came willingly to the boat at first, but after taking one look at Tyler’s hungry eyes he zoomed away like speedracer.  After a few more runs, testing Tyler’s patience, we netted this chrome beauty and began the celebration, one we hope he’ll never forget!”





June 6, 2008–“Honeymoon Hen”

“…after a late night of prepping the FinnCooker for it’s maiden voyage of the year, and installing a new bilge pump to help ensure we safely stay afloat, early fishing paid off well for Walter and company as we fought this beautifully bright female (hen) King Salmon at Honeymoon Cove after a long, slow backtroll.  She was a little on the wild side, diving deep under the boat twice and running close to shore and up river on us, but Walter was quick on his feet and brought her to the net nicely.  This splendid salmon is on the menu tonight!”



June 3, 2008–“First King Filleted”

“…a very welcome site on our shore today, the first king to be filleted, caught by Travis of Texas, part of a great father/son trio that stayed with us this week from way down south.  Fresh off the table, to the grill, and onto a bed of risotto, this King Salmon was sweet in both taste and memories for Bret, Travis & Kyle.  All the best to you three in your travels throughout Alaska and beyond.”



Sunday, May 31, 2008–“HooliganAgain”

“…a thousand pardons for not updating the fishing report sooner!  But, summer has been slow to come on, with cooler than usual weather, and we just haven’t been able to get into a normal routine on these things.  We’ve been busy with the normal spring/summer chores, and our fishing efforts have been brief due to the weather.  Some years we find day after day of clear, sunny, warm weather in May, but that wasn’t to be this year.  Have no fear, the HOOLIGAN are here, and that can only mean that the first big schools of salmon are due any day now!  After some early Sunday fishing for Kings we took a shore break and one of our friends spotted the little silver shiny smelt we call Hooligans rushing rapidly upriver along our shore.  It only took one dip of the special smelt net to know that they were here once again.  Several dips later the cooler was filled with hundreds of these delicate, fresh from the ocean fish.  We fry them, dry them, smoke them, and even use them for halibut bait!  The first layer in the big freezer has not been established…summer should follow soon!



February 23~24, 2008–“Weekends on Ice”

“…this is a great time of the year, long days of sunshine to bring us out of our winter dens and away from the computer, Sony Playstation, and boob tube…you get the picture.  We’re gaining 5 minutes and 41 seconds of daylight each and every day now, so the days are really starting to stretch out.  It’s not getting dark until nearly 8:00pm suddenly!  A great time to get out and enjoy this beautiful place we call home, spending weekends on the ice, playing in the snow, and catching some pretty fish.  Within an hour drive of our river home we can find dozens of lakes, big & small, with fish to match.  Add some stunning mountain views, with back country skiers carving down the mountain, eagles soaring, moose meandering and I’d have to agree with our friends outside…we do live in Heaven.”




















February, 2008–“Ice Fly Fishing?”

“…this was the scene at the Kenai Lake bridge in Cooper Landing (headwaters of the Kenai River) the other day.  Poor guy couldn’t decide if he should fly fish in the open water or go back to his ice house, sitting just near the open water’s edge.  Only in Alaska are we faced with these sorts of dilemmas…either way, he’s sure to end up with a nice big fat winter Rainbow on his line, a great way to wile away the winter.  Don’t fret too much, the next pic is of a moose walking right across the river ice, so it must be pretty thick to hold her 1000 pound frame, right?  To be safe though, I suggest you bring your PFD, a raft, or some scuba gear!”



February 16, 2008–“Fishin’ on a Mission”

“…with another good excuse to get out and enjoy a day on the ice, this time a fundraiser for Peninsula Grace’s Nicaragua Mission, we all ventured out into blizzard like conditions (okay, the girls stayed home, but Mom & I and the boys were brave), back to Sport Lake, this time hiding out in an ice house for most of the day.  The wind was blowing so hard, with snow swirling about, that the ice house blew over once.  Still, we enjoyed some underwater camera action, the boys caught lot’s of fish, and Taylor even won a new DVD player for his prized Kokanee catch.  The boys are hooked now, asking when they’ll “get” to go out in minus twenty windchill to fish again!”




February 2, 2008–“Out of the Deep Freeze, Into the Freezer”

“…with temps finally crawling out of the -30 below range, we’re all crawling out of dens ourselves it seems, and getting out for some much needed liquid vitamin D and a fix of fishing too!  These pics were taken at the kickoff party on nearby Sport Lake for the Annual Ice Fishing Derby sponsored by Soldotna Trustworthy Hardware.  It was a great day on the ice, with a warm fire, loads of sunshine, good friends, and some nice lil’ keepers.”






Looking for more fish report pics?  Visit our 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 or 2007 Fishing Report Pages!