Alaska

[jdmidwest]

Alaska trip 2007. Things went great this trip. We started out at the Portage River outside of Girdwood and spent the first 2 days fishing at our friends cabin. Come to find out, he purchased a 60 acre property where he built the cabin. All of the comforts of home, heat, generators, outhouse, gas stove and oven, 4 wheeler, jet boat, and an outhouse. All shuttled across the river on a 16' boat. First day fishing only produced 1 keeper silver in the group and it was on my pink spanker fly. The fish was filleted and grilled on the open fire. It was excellent. All of John's friends bugged out and left us on Sunday night. Monday was better, fresh fish and a brand new day without anyone else to stir up the fish. We caught fish all day at the fishing hole, a freshwater clear stream that run into the turbid glacier waters of the Portage. What a beautiful piece of property, swamp lands, open ponds and water, and a salmon breeding ground all in one. It is a waterfowlers dream land.

Tuesday morning we drove to the Quartz Creek on the Kenai Pen. Thanks AK for the tip. Found an access from a highline above the campground and walked down to see the river. On the way back up to the car, we found fresh bear tracks in the road that were made between trips to the car. My radar went on high alert and I had a hard time concentrating on the fishing. The creek was loaded with spawning red salmon, and the dollies were there too. 5 hours of fishing produced about 50 fish in the 3-5 lb. range. They were fat pigs, full of eggs. we only covered about a half mile of stream. Of course, the magic bead was the lure, and on flowing streams of the Kenai drainage this year you could peg it 2" above the hook. All were caught in the corner of the mouth or the lips, and the barbs were pinched down so all were released clean with no mortality.

Wednesday found us back at the cabin for the silvers. When we motored into our spot, we found a new surge of fresh fish. We hammered them till afternoon, took our limits, then headed back to town. I caught a male pink salmon, and Roger had the camera out to take a pic. A moose walked out behind me from John's property and made a different photo shoot. My first moose spotting in AK was complete. Dinner at the Double Musky and off to bed again.

Thursday, back to the cabin and the silver hole. More fresh fish, hammered them again. Left out at noon to drive to Palmer for the Alaska State Fair. It was different, a very large event in AK, definitely worth the trip.

Friday, hooked up with a new friend for a float on the Kenai River. We put in at the Russian River Ferry and floated to Jim's Landing. We saw bears, eagles, and several fish. The river was loaded with spawning reds, but the rainbows were not quite on yet. I had the best rainbow on, close to the 30" class, but lost him in the fight. The knot came undone. By the time we got to supper at the Silvertip Grill in Girdwood, news had travelled thru town that I had let the biggest rainbow in the Kenai break off. I downplayed it as just an ole spawned out red as I enjoyed a fine Alaska Amber draft at this fine eating establishment.

Saturday, boo hoo, last day. Made up our minds and went back to the Quartz and hit some new sections further up. Same thing, nailed them and had a great day. Knocked off early, went to Hope for lunch, then back to the cabin to visit with John before we left out.

This trip, the wildlife all came out for me. We had Belugas and Dall Sheep along the Inlet. Bears and Eagles on the Kenai. The moose on the Portage. I have 488 digital photos to edit and clean up. We toured the glacier and the bay at Seward. Hope was a good side trip. The berries and foliage was still in late summer mode.

I am busy planning for next year, renting a RV this time to bypass the driving and will spend more time on the water.

Here is a link to some of the photos so far, I will post more later.

Alaska 2007 at photobucket com

[duckydoty]

Looks like it was a great trip. Thanks for sharing the adventure.

duckydoty

[Kansas Fly Fisher]

Excellent pictures. Sounds like another great trip to Alaska. Can't wait for next year and my return to the great northwest. Thanks for sharing.

John

[Phil Lilley]

How did you catch your silvers? Describe the technique if you would.

Thanks!

[jdmidwest]

The silvers were all pooled up in a clear water pool in slow water waiting to run up to spawn. Pink spanker flies and purple leeches. Spinning rods, we used size 4 super vibrex spinners in gold/orange, gold/blood red, and firetiger. They pretty well stacked up and moved as a group when you cast to them. First 20 minutes of the day caught them fired up then they shut down. They would spook when you cast a fly rod so we would switch off to spin gear. We fished another spot that was glacier milky but slow water. The strikes were pretty agressive there because they could not see us. I had one bull slam it twice and finally take it from about 10' off the bank. It is a blast to be charged by a 15 lb fish.

I have read that this was the worst year for silvers since 1999.

[AKflyfisher]

Jd looks like you had a great trip, your welcome on the tip for Quartz she is a fun river to fish.

You aint joking about silver spooking easy they will bit but you cant let them see you and your cast must be perfect, I love fishing for silvers very challenging

Yea the silvers run is bad this year the creeks should be loaded with them but nothing is in their, Its been a all around slow year for salmon in south central AK

[jdmidwest]

More pics of the trip. Rained 5 days out of 7. Low light pics were grainy.

Alaska Part 2