Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,746
- 5,823
Next week I'll be joining Dad and a couple of good friends for a return to Alaska. I go every couple of years, Dad and his buddies go every year to fly fish a terrific silver-salmon run. We fly out of Cordova to a remote fly-in-only lodge. It was a tent camp when we started going, but now there's a main lodge for meals and the guests all sleep in nice cabins. The fishing is phenomenal - you'd write it off as a fisherman's tale if I was to get into how many salmon we catch & release on a good day up there... We can keep four a day, which we do. I usually come home with 50 - 100 pounds of frozen, vacuum packed salmon. It tastes great even after 18 months frozen. Heck, there might be a slab or two in my freezer still, from my last trip, two years ago.
Had to spend some money getting ready this year. My old steelhead & salmon rod broke, but St. Croix offered me a chance to upgrade to their new top of the line rod for a modest cost, so I did that. Have only had that rod out a couple of times now. It casts and fishes just fine. Fast action 8wt.
Got a new Rio Versa-Tip fly line. Ouch, those have gotten expensive!
Got some new wading boots as felt soles are no longer allowed - apparently they transplant too many micro-organisms from one eco-system to another.
My family room is covered in fly-fishing paraphernalia. I don't know how it's all going to fit - but I intend to get it all in one carry-on again. Heck, it's only a week, who needs extra socks anyway?
Sharpened the hooks on my salmon flies yesterday. Tying new leaders on my fly lines today. Trying to decide if I need to take a spare reel or not. Will charge up the camera. Here's a few photos from years past:
Flies for silvers, wet & dry:
"Pink Pollywog" tied with dyed deer hair - yes, they'll come up and take this thing, popped across the surface like a bass popper. Nothing like having a 10# - 15# silver take a dry fly...
Dad, in his 80's, fighting a silver. We were fishing on the beach, right near the mouth of the river. The fish don't get any better!
Transportation to the lodge. Used to call it "fish camp" but the lodge is too nice for that anymore:
The river:
A good morning's catch:
Sunrise:
Share nice!
Hope to have some good stories & photos to share upon my return!
Guy
Had to spend some money getting ready this year. My old steelhead & salmon rod broke, but St. Croix offered me a chance to upgrade to their new top of the line rod for a modest cost, so I did that. Have only had that rod out a couple of times now. It casts and fishes just fine. Fast action 8wt.
Got a new Rio Versa-Tip fly line. Ouch, those have gotten expensive!
Got some new wading boots as felt soles are no longer allowed - apparently they transplant too many micro-organisms from one eco-system to another.
My family room is covered in fly-fishing paraphernalia. I don't know how it's all going to fit - but I intend to get it all in one carry-on again. Heck, it's only a week, who needs extra socks anyway?
Sharpened the hooks on my salmon flies yesterday. Tying new leaders on my fly lines today. Trying to decide if I need to take a spare reel or not. Will charge up the camera. Here's a few photos from years past:
Flies for silvers, wet & dry:
"Pink Pollywog" tied with dyed deer hair - yes, they'll come up and take this thing, popped across the surface like a bass popper. Nothing like having a 10# - 15# silver take a dry fly...
Dad, in his 80's, fighting a silver. We were fishing on the beach, right near the mouth of the river. The fish don't get any better!
Transportation to the lodge. Used to call it "fish camp" but the lodge is too nice for that anymore:
The river:
A good morning's catch:
Sunrise:
Share nice!
Hope to have some good stories & photos to share upon my return!
Guy
