Alaska fishing trip 6/28/2021. Long w/many pictures.
ALASKA TRIP 6/28-7/3, 2021 Part one
Finally, after one year of waiting, I was on my way to last years lodge called Alaskan Anglers Inn, in a town called Gustavus, Alaska. You may have seen the report on that.
I was to join the crew of Stoked On Fishing (SOF) same as last year. However, they had cancelled the visit and did not tell me. About a week before the trip, I found out about it.
Even if I could, I was not about to cancel and wait another year. Thus, I went on the trip. The lodge staff were very helpful as usual. The old chef was replaced by a MasterChef and the food was fantastic.
The only bad part of the trip was that since I was alone, I was put on a boat with family of three. Two sons and an (81) years old dad. One son who lived in Michigan was nice, but the other who lived close to his dad, a Florida sheriff deputy was a racist, miserable SOB, who ruined the trip and got worst as we got closer to the end.
I even think he threw my homemade rod leash I had with stainless parts in the water, the day before last.
As usual the report is more than look what I caught with many details about the trip. hope it is liked.
This trip taught me two lessons, which I will discuss more at the end, should any reader wants to go to Alaska for fishing.
1-We were at what is known as Southeast Alaska region
2-At the foot of Glacier Bay. A short fly from Juneau.
MONDAY, JUNE 28TH, 2021
3-Waiting at LAX to board Alaska Air Line. Who else would you fly to go to Alaska?
4-After arriving and flying out of Seattle, we are at Juneau, capital city of state of Alaska.
5-We are flying out of Juneau.
There are no roads to Juneau. By sea or by plane is the only way to get there.
6-Scenes from the air between Juneau and Gustavus. Water looks so brown and muddy.
We arrived at the lodge about 5:00 PM. After quick snack, I got busy unpacking my luggage and setting up the electric reel with a bent roller rod and other rods.
Sunset was around 10:30 PM and completely dark around midnight, when I got to bed.
TUESDAY, JUNE 29TH, 2021
7-Every morning after 5:00 AM the sandwich bar would be set up so we can make our own sandwiches.
Plenty of snacks, chips, etc. was at hand.
Last year due to Covid-19, they made sandwiches for us, this was better.
8-Each boat had its own cooler, where the drinks and angler-made sandwiches were placed to be taken to the boat.
My boats name was Black Jack. Last year I was on Raven.
9-Every day we took this ramp to go to and come back from the boat. Usually in the morning it was high tide and was not too steep.
But as seen here, it is getting toward low tide and a steep climb with all the gear and the fish.
10-We started the fishing by trolling this area. We caught a lot of pink salmon here.
Some lucky family most likely has a summer house at this spot.
11-We had a double hookup, but my line broke.
I could have won a free trip next year, if the king salmon was the biggest of the lodges operating season.
Well never know.
We moved to halibut fishing and caught our limit, and some.
12-A new species for me, while hoping for halibut. I am told it is Pollok. Maybe someone here can ID positively.
Due to bad weather we had to come home by noon, where we usually dont get back till 4:00 PM.
13-Our boat, Black Jack. The captain is cleaning the king salmon to have it officially weighed for the free trip competition.
14-Most nights we had a bowl of delicious soup as a starter.
15-Followed by fish and shrimp this night.
Early to bed again for early rise next day.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30TH, 2021
16-MasterChef Monty, had us fed royally. Here he is cooking egg to order
Last years cook was fired.
Each day the captain took us to a different spot that he had marked on his GPS. Where his anglers had caught fish.
17-Can a person fall in love with a reel? Guilty as charged.
The Shimano (19) Beastmaster 9000. The reel had many features that I did not use. Like automatic jigging.
It would detect if the spool was turning too fast during drop and the electric motor would kick in to avoid backlash.
Not one case of backlash to deal with the entire trip.
It would also adjust motor speed when bringing fish up. The reel would compensate for drag pulling and movement of the boat, etc.
Before free spooling to lower the rig, the display would be set to zero. Once on the bottom, it would indicate how many meters of line was off the spool.
When the rig/fish would be coming up, it would indicate how deep the rig/fish is, and the speed at which the reel was reeling. When at (6) meters (18 feet), it would stop and rest of the line was reeled in manually.
This way there was no chance of over reeling with electric motor to damage the rod tip and put undue stress on the motor.
The battery case is on the floor behind my legs.
18-One for the memories.
You may notice a rod leash with clips under the reel. More on that later.
Today was the same routine. First catch limit of halibut then come home early due to bad weather.
I asked to go out with another boat, but changed my mind due to weather and other circumstances.
Back to the lodge, home sweet home.
19-I finally was able to go river fishing. This year I went light with spinning gear. Last year I took fly fishing gear, which added to my load.
The river looked very fishy. Too early for salmon, but was told about possibility of Dolly Vardens.
So I setup a float and bead rig.
20-After river fishing, I tried to climb to the solid ground, and due to soft sand, I kept sinking toward the river. My bad knees would not allow me to pull myself up. Finally, I remembered an ice fishing trick and stabbed the dirt with my hunting knife to pull myself up.
Once on top, I laid on the grass and took a short nap to regulate my fast breathing.
No fish for me, but another guest caught a cutthroat further up the river on another day, using spin lure.
21-I hit the Jacuzzi for the first and only time today. It was very helpful to restore the sore and tired body.
On the boat the cushions were only 3 thick and the waves would make us bounce hard on them. 45-60 minutes of ride can make you shorter than when you arrived to Alaska.
Once more early to bed to get up at 5:00 AM next morning.
THURSDAY, JULY 1ST, 2021
22-Coffee/tea was available all day.
23-MasterChef Monty, making to-order omelets for breakfast.
At 6:45 AM, the vans would fill up with anglers to be driven to the dock for the 7:00 AM departure of the boats.
24-There were several of these vans for taking us back and forth to the boats.
When not needed for the lodge, we could take them for sightseeing, or shopping, etc.
When I took one for shopping, they emphasized, be sure not to lock the doors and to leave the key in the ignition switch!!!!!
25-Our dining room, where a lot of fish stories were told and shared.
26-One of the hard working staff. Some other staff in the background.
27-Scenery from the backside of the lodge.
28-Looking from lodge toward the only highway in town.
29-I also tried a very popular lure in Alaska for salmon called Pixee for surface fishing, but no hookups.
I added pink feathers to make it better.
https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Fox-8-Ou...5774398&sr=8-2
Three of the boats had brand new engines at cost of $57,000 USD each.
Unfortuneatly, the second night the big surge poured enough water in one of the boats with new engines that it sank.
The entire boat is ruined. It would be pulled out of water next week.
30-Some nasty swells and wind at time, made us fish only half days. This day was not too bad.
31-Shimano Beastmaster 9000 electric reel. Saved my back each time we checked bait and hooked fish.
The roller bearing guides also made the reeling up or dropping down more efficient and smooth.
I was so glad that the batteries lasted all day.
32-Not an easy task to lift a heavy fish for pictures. A shorter gaff could be more helpful.
We had overcast most of the week with occasional sun.
33-This was the closest humpback whale we saw. There were more in the distance.
We did see otters and sea lions, bald eagle, but no killer whale (Orca) on this trip.
34-We also used huge jigs and was very successful. However, with jig it was hard work and many a time fish was smaller than it felt bringing up due to foul hookup.
35-Another day and another fish.
36-I think this fish could have been kept if measured properly. Mouth closed and nose against the vertical wall, mark on the floor where the tail ends.
A flat measurement, not over the hump of the fish.
37-Trolling with salmon rod and down rigger.
38-This boat had electric trolling unit. Push the button and 16 lbs. lead weight comes up. Last years boat was manual.
Note: If you are not familiar with down rigger fishing, below is how we did it.
A pink Hoochie tied to a 36 leader behind an 11 dodger blade was released about 30-40 feet behind the boat.
A 16 lbs. lead ball with a rudder looking section attached to it was clipped to the fishing line via an especial clip.
The captain would lower the lead ball to the depth that he had marked fish on the fish finder. In our case about 60 feet.
Then the line was reeled in to bend the rod to maximum bend and set in a rod holder.
When a very subtle rod tip shakes would appear, the angler would remove the rod and reel so the rod is parallel to the boat.
Then he would yank the rod which would cause the especial clip to pop and release the fishing line.
Now there would be a lot of slack. Thus, the angler would reel very fast to remove the slack.
After that it was smooth and easy reeling of the line to maintain tension on the rod, yet easily bring the fish to the boat, so the captain could land the fish with a large net.
When both rods are going and fishing is good, there is a pandemonium on the deck.
39-Trees as far as naked eye can see.
Continued on part two.