I just wanna go fishing

I don't understand it but I guess blame is a natural reaction for some people. Its a shame because what we're learning is that our King Salmon situation is an unprecedented statewide event. Richard Mauer the Anchorage Daily News's premier investigative reporter has the best piece written on it in sundays paper. http://www.adm.com/  As of now the entire Susitna drainage is closed to King Salmon. The Yukon, Kuskokwim, Kasilof, Anchor and many others are having below average and regulated returns. The Nushagak, Alaska's biggest King producer is lagging behind and I expect it will be in the news real soon.  Today the Dept. of Fish and Game (adf+g) comercial fisheries section closed the 1st set net period of the year that could effect Kenai Kings. So....as the politicians say, I'm guardedly optomistic.

So for the folks who have their dream King Salmon Charter coming up with me all I can say is we're going to do the very best we can, 110% effort is all we can do to make up for the lack of bait. We've fished without bait on the early run for many years now, with great success. So,  I gurantee you, nobody on the river is going to have a better chance than us. I also expect the river to be quieter. The locals who wrongly think they won't catch fish without bait will stay home and wait for better opportunities. ADF+G is in a difficult juggling act with this situation and certainly some netting will be done to harvest Kenai Reds. So I think it means that we on the river sportfishing will have opportunity and I expect the very worse that could happen would be no retention just catch and release, we'll see. I'm lucky in that I have the best customers who enjoy the river, the chase , the wildlife and the fellowship that along with the catching makes for a great fishing trip. Even if the worse were to happen later in the month and we have catch and release I think that many of my friends are going to enjoy it.....I mean what else can ya do. Even with bait and as good as we are....believe it or not....we don't always catch them, thats why we enjoy the chase. So, thats enough said. If anything changes I'll update this blog immediately.

I've had a little cabin fever from staying put here at Mile 14, I just haven't wanted to be around a bunch of highly opinionated people  talking about my culture, my lifestyle, what we do.  Alaskan's are passionate about the fish for sure. So on saturday MP and I road tripped on down to Kasilof to soak in some of the energy from the personal use gill net fishery at the river mouth...it too is not doing as well as normal. But the Alaska spirit is alive and well, outdoors, enjoying the summer. This hot rod side by side was impressive to help gather fish and hows about an outboard motor the likes of which I've never seen.

I'm not sure, the duck tape kind of mis leads me but I think its an old air cooled Sea-king or Sears or Montgomery ward type of motor. anybody out there know? 

The picture below is looking south from the Kasilof River. Lots of folks for sure.

And just so there'd be no confusion somebody built this sign to give us all a good healthy dose of perspective. I ran into my old friend Blake Johnson and we had a good long look at that sign....yup, theres a lot of places we could be and as Blake winters in Arizona theres a couple of them places we both know real good. But for now, its hard to beat summer in Alaska, bait or no bait, here at Mile 14.