2014....in the books

That's Matt Butoross and his dad with what are the last silvers of the season for me unless I get a call to go fishing, which I hope I do. For you Kenai guys you'll notice that the Minnow is sitting in an unusual spot, a place I hadn't fished in years but I just had a hunch. The day before this trip on my bike ride to Centennial l Park I was impressed with the silvers the bankies were catching there. They have worked up quite a system where everybody fishes the same way with no conflicts. They're mostly local people who have gotten to know each other and it looks to me that everyday's a party there just like it oughta be with sport fishing. Here's few pics, I love the way they rig the float for the bait...and how about that pink rod eh ?

The bank fisherman must have had 35 silvers laid on the beach....now I'm not the smartest guy but the next day my instincts told me to forget that lower river and run the boat to Soldotna. After the fog lifted we had a brisk 30 minute boat ride and walla, fish on right from the get go. Here's a pic of yours truly savoring the day.

We've been having that clear and cold fall weather and it's been just gorgeous. Me and MPeasy had to go to Kenai to get a steak for my high protein diet so we decided to road trip out north and see the sights...In North Kenai there's always something you don't see very often. Like this gift wrapped pick-up truck.

As a young guy I worked out North a lot. The oil boom was on and there was an energy that was tangible. At one time there were 5 or 6 bars, I used to shoot pool in a league at this place here.

But the Agrium fertilizer plant shut down a few years back from lack of gas or at least the lack of affordable gas they say and the off shore oil platforms production began to fall and well.... in the last ten years the area's support industry has suffered. Just another speed bump in Alaska's boom and bust history. I stopped to take a pic of the shuttered plant where I worked many a Turn Around , no smoke from any of the stacks and just one security guard who told me no pictures...ah but I guess it'd really be alright she said.

So as we headed north I guess I was feeling a little bit like the past. There's a lot things that are awful darn good around here and there's a lot of things that just ain't the same, maybe that's everywhere but things just seem bigger, more amplified in Alaska. We talked story at the end of the road , MP is telling some new Alaskan's how it used to be here, how North Kenai used to be the Oil Capital of Alaska.

At the Arness Dock you can see that our oil industry is rebounding. People are working. The dock that services the offshore platforms has been rebuilt but you can still make out the start of it all when in true homesteader ingenuity two World War 2 Liberty ships were beached to form the dock. You can even see the rudder is still on it if you click to enlarge.

As we got to the Swanson River we ran into just the people I needed to, my kind of people. Sitting right in the middle of the bridge with their bait soaking waiting for ol slimey to take a bite. We pulled up for a fishing a report and this guy was about as much fun as he could be...he got us laughing and of course the fishing was slow. You can guess what his job is every Christmas and as I drove away I got to thinking that with his wonderful view of life, his passion for it all....well, maybe he's the real Santa Claus.

So with 2014 , my 33rd season in the books I guess I've been feeling a little reflective, I guess that's only natural and not really an unhealthy thing. But I always say that we're headed in only one direction and  at only one speed....so there's plenty of gas in this tank and we'll be fired up for the 2015 season . Just give me a call.....we'll go fishin.