Just slooooow down a little

Nothing like a gorgeous air assist sunset to start a blog entry. In fact people think there's not a lot do around here but if you keep busy like me trying set a world record for the most Mazatlán sunset shots the days go by. And of course my goal isn't just that simple, I'm also collecting all the assist sunsets I can ( birds, boats, airplanes, whales, fish, mountains....ooops, ain't got them....you get the idea) and someday I will publish the ultimate sunset authority.

As you can see I'm pretty darn lean. But in the truth in reporting department I have to tell you that I can't do the speedo shot I promised. For one thing I never hit my goal of 185. About 10 days before we left Alaska I hit 187 and just stayed there. It was strange because I had time and my training was going so good. So sorry about the pic....and ya know even if I had hit the goal MP told me the other night she would have exercised her veto power. One thing I've learned about gym muscles/ training...it doesn't necessarily translate into a better real life experience, after our first few days of walking mile after mile and casting and retrieving for 2 to 4 hours every morning I was a pretty sore dud. So I guess there's lookin at muscles and then getting it done muscles.

 

The other morning I met Ernesto at Sabalo point. We could see schools of pretty large predator fish on the sardines pretty good. I knew they weren't Roosters because it was sardine bait and not mullet. Many times I threw right into them with a top water and metal and these fish just won't bite. Finally I'm chatting with a couple (as luck would have it they were from Alaska) and as we talked Kenai I went through my bag and found the smallest heavy metal I had and made a prefect cast right into them. Instant, fish on. This fish I had hooked was strong. I told the couple from Alaska that when I landed it I'd bet he'd be 15 or 20 pounds.....well these guys are ultra strong. If a 5 pound tuna fights like that I can only imagine what a 40 pounder fights like. Amazing fast and strong. He's a Skip Jack tuna, my first one. They have a real dark dense and strongly flavored meat so I released him to the ocean. Now I know some of you detectives will notice the placement of my fingers....I was multi tasking and practicing a 'G' chord at the same time.

The next morning I passed up a chance to go destination fishing with Shark Team X. I just wasn't feeling good and wanted them to have 100% members along. I just have trouble getting acclimated here and I tend to run to hard at first. I had some tourista which I get often and the 75% humidity has me a little bronchial messed up.....So I just wandered out front and in the twilight of morning caught my first Roosterfish of the trip. It's not the biggest I've ever caught but I think it signals a great year for these fish, the surf casters holy grail. I've seem many of them to far offshore to cast to  and the waters warm (day time temps are up to 85) so all the conditions are right for more.

I got that picture up at Marmol the other day. I'm a guy that's never to proud to borrow a nice fish for a pic opportunity. A lot of fisherman won't do that but me....I have no pride when it comes to catching, talking, chasing, eating or anything fish related, it's all good. From what 'm seeing here we are going to have a banner 2015 fishing season and some how or another I have the feeling that's going to be the same deal on the world famous Kenai River. I know one thing, you can't catch em without fishing for them.

 

And in the unusual department.....hows about this guy who works the dredge at the Marina's daily commute ?

 And the pic below I took for the Dept. of Alaska Fish and Game. They seem to be all focused on 'invasive species' with the Pike and the Killer Elodea plants that could cause the end to natural life as we know it in the lakes of south central Alaska. Well if they had plants like this to deal with who knows what would happen....we'd need a special budget request, a management plan, a few scoping sessions and an Advisory Board and maybe find out....it's part of nature and ain't hurting a thing. In fact pretty darn impressive.