Kizmet

That's what it's gotta be.... I met a real cool guy on the beach the other day named Aaron Reese who is a Mile 14 reader. I must not have had my journalist's hat on squarely because I didn't get a pic of me and him together, sorry about that Aaron but I will accept your offer to be a Mile 14 Southern Bureau Consultant with a special eye on all projects beach, unique and especially weird related. It don't pay much but eh....it's show biz. As Aaron and I got to know each other we talked fish politics some and he's aware that when it comes to Kenai River workings I'm one of the checks in the checks and balances system...so it was no surprise that just the other day yet another emergency order was issued closing our early run Kings to catch and keep but they will let us catch and release. Guess I picked the right generation to retire in. I don't know how ADF+G projects a weak run, the s.w.a.g. theory I'd guess but at least they're doing something and of course it's a good chance they will be wrong but my question is this !!! When you consider that the King shortage is all over Alaska with Little Su and all the streams north of us experiencing a " period of low abundance" ( I love that , I'm going to acronym that and from here on out it's POLA ) WHY is there no overall plan and especially WHY is there no saltwater component ? In the past when just the Kenai was short the rational

 was that in the ocean it's a mixed stock fishery so why deprive people of harvest on fish headed to healthy streams...Now they're all in trouble and in Homer Alaska just a few miles south you can catch and keep two a day...and don't tell me they're Canadian fish, that fails the common sense test it you guys over at ADF+G ever use it.....O.K., I'm done. ( and a big if, if they were Canadian how do you suppose those poor guys feel about thousands of immature kings being intercepted  )

MP has her sister Kathy here with her friend Bonnie...and I thought Max had us busy. We've been walkin and Mercado-in and well, just having fun. It's a simple tragedy of life that you can get used to just about anything so It's cool when new people to Mazatlan are so impressed that we are reminded to keep appreciation for what a wonderful place and life we have. Here's pic of me and the girls on the up and over tour...

I noticed a place at the market I should have found 20 years ago, Mazatlan's biggest hot sauce store. There was a time when F Troop guides like Chris Simmons and Keith and me and Geno would try to out do each other in the ultra hot sauce dept...Simmons was an expert at it. So once we had a all the burn your lips off habenaro sauce you could ever need we would carry it on the boat and when people were cold and wet and admit to it we'd just encourage em to put a few drops square on the tongue and Walla....instant heat....hows that for Pro Guide Tip # 12 ?  Trust me, people will quit complaining about the weather.

Speaking of the weather....(man what a lead in eh ?) it's been cold here, real cold. As I type for the 3rd day in a row it's blowing 12 to 15 on shore and is only 70 degrees. Now I know that's not cold but after you've adjusted to the 80's it's a bummer...but not so much a bummer that I'd change places. I kinda get a perverse pleasure by turning on my security camera and seeing real life Mile 14. Here's the shot from my drive way camera. I know you might think I photo shopped it to make it look that dark and miserable but trust me...it's true...And hey, I earned my snowbird status honorably...did I ever tell you about the stretch I did of 15 years without leaving the State ? True Story...my friends said I oughta experience the outside world, it was making me a little weird...so we went to Vegas.

I snapped this pic of Alejandro just this morning, you can tell he's not used to it. Our friend Antonio said ' Jeff it's just like Alaska '....I was thinking of suggesting the hot sauce trick for him and Alejandro but I got the feeling it's just a Kenai thing, might not work so well here.

The girls wanted fresh fish and with the weather and all it's been dead dog slow. But the other morning I showed the old persistence that I'm known for and decided to throw until I caught. Well, 3 1/2 hours later and maybe over a thousand casts I got a heavy pull and landed this red one....man was I relieved. Garlic , butter, white wine, great friends and a gorgeous wife = great night.

Now I'm a pretty good sunset guy but I'm for sure a sunrise expert, a fishing life will do that you know. I'll bet I've seen the sun come up more than 80 % of  us earth dwellers so I was super excited to see the ' super moon' the other morning. It was glimmering off the water in the dark and there was a kind of cloud bank separating it from the horizon. I took a few shots and this first one was about as good as I could do. As always I was kinda focused on the morning routine of cast, step sideways, repeat, repeat, repeat when I sideways'd my way next to Willy. I had this same moment at the Grand Canyon years ago.... I said ' wow, how about that moon setting' and Willy said ' look behind you '...what a sunrise , perfecto.

And I have just one more thing to say...throw another log on the fire...