Once me and MPeasy found the elevation temperature trick we've been going up and over the divide routinely, it's always 10 degrees cooler. So we get our jugs filled up at the 4500 ft point with nice fresh spring water and then we looky see. I was looking for moving water to shoot another song video like the one at the end of this Mile 14 story and what do you think we stumbled upon ?
Elliston is small and the hometown of an old friend in Alaska. I've driven by it hundreds of times in my life and never stopped to looky see. Right next to the semi-world famous Blackfoot river is this golf course that nobody knows about. They actually call it a green course because what it is 3 or 4 acres of greens with no fairways, just greens and then three or four tee boxes with different angles to hit from. What a great idea. Here's apic of the club house and then the course from about the 3/4 extent of the distance.
So the Pro's from Dover are ready to tee off. I take the first shot and it's maybe 70 yards. Having not golfed for a while I tell MP I'm gonna hit a 9 iron and take some off of it....well, that baby was about as good a wedge/9 iron shot I've ever seen and flew straight over the green and across the river at the irrigation pump....this 'green course ' has no rough, just forest, river and rocks and snakes.
So MP Chili Dips her first shot and then devises the perfect strategy for this hidden gem we've found, keep it on the ground so she putts and putts and gets a five to my snowman.....mmmmm.....here's pics of a couple fine tuned athletes.
So after that first hole I had to get to doing what I like to do in most all things in life....win. I got the giggles twice , once when my shot was way to hard but the role was stopped by a water hose that gave me a huge assist.... I finished with a 47 and MP with a 54...and we're going again real soon and I expect to lower my score to 45 or so now that I know the course. I lost 4 balls and had a horse fly draw blood. Great day.
Elliston has maybe 25 houses and one Bar. We stopped for a couple Rainers to go which is kinda unique to Montana. I've always thought that Mazatlan runs on beer but this State of Montana can give them a run for their money. They might not have the beer iced and will bag with more ice if you want like Mexico but they do have the very largest selection of craft beers at the ' Man Store ' that I've ever seen....There are at least 7 breweries in Helena. SO, where was I going with this ???? oh....we got the road cokes and then took one of those short cuts home that I'm good at finding. Yup, the road up and over Mullan pass was gorgeous but the torrential rains we've had made the road almost unpassable. One stretch of road to a whistle stop called Austin took us one hour to go six miles. But damn, it's gorgeous although a little hard on MP's new car. I reminded her it's an S.U.V. and we were just doing a little of that sport stuff.
Fishing ? yup, Tom and I got to Hauser Damn right at sun up. I had two rods set up for a slip sinker deal and a Gamakatsu # 2 octopus hook for the worm needle that Glenn taught me. So I taught Tom and after changing weight for just the right life like drift to go with our life like threaded worm we were on fire...We caught 20 trout in about an hour that were all 2 to 3 pounds. We could have filled up the smoker but as we had a nice little hike to the place we just released promising ourselves that next time we'll have a back pack with a cooler for fillets. I like the catch and release fishing of course but sometimes when the fishing is really good it gets little weird so we bid adios on that adventure .
As were hiking out Tom told me had fished in Montana his whole life and never caught one fish right after another like this morning....I replied " of course you haven't, you've never had a guide before "
I've been working on Hobo Jim songs...it makes me feel good and I know he'd like having his memory kept alive that way. If any of you like this kind of story book music you can get all his music at Amazon.com...His wife, his family and friends would appreciate it .. This song is kinda close to my heart, Alaska salmon fisheries are changing like all things in life. The once famous catches of Kenai Kings are gone and fishing closures are hoping to protect the left overs...In the day I fished 90 trips a season, my last year I worked 38...I feel for everybody....Love and miss ya Jim . 😎❤
Mile 14 on the Kenai River, well, its a special place on earth. I tell people the Kenai river is like my first girlfriend, always changing, fickle, unpredictable but absolutely gorgeous. This place is the major league of salmon fishing, and you'll see why. No politics here, well maybe a little fish politics, just plain simple fun and adventure.
I have been a fulltime guide on the Kenai River here in Alaska since 1981. I'm a fishing machine between my summer job and surf fishing in Mazatlan Mexico. I've been married to the best person I know for 32 years. I'm a musician , health nut and I like to have fun. Mile 14 is where I live on the Kenai River. So this Blog will be my views, experiences, huge catches and adventures right here from Mile 14...and most of them will be true.
