Careful for what you wish for. This past week, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced the Kenai River early run king salmon fishery will be restricted to catch and release fishing from June 17th until June 30th. This measure is being taken to protect a weak run and to ensure fishing opportunities in the future. An …
Fishing Report Week Ending 6/6/21
Last year, it took until June before a king salmon came to the boat. This year, we got it done in May. Just barely. On May 31st, after a three year hiatus, I was reunited with Chuck and Deb. On this visit, they brought their friends Larry and Brenda. Not too long into the morning, Larry expertly reeled in the first …
Fishing Report Week Ending 5/30/21
Cue the animals. What a week for animal viewing. The highlight came when I was walking down the dock and came upon a mamma moose and her newborn calf. Considering the calf was still wet, the birth had to have happened within a couple of hours. The caribou decided people should see them too. A very popular …
Fishing Report Week Ending 5/23/21
I first fished the Kenai River on May 19th, 1985. I didn’t catch a king salmon on that day, and I didn’t thirty six years later. If I’m lucky, I’ll be fishing thirty six years from now too. I got out on the river three days this past week with Dave and Dan. We’re still waiting for our first salmon bite of the …
Fishing Report Week Ending 5/16/21
For me, there’s nothing like the walk down the dock for the first guided fishing trip of the year. It’s the giddy anticipation of the day ahead and for the season that will come. I guided on the river twice this past week. My conclusion is this: it’s early, and you can’t catch what’s not there. We weren’t completely …
Salvage Run 2021
I had cabin and boat chores that needed my attention, but the call of the river was just too strong. A big part of my annual river float is to salvage gear that was lost from the previous fishing season. The best time to do this is when the backwater sloughs and gravel bars are completely ice free. As the …
The Dock Is In
With lots of ice in the creek to start the week, I really had my doubts that the dock would go in this month. Thank you Super Pink Moon for happening at the end of April rather than the beginning of April. Whenever the high tide is over 22.7 feet, I usually have enough water to float the dock to the end of the …
Breakup
I was starting to wonder if we would ever have spring. Well, that’s a little dramatic, but you probably know what I mean. It’s been a long, cold winter and the grip was finally released this past week. On Sunday, I took a river photo at the bridge in Soldotna. As you can see, it’s locked in ice. Only two days later, I …
Big Will Boat Build
What do you do in your spare time? If you’re Big Will Jahrig, you build a saltwater boat. My friends, Will and Becky Jahrig (the original owners of Beaver Creek Cabins and Guide Service), decided three years ago to build their dream saltwater boat. They tried to find a ready-built boat, but couldn’t find the right …
Golfing in the 49th State
A tradition unlike any other. Today is the final round of the 2021 Masters Golf Tournament. I’ve got a side bet going with my good friend George, and let’s just say my guy has a lot of work to do. So does George’s pick. Either way, one of us will collect on the wager in July. I suppose you’re wondering why I’m writing …