Fishing Report Week Ending 6/23/24

Team Holtan/Matthies split up this past week. I went to the Russian River to fish for several days, and Jane went to Homer to fish the ocean. 

One of us had a lot more “catching” success than the other.

For many years I’ve wanted to camp at the Russian River during the peak of the early red salmon run. There’s something comforting about a home base, and to have the flexibility to come and go as I please. 

Jane and I planned this trip to camp/fish with Jane’s nephew Beau, his wife Lacey, and Lacey’s brother Jake. However, when Boo Kandas of Tall Tale Charters called and said he had 4 seats available for a halibut/rockfish trip, our plans changed. The new plan would be for me to go at it alone at the Russian River for the first couple of days, and they’d join me after fishing in Homer.

The Russian River is a very busy place. To avoid the crowds, fishing from 2am-5am is my favorite time to go. The photo above is what 3am looks like in Alaska on the first day of summer solstice. There’s plenty of light to fish effectively.

Here’s is what the Russian River looks like during banker hours. As the saying goes, if you’re going to fish during the day, bring your own rock to stand on! 

I fished Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and never landed a fish. I didn’t feel bad considering very few anglers caught anything at all. It was a case of more fisherman than fish.

Was I disappointed? Oh, heck no. It was wonderful camping in such a beautiful area. I enjoyed the hiking, seeing moose, their calves, and several bears along the trails. I truly appreciated being able to come and go as I pleased. 

So while I was camping alone for several days, Mike and Mary (long time friends and guests at the cabins), Jane, Jake, Beau, and Lacey had plenty of action fishing out of Homer. Mike and Mary, we really enjoyed sharing time and meals with you this past week. See you again soon.

My three days of solitude were interrupted Friday afternoon when Jane, Beau, Lacey, and Jake joined me at the Russian River. We fished for a short period of time, saw little action, and then went back to the campsite to visit and have dinner. It was around the campfire that the boys and I decided we’d get up early the next morning and beat the crowd. It looked promising from the start. From 3:45am to just after 4am we saw 50-75 red salmon swim by. I was excited because that was more fish than I’d seen in the previous three days combined. Unfortunately, only one of us was able to hook and land a salmon. Congrats Jake, for catching your first Alaska salmon and for a job well done. 

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the river tour I took with Beau, Lacey, and Jake when they first arrived.  After seeing this moose up close and personal, Lacey said she can now cross “see a moose” off her bucket list. 

Here she is crossing 50ft in front of us. 

For the week ahead, Jane and I plan on spending time with Beau, Lacey, and Jake before they fly out. Nothing is set in stone so nothing is off the table.

See you next Sunday.