May 2020 Fishalaskamagazine.Com 1 Volume 21 • Issue 5 • May 2020

May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 1 Volume 21 • Issue 5 • May 2020

64 Krumm © George

Departments Features Traveler 6 Stillwater 36 Bouncing with the Hangback Circle Creel 8 Conservation 38 by Francis Estalilla, MD 42 Gear Bag 10 Fish For the Future 40 With catch-and-release king fishing becoming more and more popular, and in many instances, mandated, doing so with minimal hooking Fishing for a Compliment 14 Recipe 92 mortality is the conscientious thing to do. The hangback-circle rig, Salmon Sense 18 Online 94 whether backbounced or backtrolled, with or without bait, achieves Fly 22 Advertiser Index 97 lower hooking mortality than typical J-hooks while providing an Boats 24 Final Drift 98 impressive hook-to-land ratio. Francis tells you how to do it. Saltwater 34 Backtrolling for Big Kings by JD Richey 54 “If you’re looking to target the biggest, baddest king salmon in the river this summer, backtrolling plugs is the way to go,” according to JD. From flatlining and backbouncing, to the gear needed to score, JD tells you how to take advantage of a Chinook’s seeming hatred for wiggling plugs invading their space.

Long Rod King Tactics by George Krumm 64 Regarding Pacific salmon, Chinook are the biggest of the big, the baddest of the bad. Catching one on fly gear is a special accomplishment. Specific gear and techniques are necessary, and George Krumm shares his experience with two techniques and the equipment used for each. Spring Halibut & Kings in Cook Inlet by Rudy Tsukada 74 Francis Estalilla Francis

© 42 Kayak fishing for king salmon and halibut is totally doable in Alaska’s lower Cook Inlet. Rudy Tsukada shares his experience targeting both species from a ‘yak. A daily limit of one king and two halibut is certainly possible, and is a great way to start your open-water season. Four Kings per Day by Joe Byers 84 In this day of limited abundance, there are still places where Chinook bag limits are liberal. Some of the terminal fisheries, with large numbers of bonkable hatchery kings, can provide great fishing and full fish boxes. Joe Byers relays his experience fishing for kings in Blind Slough near Petersburg. JD Richey

2 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 3 PUBLISHERS Marcus Weiner Melissa Norris ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS Patrick Speranza Kathy Anderson EDITOR George Krumm OPERATIONS MANAGER Wayne Norris EFFICIENCY MANAGER Ana Taylor ART DIRECTOR Bailey Anderson PRODUCTION MANAGER Russell K. Porsley III GRAPHIC DESIGNER Melissa Wong DIGITAL MARKETING Kimmy Jones CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Greg Brush, Troy Buzalsky, Andrew Cremata, Scott Haugen, Pudge Kleinkauf, J.D. Richey, Terry Sheely, E. Donnall Thomas Jr., Jeremy Anderson, Nicholas Ohlrich CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Kate Crump, Tony Davis, Kristin Dunn, Anthony Madden, Brian Woobank REGIONAL SALES MANAGER Rick Birch (907) 394-1763

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4 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 5 family,” said Tiera. “I feel like they are as committed to my educational prize is awarded to the lodge hosting the winning fisherman. Last success as I am.” year, Toman’s took it. Kingfishers reigned the first year. Tiera is now working on her PhD at the University of Alaska First prize is up for grabs at the next derby, but David’s got his Anchorage, focusing on clinical community psychology with a eye on it for his grandson, Brock. “That would be so cool if he The Neqa Derby rural and indigenous emphasis. Eventually she plans to return to could catch the winning fish,” he said. “The truth is you’ve got Story by Mariah Oxford, photo by Misty Nielsen Photography Dillingham, which she said has a high need for behavioral health to sacrifice time and resources to go and do this. You could go to services. Even though her studies have taken her away from home, Disneyland any day of the week, but you cannot match going to Fishing in Bristol Bay is often a family affair. Multiple generations grow up commercial, she goes back each summer to commercial fish. She also practices Alaska. It’s remote, and thank goodness the internet doesn’t work subsistence, and sportfishing. David Baldwin and his friends make the journey from Las subsistence fishing, using techniques and preparation methods handed at camp or on the river. Taking a 14-year-old out of Las Vegas, Vegas to the Nushagak River every year, sometimes bringing kids or grandkids. down through generations. away from school and his friends, to a place with more primitive “It’s a magical place,” said David. “You float down the river, bounce your rig behind you, Participants see some of those on display at Neqa Derby conditions, where we get rained on and it gets cold…well, you’ve look over and see bear and moose. We’ve usually got three guys in a boat, and sometimes all headquarters. Marie Paul, BBNC Education Foundation Board got to communicate with each other, you’ve got to laugh, and take three have fish on. You dance on the boat trying to keep your lines clear of each other. It’s Chair, is the master of the fish table. Anglers are encouraged to donate lots of pictures. If we don’t share this experience with younger just a thrill.” parts of their kings, like the prized heads, which are given to elders to generations, that love of the outdoors will be lost, and there won’t Two years ago David took top prize in a new king-salmon derby with a 31-pound fish. He make favorite dishes like fish head soup, smoked bellies, and salunaq be anyone to have the thrill of having done it.” earned a cash award and more: bragging rights as the first Neqa Derby winner. (salted fish). “It’s a privilege to be on the land and be able to do something Neqa is the word for “fish” in Yup’ik, one of three Native cultures in Bristol Bay. The Many derby participants stay at Toman’s King Camp, also a family that raises funds that allows students to pursue their dreams,” said event benefits the Bristol Bay Native Corporation Education Foundation, which provides venture started by father/son duo Bob and Jeremy Toman in 1991. It’s Aleesha. “We hope people are interested in helping us achieve our scholarships to shareholder students. It also funds cultural programs that preserve and a bustling spot on the river that accommodates around 40 guests at a mission, and also want to come fish! Bringing in a big king really strengthen Alaska Native heritage and knowledge. time during the four-week king-salmon run. “We built the business as is the ultimate thrill—especially when you share it with family.” “When we created the Derby, we wanted a fundraiser that would be fun and bring a family-type camp,” explained Jeremy. “It’s a fun fishery, and we make More information on the Neqa Derby is at neqaderby.com. attention to traditional cultural activities on the land,” explained Aleesha Towns-Bain, camp fun. We’ve had three generations of people there every year— fathers, sons, grandfathers, and granddaughters. Providing a way for all those family members to share something together is one of the BBNCEF Board Chair Marie Paul cuts things I enjoy about it.” Mariah Oxford is an Anchorage-based freelance writer who was donated fish on the banks of the Andi Hakansan joined Toman’s crew five years ago and quickly brought up on the banks of the Clearwater River in northern Idaho. Nushagak. Fishermen donated their became an integral part of the operation, as the “mom” who makes Her top fishing stat: clipping the adipose fins from more than 10,000 heads and bellies to be preserved for sure everyone has what they need. Bob passed away last fall, so this steelhead in two weeks while working at the Dworshak National Fish elders and local community members. year’s return will be bittersweet. However, there will be an occasion Hatchery. to celebrate: When the king run is over, Andi and Jeremy plan to get married on the banks of the Nushagak. Publishers’ Note: Due to COVID-19, the 2020 derby has been Toman’s King Camp was an early sponsor of Neqa Derby, along with cancelled. The 2021 derby will be held June 18-20. Details will be Mission Lodge, Alaska Kingfishers, and Bear Trail Lodge. A special posted on neqaderby.com.

Executive Director of the BBNC Education Foundation. “It’s a competition, but for us it’s about honoring our community and bringing together local and visiting anglers, sponsors, fishing camps, and fishing guides to celebrate our students. We’ve also worked really hard to make sure this is a sustainable event that does no harm to this resource.” The derby is operated in partnership with Choggiung Ltd, the Dillingham-based village corporation that also manages the land along the banks of the Nushagak. It intentionally limits ticket sales to just 150 tickets over a two-and-half-day period, and all must be pre-sold. Last year, participants weighed in just 31 fish—a very small fraction of the total that the commercial and sport fisheries yielded. “The Derby creates an atmosphere with a lot of camaraderie among the fishermen,” said David. “It’s also a great cause, helping students get an education they may not be able to get otherwise. It can change their lives.” “Quite honestly, this is probably the funnest way you could support students,” said Tiera Schroeder, a BBNC shareholder in her third year of graduate school. “Being on Native land is really a huge privilege. This is one of the best ways to do it, because you are enjoying the land and giving back, too.” Tiera was born and raised in Dillingham and has received scholarships from the BBNC Education Foundation. She said she probably could have figured out how to afford school, but their support made it more attainable. “The people at the Education Foundation are like

6 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 7 • The board wants to get through the process expeditiously—to simply get it done. Your case needs to be strong; Board of Fish it also needs to be succinct. Story by George Krumm

A long time ago—I think it was the 2008 Board of Fish process—I submitted a • The board is averse to increasing proposal to require the use of barbless hooks in the Kenai River trout fishery. I complexity of the regulations, even if submitted it because barbed hooks are unnecessary, the fishery is nearly 100% it is better for the fish. catch-and-release anyway, and many or most of the fish I landed over 20” had a missing maxilla (or both) or other obvious mouth damage which would be • Some board members have little greatly reduced if barbless hooks were required. It was a long time ago, and I sportfishing experience, or limited don’t remember the exact wording as to why it was rejected, but the gist of it was knowledge of specific fisheries, and the Board of Fish thought it unnecessary, that the trout and dolly population was since they are already leaning to fine. The Board of Fish also cited it would disenfranchise folks looking to harvest dismiss your proposal, it is tough to sockeye. both educate and convince them with Interesting logic. According to the numbers, the human population in the a short, paper proposal. United States is fine, but we are still required to use seatbelts. Dog populations are fine, but you can get in big trouble if you spank your dog or do anything else • Get support from other that might be considered “abuse.” It’s okay though, to use barbed hooks for trout, organizations like the pertinent Fish even though we know they literally rips the lips off some of the fish, especially and Game Advisory Committee, small trout. Trout Unlimited, Kenai River This year a similar proposal, Proposal 152, was presented and it was also rejected. Sportfishing Association, Kenai Area I think the requester asked for too many things in the proposal, and I wouldn’t Fisherman’s Coalition, etc. and get have voted for it as written. I would have, however, voted for a proposal that them to show up during the board involved requiring the use of single, barbless hooks while targeting trout/dollies process to testify as to their support. in the Kenai. Since the discussion by board members was videotaped this year, I got to see the • Go to the board and testify board members’ response to this proposal. I was a little surprised by what I heard. yourself. I saw board members use what I believe to be gross misconceptions or a lack of understanding as justification to reject that proposal. Don’t get me wrong—I’d While the next Upper Cook Inlet have rejected it too. But not for the reasons I heard and saw on the video. Finfish Board of Fish will not occur until For instance, one board member talked about how it would cost anglers significant February 2023, proposals will be due money if barbless hooks were required on the Kenai for trout and dollies because by April 10, 2022. Until then, gather anglers would have to replace all their hooks. I wonder if that board member has information to ensure the idea you want ever heard of a pair of pliers. It’s a simple matter to crush the barb on a fly hook… to push is sound and gather support. Another board member said that most trout hooking wounds are caused by trout Begin working on your proposal far in encountering gear meant for salmon. I disagree heartily. In 20 years and more than advance, and seek feedback so that you a thousand hours of hours fishing the lower Kenai for kings, I would estimate the can fine tune it and make your argument number of trout I hooked or landed on king gear was very small, maybe a dozen or as compelling and fact-driven as possible so. What’s more, there is no king fishing in the upper Kenai, so those fish definitely before you send it in. Submitting a half- didn’t get damaged by king gear. He might have meant the trout were damaged by assed proposal, with no support, is encounters with sockeye gear. I suppose a small number are damaged by sockeye likely to be rejected because the board gear, but again, in 20 or so seasons fishing for Kenai and Russian sockeye, I have generally leans to dismiss, and they are hooked very few trout—I’d say less than a dozen in all those years. looking to dismiss anything that adds I strongly believe that most mouth damage on Kenai trout/char is caused by further complexity to the regulations. barbed trout hooks. When the fish are small, they are especially vulnerable to losing maxillae to barbed hooks when anglers try to unhook them. Even when trying to be careful with a small trout, with a small, barbed hook (like a size 8 Gamakatsu glow-bug hook, a popular style of hook used with beads), it sometimes happens that the maxilla is torn off the fish due to the barb. If that same hook were George Krumm is the Editor of both Fish barbless, in almost all cases that trout would still have its maxilla. Alaska and Hunt Alaska magazines. He can Board members are appointed by the Governor. Being political appointees, they be reached at [email protected]. are not required to be experts, and may or may not be knowledgeable about all the fisheries which they’ve been appointed to serve. Publishers’ Note: As two anglers who This whole incident with Proposal 152 got me thinking. If we have a proposal have spent countless hours fishing the we know is the right thing to do, what do we need to do in advance to help ensure upper Kenai River for trout and dollies, such proposals get passed and to alleviate any misconceptions ahead of time? Here we can attest to the facial damage are a few ideas: that many of these fish have received. Regardless of the regulation, we implore • Write your proposal far in advance, and get critical feedback. Then rewrite it you to pinch your barbs when catch- and get more feedback. and-release fishing for any trout or char, and especially in a place like the Kenai • Know that the board is leaning to dismiss your proposal. You have to make a River where so many anglers participate very strong case. in the fishery.

8 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 9 FisheWear XTRATUF Deck Boot fishewear.com This collaborative offering from FisheWear and XTRATUF combines Sufix Advance Fluorocarbon two of our favorite rapala.com brands to produce some This line is supple, sensitive and strong, and has off-the-chart cuteness for proven to be durable. It is more supple than most women who fish or just go fluorocarbon lines, which makes it easier to cast outside. The Deck Boots and holds less memory when on the reel. This sport a sassy, bright-pink high-density line sinks quickly, which is a benefit color and they showcase when reaching species like salmon and the Troutrageous trout, which are usually found towards pattern. the bottom of the water column. And since it’s invisible underwater, the line allows you to be more stealthy in your presentations. It is available in 200-yard and 1200-yard spools, and in the following pound-tests: 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 17, 20, 25 and 30.

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10 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 11 PRO-LOKS Penn Fierce III LE Combo Rowing System pennfishing.com pro-loks.com Perfect for a range of techniques, the reels are paired with Over 20 years of on- graphite-composite rods with one-piece stainless-steel Dura- the-river research Guides, and ergonomic Winn grips. The reels feature a full- and development metal body and sideplate, PENN HT-100 carbon-fiber combined with in-house drag washers, and EVA handle knobs. The combos POINTER .410 Halibut Buster manufacturing has made come in six sizes to accommodate a wide range of legacysports.com PRO-LOKS the number needs. The 2500-size combo will be well suited for This new .410-gauge, single-shot shotgun is a great solution for saltwater anglers one rowing system in the trout anglers, and features a 7-foot, extra-fast- who target halibut. It features a black, synthetic, thumbhole stock and 18-inch world. They sell high- action rod rated for 6- to 12-pound-test line, barrel sporting a nickel finish. Priced right, it retails for $189. In Alaska, you can performance oars and locks with a reel that can hold 240 yards of find this new gun at Three Bears Alaska. It’s been our experience that big halibut, to help you perform better 10-pound-test braid. On the other end say over 50 pounds, are amazingly strong, can do damage to your boat, and hurt on the river and make of this product offering, the 5000- anglers if they manage to get struck by the fish. We highly recommend shooting memories. They have size combo includes an 8-foot, halibut over 50 pounds that you intend to keep. three different styles of moderate-fast-action rod, rated oar shafts: Power Flex, for 12- to 25-pound-test OG and OG Plus, line, with a reel that can EZ Anchor Puller Rebel EZ-4 Drum giving you options depending on your rowing needs. They hold 420 yards of Anchor Winch Dardevle Spoons by Eppinger also provide the option of two different styles of blades. Both 20-pound-test braid. ezanchorpuller.com/products dardevle.com are multi-directional and float like a cork. The original blade is a E-Z Anchor Puller Mfg. Co’s Rebel EZ-4 The Original Dardevle has been around shallow-cut model and the Pro Max is designed for the oarsman drum anchor winch is a great option for for 114 years and with good reason—it that wants to push more water. PRO-LOKS Next Generation Oar saltwater fishing and boats up to 35 feet. catches fish, everywhere! The versatility Locks are an exclusive design, super quiet and powerful with no Known for its capabilities of holding 975’ of the Dardevle is second to none when loss of energy, giving you the smoothest, most enjoyable rowing of ¼” Spectra or Dyneema line, the Rebel it comes to the number of species it experience available today. All of their products come with a two- EZ-4 is IP68-rated water submersible and has caught. The Dardevle line comes year unconditional warranty and a customer satisfaction guarantee. manufactured entirely from 316 stainless in multiple sizes and styles, along with steel, preventing rust or corrosion. One of a multitude of colors to choose from. Leelock Removable Drift Boat Bow Anchor Drop our most popular options of the free-fall The most popular colors are the Big 3 leelock.com series, the drum will spool out line as fast (pictured here), which are must-haves in The Leelock removable drift boat bow anchor drop with their patented as gravity allows after a quick, two-second every angler’s tackle box. Proudly made line lock allows the operator to set or retrieve the line safely and easily touch of a button. Press the “power up” side in Dearborn, Michigan. from almost anywhere in the boat. This system eliminates the need for a to neatly and quickly retract the line back traditional jam or tie-off cleat and prevents accidental anchor release. This onto the drum. will make your trips on the water much easier and safer.

12 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 13 Adam Bean of Sitka, AK, with a beautiful king salmon pulled from the salt. Jessie Zeisel and stepfather Mark Kularski, both of North Pole, AK, spent a day in March fishing through the ice on Birch Lake outside of Fairbanks, AK.

Tyler Carpenter, 9, and Carrie Weseman with a beautiful Nushagak River king salmon in June 2019.

Lily Kragt, 7, showing off the first Craig Woods of Valdez, AK, caught this monster lake burbot she caught at Lake Louise trout while ice fishing at Lake Louise in February 2020. in March 2019.

14 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 15 Ben Furrer with a nice rainbow caught during a remote fly-in trip in 2018.

Will Samuel with a pike he caught while fishing Minto Flats Bobbi Mott with back in 2018. a trout caught while fishing Prince William Sound.

Bob Bergey with a 36-inch pike he caught while ice Diane Bromenschenkel fishing near Fairbanks in with a nice halibut she December 2019. caught near Cordova.

Send us Your Fishing Photos! E-mail hi-res .jpeg photos to: [email protected]. Subject Line: FFC. Please include vital caption information in the e-mail. We will let you know when your photo will appear in Bruce Jordan and Kathy Gunnar with a halibut the magazine. hauled out of the salt in Seward.

16 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 17 drifting eggs along the bottom with slinkies or pencil lead can be tough as well due to the lack of current. For the deepest, slowest holes, a glob of Three Hotspots for River Salmon eggs fished under a slip float is often the best Story and photo by JD Richey way to go. If I’m not sure how deep the hole is, I’ll set my float shallow to begin with When May rolls around, I can’t help but because kings will often suspend in these think about the first runs of king salmon spots and it can take some time to figure poking their noses into freshwater down out at which depth they are holding. After on the Kenai Peninsula. Shortly thereafter, a couple passes through the pool without fresh fish throughout the state will start any action, I will increase my depth and go ascending streams sometime in June and through the same process. I will continue July. After a long winter, salmon season is setting my bobber stop deeper after a few definitely upon us! casts through the spot until I either hit So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at bottom or find the fish. three main spots to concentrate on when chasing kings. Oftentimes, when somebody Flats is getting frustrated about not catching fish, Flats are also very important salmon- they tend to cycle through all sorts of lures holding zones. The best way to describe and baits trying to find the hot lure. But a flat is to think of a place where the often, it really has to do more with where riverbed loses its gradient for a stretch. they are fishing their offerings and not so These typically occur between rapids or much what they are using. Here’s a look at steep riffles. To understand why flats are some of the best places to find kings—and salmon magnets, think about a set of stairs how to fish them. in an office building—the type that has two flights in between each floor. The landing Deep Holes between those two flights of stairs is the flat. Kings love deep, slow pools. These are places When you walk up the first set, your legs where they can take a break from the rigors may get tired and you’ll pause for a bit on of their upstream journey. The slow water the landing before ascending the next flight. helps them conserve energy, and they like Salmon do the exact same thing in rivers. deep water because it offers them some sort Kings will accumulate on these flats, often of refuge or a sense of security. Find a good, in big numbers as they rest up for the next deep hole and chances are it will have some part of their journey. fish in it. Flats can be anywhere from four feet Fishing deep holes can be a bit deep in small streams to 15- or 20 feet deep problematic at times because of the lack of in larger rivers. How you approach a flat current and great depth they often feature. depends on the situation and individual For shore anglers, throwing standard king river, but there are lots of good options gear like size 5 spinners isn’t always the best here. From a boat I really like to flatline bet because it is hard to get the lure down in deep-diving plugs with a sardine wrap on the zone. Another traditional method like the underbelly. On smaller rivers with not a

Tributary mouths are great places to fish for kings. The author’s son, Cooper Richey, hooked a nice one on a spinner where a creek mouth came in.

18 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 MarchMay 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.comFishAlaskaMagazine.com 1919 lot of depth I can often get away with a size 4.5 Mag Lip. In deeper and faster flats, the 5.0 Mag Lip, K-16 Kwikfish and the Hawg Nose Flatfish are excellent choices. Silver and chartreuse is a great color combination. Pink and white can be deadly as well. If the water is deep enough and colored to the point where you can’t see the bottom, boondoggin’ from a boat is a good way to go. This involves drifting with the boat perpendicular to the current and casting upstream with just enough lead to get to the bottom with either eggs or a Spin-n-Glo (or both) as an offering. The idea here is to get your gear to the bottom and allow the boat to drift downstream while your gear taps along behind you. Side drifting a slip bobber and eggs— much like we do from shore in the deep holes—also works really well on flats. On small rivers, you may also do well swinging spoons and spinners or even flies such as Egg Sucking Leeches. The key here is you just need to be able to get your gear down very close to the bottom.

Tributary Mouths Any tributary entering the river you are fishing is a potential hotspot for king salmon. The fish will post up just below these forks as they attempt to figure out which way they want to go. Tributaries are also important spots in the case of large glacial rivers, as the smaller creeks coming in are often clear flowing and thus good places to fish because the salmon can actually see your offerings. In situations where the water of the main river is running on the warm side, you’ll also find fish stacking up below spots where colder streams enter the main river. One thing to keep in mind when fishing these areas is that the fish don’t always pile up right at the stream mouth. If the spot where the creek comes in isn’t to their liking, the kings will back down to the next suitable holding zone downstream. That’s typically the first flat or pool downstream of the confluence. So if you don’t find fish at or immediately below the confluence, try looking a little further downstream. Occasionally, you’ll also find fish holding just above a confluence if there’s no good holding water below. When working a tributary mouth, you can use a whole host of techniques like the ones described above. It just depends on how large or small the river or stream is and how the whole thing lays out.

JD Richey is a full-time fishing guide in Alaska and California and can be reached through his website fishwithjd.com.

20 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 21 Materials: Hook: OPST Swing Hook, size 1/0 Thread: Veevus 140 Power Thread, Fishaholic #127 fl chartreuse Originator: Keith Graham Shank: Aqua Flies Return Eye Shank, 51 mm May is when we start to see our first Stinger Wire: Senyo’s Intruder Trailer kings, and though king returns have Hook Wire, standard, chartreuse been on a decline for quite some Dumbbell Eyes: Aqua Flies Intruder Step 7: Wrap two- to four turns of the fox time now, we still get excited to Eyes, 3/16”, chartreuse go chase them with the hopes and Finished fly immediately in front of the Cactus Chenille, Body: Cascade Crest Everglow creating a nice, full collar. dreams that they will be there. Tubing, 3/16”, green Kings are probably my favorite species to swing for. The raw power and Prop: Hairline Dubbin Cactus speed that these magnificent specimens have is just mind blowing. With Chenille, large, pearl the amount of adrenaline pumping through your veins, you can’t help but Mike Brown is the owner of Collar: Hairline Dubbin Arctic Fox get jacked when you stick one. Mossy’s Fly Shop in Anchorage, Tail Hair, #199 kingfisher blue When it comes to flies for kings, there are a lot of options and variables. AK. He’s a lifelong Alaskan with Flash: Glow in The Dark Flashabou, Two things that I have found to be a commonality in flies for kings, a passion for family, flyfishing and chartreuse though, are the color chartreuse and GOOD hooks. Chartreuse always fly tying. Head: EP Anadromous Brush, green works with kings. Mixing it with white or blue, or even kelly green, are all chartreuse good combinations. Step 8: Place the dumbbell eyes approximately one hook-eye width back of the shank eye Strong, sharp hooks are a must. These fish can straighten mediocre Step 3: Tie in the on the bottom side of the shank. Using figure-8 hooks. OPST Swing Hooks in 1/0, Aqua Talon hooks in a size 1 Cactus Chenille. or a Tiemco TMC600SP in size 1 or 2 are my favorites. I would not wraps, tie in the dumbbell eyes. recommend cutting corners on the hooks. The Fishaholic was created by Keith Graham of the former World Wide Angler fly shop here in Anchorage. This fly has minimal weight with great profile and movement in the water. We stock this fly in a few color variations that work well for not only kings, but other salmon too. We have even tied some of these up for a good friend in a much smaller size for steelhead fishing in the Lower 48. Enjoy!

Step 4: Wrap the Cactus Chenille to make Step 9: Using 8- to 12 strands of the flash, tie in a ball; this will create a prop for the fox hair. on the top of the shank. Repeat this step on Tie off and trim excess Cactus Chenille. the bottom side. Trim the flash slightly longer than the wire loop.

Step 10: Tie in the EP Anadromous Brush.

Step 1: Using approximately 9” of the wire, make a loop and tie down to the shank. The overall length from hook eye to the back of the loop should be 3½”. Secure the wire down good and tight. Fold over the ends of the wire and wrap them down tight, too. Step 5: Make a Trim excess wire with wire cutters. You can even super glue this dubbing loop. Use afterwards. Apply a few whip finishes and cut the thread. a decent clump of fox hair and place in the dubbing loop. Spread out across the dubbing loop.

Step 6: Spin the fox hair. It’s a good practice to pick at the fox hair as you Step 2: Using a 2½” piece of Everglow Tubing, slide the tubing on spin to help reduce from the front. Using the bodkin, pick out the strands long enough trapping fibers. Spin, Step 11: Wrap the brush forward, using to cover the stinger loop. Restart the thread at the base of the loop brush and pick out figure-8 wraps around the eyes. Finish with and tie down the tubing. This will require you to hold the tubing as trapped hairs until one- or two turns in front of the eyes. Brush out you wrap thread, not allowing the tubing to spin. Whip finish and trim you have a thin the fibers with a toothbrush, creating a nice, the thread. Restart the thread at the front and tie down the tubing. center core. swept head.

22 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 23 E-Z Anchor Puller Story by Troy A. Buzalsky

It’s early in the morning, the air is damp and the weather predictably unpredictable as you launch your boat and point the bow towards your destination…your secret, fertile fishing grounds. As you navigate the swells, chop, and wind the only thing on your mind is a day of excellent fishing, including participative fish, trouble-free tackle, and the camaraderie that makes up a great team of avid anglers. As you near your first stopping point you scan the sonar looking Close-up photo of the E-Z Anchor Puller Rebel for structure, you analyze your GPS for past waypoints, you installed on the new North River bow. check the tide, and you drop anchor. Dropping anchor…A © E-Z Anchor Puller seemingly simple task that all too often becomes problematic and potentially dangerous. It doesn’t take a salty dawg with years of experience on the big blue to realize that anchoring is serious business. The North River Seahawk W-Series is custom made for deep-water The anchor, chain and swivel, and the anchor line are all anchoring, complete with its E-Z critical components, but where I’ve seen most problems is Anchor Puller Rebel. in and around the capstan or windlass winch system. In © E-Z Anchor Puller fact, recently I was assigned anchor duty and crawled into the berth, scuttled out of the bow hatch, to drop anchor. Everything looked fine other than some saltwater corrosion on the windlass…until the free-falling anchor rope tangled and subsequently spooled around the anchor system’s wiring harness, ripping it loose. Bottom line, the rest of this journey required the anchor guy (me) to manually pull the anchor, taking much of the joy out of a potentially great day on the water. While fishing out of Kodiak on a 32-foot custom Bay Weld catamaran last year, I was again given the duty to drop anchor. In this case the instructions were quite simple: Hold the “Lower” button down for two seconds. The anchor will automatically drop (free-fall). As the Lewmar Claw Anchor and accompanying chain dropped I could see the bow-mounted drum turning in free-spool mode. When the anchor hit the bottom we let the boat drift and once we had enough scope, pushed the “Raise” button for five seconds

Alaska waters are special, and so is the E-Z Anchor Puller, especially for fishing deep-water situations. © E-Z Anchor Puller

24 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 MarchMay 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 25 The E-Z Anchor Puller handles a variety of diameters of rope and chain, and can easily pass splices, knots, swivels, clevises, and even heavy chain. © E-Z Anchor Puller

to hold the boat on anchor. No cleating, no crawling, no anchor rope tangle. Just easy push-button operation. “Wow, what kind of anchor system is that?” I asked the captain with curiosity. Since 1990, E-Z Anchor Puller Mfg. Co. has been manufacturing anchor winches that will hold your boat on anchor stronger and pull your anchor faster. Frustrated with tangled anchor lines and the safety hazards associated with climbing on the bow to pull anchor, company founder and mastermind George Towns, who was a Naval Seabee in World War II, drew on his military experience with cranes and drum winches to design and build an anchor winch for personal use. After showing off

Bay Weld Boats are true believers in the E-Z Anchor Puller Drum Anchor Winch for Alaskan waters, where the tide exchanges can be 20+ feet and a strong-holding, easy-to-deploy and redeploy anchor is a necessity. © Bay Weld Boats

26 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 JanuaryMay 20202020 FishAlaskaMagazine.comFishAlaskaMagazine.com 2727 This fire-truck-red Duckworth is his one-of-a-kind design to his of chain. However, each drum is capable Alaska-ready with its bow-mounted neighbors and fishing buddies, of holding more or less anchor line or EZ-4 Anchor Puller proudly on full word spread like wildfire and chain depending on the diameter of line display and ready for some deep- George was coerced into the or chain used. Some anglers use ¼-inch water anchoring. © Eric Budd anchor-winch business, creating Dyneema line that is nine times stronger E-Z Anchor Puller Mfg. Co. than steel and allows for as much as 3,000 Founder Towns has since passed feet of anchor line on the largest drum on and today E-Z Anchor Puller anchor spool. Being able to use different Mfg. Co. is privately owned diameters of anchor line gives user and operated out of its location flexibility and E-Z Anchor Pullers work in Clearwater, Florida. They when lines are spliced—something most offer anchor-retrieval systems windlass winches cannot accommodate. to the commercial, charter, and The drum spool also easily passes knots, sportfishing community. chain, shackles, and swivels. The E-Z Anchor Puller drum The Hero series drum anchor winch is winch differs from a windlass in designed for boats from 18- to 35 feet that the anchor line is not only and holds 150 feet of ½-inch anchor retrieved, but the drum stores the line or 550 feet of ¼-inch Dyneema anchor line, keeping the line from line. It’s available in three models: the tangling. Since the line is stored EX-1, EX-2, and EX-3, featuring 316 on the drum, no rope locker or marine-grade, stainless-steel drums with anchor-line bag is needed. a power-up and power-down feature. All E-Z Anchor Puller offers three three utilize sealed, aluminum, powder- series of drum anchor winches: coated gearbox and motor assemblies. the Hero, Patriot, and Rebel. The Hero is ideal for freshwater lakes and Each is available in three sizes rivers as well as saltwater applications specific to the spool size and and is an excellent choice for pontoon capacity. These unique drum applications. Small in size, but packed anchor winches can fit boats with performance, the Hero drum from 18- to 55 feet and can anchor winch weighs between 20- and hold from 150- to 800 feet of 35 pounds depending on model and has ½-inch anchor line plus 10 feet a maximum pulling load of 1,000- to 1,250 pounds. The Patriot series is designed for boats from 18- to 35 feet. The gearbox is manufactured from 316 stainless-steel components, including the stainless- steel drum, baseplate, bushing covers, gearbox, positioning flange, and motor body. In other words, saltwater ready! The Patriot direct-drive unit is available in three models; EZ-1, EZ-2, and EZ- 3. The smaller EZ-1 drum anchor winch can hold 175 feet of ⅜-inch anchor line and up to 375 feet of ¼-inch Dyneema anchor line, whereas the EZ-3 can hold 225 feet of ½-inch line or 725 feet of ¼-inch Dyneema, with a maximum pulling load of 1850 pounds. The Patriot is tailor-made for shallow, coastal saltwater applications as well as large freshwater fisheries. If you’re a diehard Alaskan or just love to fish deep-water applications look no further than the Rebel series drum anchor winch. Like the Patriot series, it is available in three sizes: the EZ-4, EZ-5, and EZ-6. Like the Patriot, it is made from 100% marine-grade, 316 stainless steel, considered the best in the industry. The Rebel features free-fall, auto-drop down, and power-up modes. The free-fall mode allows for the fastest anchor drops possible for deep-water fishing conditions and the spool will not

28 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 29 Eagle Charters uses the E-Z Anchor Puller as a bow-mount system to drop into those perfect halibut holes in and around Elfin Cove. Pictured is their Screamin’ Eagle 32’ ACI catamaran equipped with an EZ-4 Rebel and 650’ of Dyneema Line. © “Big Mike” Leboki

ACI Boats are a division of Armstrong Consolidated LLC, and incorporate the E-Z Anchor Puller on many of their custom builds which are distributed worldwide. © ACI Boats backlash or bird nest, making anchoring and added 20 boat shows to their 2020 a breeze. The Rebel can handle 800 feet of circuit with plans of adding more in ½-inch anchor line and as much as 3000 2021. They are also gaining traction in feet of ¼-inch Dyneema line and has a the Canadian marketplace. maximum pulling load of 2000 pounds. If you are an avid sportsman and angler Deep-water anchoring has never been you’ll recognizes the names Hewescraft, easier, or for that matter, safer! Alaskan Duckworth, Weldcraft, KingFisher, Bay anglers are loving the fact that they do Weld, Wooldridge, North River, SeaVee, not have to go out on the bow to un-cleat Carolina Skiff, and ACI Boats as premier or untangle anchor line anymore. Now boat builders. These manufacturers offer it’s just as easy as pushing a button. E-Z Anchor Puller drum winches as An Achilles heel to most marine standard or optional features. electronic motors is corrosion, especially Eric Engebretsen, General Manager internal corrosion inside the motor body. for Bay Weld Boats builds boats out of The air and the gas around the armature, Homer, Alaska, and has become a big fan commutator, and stator heats up and of E-Z Anchor Puller. “We love the E-Z cools down causing condensation. Anchor Puller drum anchor winches and Not only does this condensation cause are currently using them on nearly every corrosion, it weakens the adhesive build that comes out of Bay Welding. holding the permanent magnets in place The free-fall feature is a big hit with our and results in motor failure. customers. The Homer area has big tides The construction of the E-Z Anchor and that results in huge currents…the Puller motor is a critical element to its ability to drop the anchor quickly with success. Starting with marine-grade, 316 the free-fall E-Z Anchor Puller allows stainless steel that makes for a beautiful our boats to find the perfect fishing spot and functional anchor system, the genius and spend more time fishing and less behind the design is the internal working time messing with their anchors. The of the motor assembly. E-Z Anchor Puller E-Z Anchor Puller drum winches have motors are IP68-rated submersible and been a great fit for Bay Weld Boats!” waterproof. The motors utilize a patented One of the beautiful things about system to mitigate internal condensation the E-Z Anchor Puller is that they by filling the gaps inside the motor and can be mounted above deck or below. around the stator and commutator with When mounted above it allows the boat high-temperature plastic. This patented builder to maintain a watertight bow and design reduces the internal atmosphere provide increased space in the berth. For and locks the armature magnets in boats with a bow hatch and anchor-rope place. All motors have four magnets and locker, the space can be used to house four brushes with brass brush holders. the drum anchor winch, maintaining the This design is just one of the reasons clean lines at the bow and pulpit. E-Z Anchor Puller offers a seven-year Shurhold Industries manufactures the warranty and is recognized by the best detailing brushes, machine polishers, American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) and waxes for the marine industry, so and National Marine Manufacturers needless to say, company CEO Barry Association (NMMA). Berhoff believes in keeping things clean E-Z Anchor Puller’s industry success and simple. Barry owns a 40-foot SeaVee has grown over the years and they have center console that had a typical windlass recently added a 4000-square-foot system. After seeing an E-Z Anchor second office in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Puller drum winch at the International

30 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 31 E-Z Anchor Puller has grown from a few boat shows to over 20 boat shows annually, and they have stocked warehouses on the east and west coasts and Alaska. © E-Z Anchor Puller

They set the anchor system up with 650 feet of 5/16-inch Dyneema with 35 feet of ⅜-inch chain and a 33-pound Lewmar Claw Anchor. When fishing Elfin Cove they are typically anchoring in 150- to 350 feet of water to chase these potentially 200-plus-pound halibut, and Big Mike is convinced the free-fall drop and push-button operation makes anchoring as convenient, safe, and effective as possible. With growth comes opportunity and availability. E-Z Anchor Puller Mfg. Co. now maintains stocked fulfillment centers across the United States The Pleiades is a 32’ Bay Weld catamaran which owner Dr. John Everett including Alaska. If you’re ready to “say uses extensively in and around Kodiak for hunting and fishing. “The anchor no to knots” in your anchor line, if system performed perfectly on a test run to Afognak Island while elk hunting. We had a lot of strong winds and the anchor didn’t budge.” John you’re after a clean and simple solution, loves its clean and simple operation. © Troy Buzalsky if you’re looking for an anchor system that will hold your boat stronger and pull your anchor in faster, and if you’re Boat Builders’ Expo [IBEX] he decided 40 feet of chain. “This thing has been looking to mount your anchor system it was time for an upgrade. One of his flawless,” explains Berhoff. “I’m really above or below deck, you had better priorities was simple operation when impressed with the build quality.” His look at E-Z Anchor Puller systems. There out on the water with his family, and boys are now able to quickly and easily is a reason why more and more boats due to the rough water conditions they deploy the anchor in free-fall mode and are being equipped with E-Z Anchor regularly experienced, Barry was growing then lock it in with a quick push and hold Puller drum anchor winches in the frustrated with tangled anchor lines. of the up button…no cleating necessary. Pacific Northwest and Alaska. For more Once convinced on the merits of the Then, at the end of the day they just push information go to: ezanchorpuller.com. E-Z Anchor Puller, Barry contacted and hold the up button to retrieve the SeaVee Boats and confirmed his under- anchor, making for a clean and simple deck bow pulpit could handle the weight operation. For even easier operations a and torque of installing the E-Z Anchor wireless remote control is available. Puller drum anchor winch. After some Some people would call Elfin Cove, Troy Buzalsky is the Boats columnist for Fish mild retrofitting and reinforcement the Alaska, the best halibut grounds on the Alaska magazine, and when not writing Rebel EZ-4 was installed and wired into planet. Captain “Big Mike” from Eagle about boats, or working his career in the fire the existing windlass circuit. He added Charters runs several boats with E-Z service, Troy can likely be found chasing fish 540 feet of thin-diameter Dyneema Anchor Pullers, and recently equipped in the Pacific Northwest and the 49th state anchor line spliced onto 40 feet of larger- their 32-foot x 12-foot ACI catamaran and writing about those adventures. Troy diameter anchor line for stretch, and with a Rebel EZ-4 drum anchor winch. can be reached at [email protected].

32 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 33 resemblances to actual salmon food. Almost without exception plastics have more action, wiggle and deceit at very slow retrieves or trolls than standard salmon lures. Which means soft plastics stay in front of a fish longer than hardware, and the longer Why You Should Add Bass Wiggle an active lure is in front of a fish the higher the odds are that fish will to Your Salmon Box bite. Even fresh herring needs to be pulled or trolled to get a salmon roll. Plastics with tentacles or curls are designed to move, vibrate and wiggle Story and photo by Terry W. Sheely just dropping through the water column. Regardless of shape, size or color, I’m convinced all plastics produce Normally, I don’t expect to discover a hot silver and feeder-king better with a dab of bottled scent and there’s a load of come-hithers on lure in a tackle box crammed with smallmouth bass lures—unless the market imitating everything a salmon ever stuck in its mouth. it’s a spinner or wobbling plug. And this one wasn’t. Let me back For silvers and kings I recommend the obvious: matching scent to up and explain. the dominant baitfish. Herring oil for herring, anchovy, squid, shrimp, Milt and I were in an 18-foot, open kicker boat, working the etc. I’ve also had good luck with foreign fishy smells, like bloody tuna, edge of a bull-kelp bed for feeder Chinook and black rockfish. freshwater PowerBait, anise, and sardine. I suspect krill scents will work, I had two rods rigged. First, a salmon rod with a standard two- but I haven’t tried them on plastics yet. hook mooching leader baited with plug-cut herring weighted with I’ve also caught a boatload of Dolly Varden in the spring, along beaches four ounces of crescent sinker. The second rod was for rockfish—a near spawning streams by casting white or translucent 1- or 1½-inch medium-weight spinning stick carrying a 5-inch, pearl-colored micro jigs that resemble tiny minnows. They must also resemble salmon plastic grub with a swim tail on a half-ounce jig head. fry on which the packs of dollies gorge when they exit out of their natal The name of the soft lure is long gone, but it’s similar to Rapala’s rivers. Since crappies are non-existent up here, you’ll probably have to go Trick Tail. Brand isn’t as important as the shape and wiggle, it turns online to find fry imitators sold as “crappie” lures. I prefer throwing these out. That it looks like a herring and wiggles like a herring are what tiny plastics with a fly rod, floating line, and fluorocarbon tippet, but matters. Add a squirt of water-soluble herring oil and it smells, they’ll also work on spinning rods with mini-jig heads (or micro shot) attracts and tastes like herring. for casting weight. In the spring, dollies swarm beaches to devour the The salmon rod with herring was in the water, plug-cutting for flush of fry transitioning into saltwater. Catching a few on little crappie salmon. The spinning rod was propped on the transom, out of the plastics is a good way to shake off winter with a bent rod and save a few way with the rockfish grub dangling a foot or so over the water. A salmon too. silver salmon, small, maybe four pounds, blew completely out of Let’s look at the positives for adding plastics to the salmon lure box. the water, grabbed the dangling grub, crashed back and took off. I Plastic worms and grubs can be trolled, mooched, jigged, cast, or drifted. caught the end of the rod just before it disappeared and a little bit They’re active with or without retrieve action. For max action, my later, the silver. It was the first and only time I’ve hooked a salmon preferences are for 4- to 6-inch worms with curl and twist tails, and 2- to on a lure not in the water. 3-inch grubs with paddle tails. Both are designed for maximum action One bite may be a fluke, but there was a second time when the that throws out predator-attracting sonic vibrations. wiggle factor proved itself. It happened on a dark night when I Both models can be fished dead slow or trolled fast. They come in fancy-stepped my way out onto a broken-rock revetment to cast enough shapes, lengths and colors to match any food an Alaska salmon to black rockfish ravaging a school of candlefish. I’d hooked and wants. The soft bodies are similar to the texture of natural foods, and can landed maybe a dozen of the frenzied 2- to 4-pound blacks on a be injected or slathered with enough scent to fish for hours while laying slim, 6-inch plastic worm—white with a typical curl tail—when down a scent trail. They cost next to nothing ($2 for a dozen, give or something definitely not a rockfish unloaded on the worm. Line take), and you can bet the salmon you’re working have never seen one. ripped off the reel and somewhere in the dark I heard a good-sized I’ve caught a few mature kings on plastic worms, slow-rolling them fish crash the surface. It wasn’t to be the last Chinook I caught on just off bottom. But I’ve found where they really shine is on immature a plastic bass worm, just one of the first. feeders, especially in the early spring before there’s a lot of big, returning Being a traditionalist in the troll or mooch-a-herring fold but spawners competing for food. easily coaxed into trolling flashers, hoochies, plugs and hardware, The hyper action of twist-tail worms and vibration of paddle-foot I’ll confess that soft-plastic bass worms have never been my first grubs brings out the chase-and-eat instinct in predatory salmon. Spring choice for salmon—silvers, kings or chums. But maybe they feeder kings and fall silvers have that in common—both go for wiggle. should be? They definitely deserve a spot in the salmon box and there are reasons. And much of that reasoning involves the shape and wiggle factors; I’m convinced of it. Terry W. Sheely is Fish Alaska’s Saltwater columnist and longtime feature article I can’t think of a single salmon lure that is as versatile as a plastic contributor. He can be reached through his website, tnscommunications.net. worm or grub, and that includes natural baits. Yes, even herring. Plastic grubs, worms, and swimbaits are available in a gazillion styles, shapes, lengths, colors and wiggles. It’s not hard, or expensive, to put together a lure box with enough variety to match-the-hatch of baitfish in size, shape, action and color. Salmon are no different than bass when it comes to eating. If it looks like food, swims like food, and smells like food— it’s food. Grub-style bodies have the thick shape of herring and anchovies. Long, skinny plastic worms are easy to confuse with candlefish, eels and sea worms. Skirted plastics bear an eerie resemblance to squid; smallish, tentacled worms to shrimp; crayfish or twin-tails to crab. And that’s just the start of the plastic Late summer/fall silvers like this are aggressive targets for soft plastics.

34 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 35 been caught during this time/temperature period. This temperature range usually lasts a week or two, sometimes climbing a degree a May day on sunny days; less on cool, overcast days. Story and photo by Not all lakes have big chironomid hatches; George Krumm however, the aforementioned temperature and depth range (four- to seven feet and Most southcentral Alaska lakes usually become temperatures between 50- and 57 degrees) ice free in early May. Actual timing varies based still applies. The fish will be there, even if on the individual lake’s location and other the chironomids aren’t. Even if there isn’t a variables. Some will be ice free as much as a chironomid hatch in progress, the fish will couple weeks before others. By the time you’re often still take chironomid pupa imitations. reading this, it’s likely that some lakes will Impressionistic nymphs like Denny Rickards’ already be fishable; the others will be before Echo Lake, still partially ice covered, Stillwater Nymph, small soft hackles, long if they aren’t already. provided slow fishing but an and ‘buggers will also work at this time, May is a time of transition. While many incredible view of Twin Peaks on this temperature and depth. believe that the best fishing happens right at early spring day. This four-to-seven-feet range stays ice out, my experience differs. I’ve caught productive until water temperatures rise to the fish right at ice out, but generally Ihave definitely worth fishing the shorelines right upper 50s. When that happens, the fish seem experienced much better fishing after the lakes at ice out. Overall, shallow water is generally to spend a little less time at the shallow end have been ice free for two- or three weeks. That a better bet than deep water at ice out. In fact, of the range, and seem to prefer depths from said, I go fishing when I can, and slow fishing until the wind turns lakes over and mixes in six- to nine feet. That doesn’t seem like much is better than no fishing. oxygen, the deep water often contains too little of a change, but it is. The difference in location I recall an early-May day, parked at the oxygen for trout. from four feet to nine feet of depth might be turnoff overlooking Echo Lake. The lake As soon as water temperatures get into the 40 yards on some lakes. Fish will still move was still about half covered with ice, but the low 50s, Southcentral lakes seem to come shallow at times, especially if wind or clouds majority of the north shoreline was open, as alive. This is because water temperatures in provide cover, but in general the fish seem well as the shallow shoal on the west end of the the 50s are in the optimal range for rainbow- to move out just a bit when the water temps lake. I decided to fish it. trout metabolism. The fish are more active, climb into the upper 50s. It was sunny, but not warm. Though the can digest food faster, and so they feed more. Usually, it’s pretty close to June when the lake still had significant ice cover, the water What’s more, insect life seems to ramp up water temperatures reach the upper 50s. temperature was in the mid-40s. I was a little in this temperature range, too. It only takes Something to be aware of is that the damselfly- surprised by that; I figured it would be in the two- to three weeks after ice out for water nymph migration will begin at those water upper 30s. Those temperatures aren’t optimum temperatures in Southcentral lakes to reach temperatures. It’s wise to have some damselfly- for rainbow-trout metabolism, but certainly the 50s. By this time, wind will have stirred nymph patterns with you if you’re fishing warmer than what they were when the lake the lakes up some, redistributing oxygen. The late May. A chironomid pupa might still be was totally ice covered. I recall that I saw no fish could be anywhere based on oxygen and my first choice, but if I’m not getting bit, I’ll chironomids hatching, and no fish rose. I temperature, but where they will be is where be looking into the water and on my float caught two Arctic char and a small rainbow, the most food is. In many Southcentral lakes, tube to see if damselfly nymphs have started fishing a ‘bugger near the shoal’s drop off. It that is in water between four- and seven feet their migration. If you see a couple damselfly wasn’t hot fishing, but it was fishing all the deep, often close to or in weed beds. nymphs swimming in open water, or if you see same. Pioneer Peak and Twin Peaks were my The exception to this would be diploid a couple of them crawl onto your float tube, only witnesses and I enjoyed the solitude, for trout; they will likely still be patrolling the it’s a strong indication that the fish may have no one else was there. shorelines, looking for spawning locations. turned their attention to damselfly nymphs. Fishing in May starts slow, but ramps up Note that the diploid trout will attempt to Lakes are dynamic, and that is especially dramatically as the month progresses. What’s spawn, however, their spawning in lakes is true in the spring. May is a time of transition. going on in the lakes depends on a number generally unsuccessful. During the spawn, they You can fish right at ice out, but expect slow of factors, such as when the ice went out, the don’t feed much and their sporting value is fishing. After a long winter of waiting, slow current water temperature, and even what type second rate compared to a triploid during the fishing is better than no fishing. The fishing of fish is present. Many Southcentral lakes are same time period. will get progressively better as we move planted with triploid rainbows, which are sterile The first big food event in the spring is through the month. It takes a couple weeks and don’t feel the urge to spawn. Some lakes the chironomid hatch. As the temperatures for the food chain to ramp up. The fishing will receive both triploid and diploid rainbows; get into the 50s, some lakes will have huge really heat up in mid-to-late May, and if you diploid rainbows want to spawn in the spring. hatches, and the fish key in on the pupae. I can drag yourself away from Cook Inlet kings Diploids will often patrol the edges of the lake catch big numbers of fish on chironomid and halibut, some of the best stillwater fishing right after ice out. They might be doing this pupae during this time period—in fact, all of the year will be yours. in search of suitable spawning locations. Or, through the month of May and into June. they might be doing it because the shallows The chironomid hatch can be good when warm sooner, providing more comfortable water temps are in the lower 50s, and lights George Krumm is the Editor of Fish Alaska and temperatures and more food. Regardless of out in the 53- to 57-degree range. Some of my Hunt Alaska magazines. He can be reached at whether the fish are diploid or triploid, it’s biggest fish and biggest numbers of fish have [email protected].

36 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 37 after only a few deep pulls on the oars, it happened. Like a lightning bycatch, habitat degradation, climate change, or is it a combination Alexandersdottir) by ADF&G that tracked caught-and-released king strike, the rod in front of my nephew lurched forward, a takedown so of many elements? salmon in the Kenai River showed mortality rates as low as 6%. This savage it actually rocked the boat, catapulting us into the excitement “Of course, we are still hoping it’s cyclical,” said Jim Hasbruck, low mortality was achieved even though many of the fish were caught and insanity that every king angler craves—the strain on the rod so Chief Fisheries Scientist for ADF&G. “But we’ll begin to see an on bait, and/or treble hooks, and were handled long enough to install Managing Dwindling Stocks of Alaska’s State Fish tremendous it can barely be pried from its holder. Then, rowing for all uptick in numbers, even in-season, and then it won’t pan out.” radio transmitters. With today’s anglers restricted to a single hook, Story by Dave Atcheson, photo by Josh Williams you are worth, a chaotic chase, a feeble attempt to keep up, all played Hasbruck did mention a few bright spots, mostly in western and often no bait, plus a better understanding of how to catch-and- to the frantic tune of a squealing reel. Alaska, such as the Nushagak, which continues to see decent release large kings thanks to organizations like Fish for the Future, On this day my nephew would land and release three fish: a couple returns. Similarly, the Kuskokwim and Yukon rivers, which saw mortality of released Kenai kings today is quite possibly lower. in the 50-pound category, which back then was common, and one devastating crashes in Chinook numbers, have fared better the last Numerous Kenai River guides have begun encouraging their As many are aware, the “good old days” of king-salmon fishing monster that we estimated to be about 80 pounds. We would also couple of seasons. clients to release king salmon back into the river to spawn and on the Kenai weren’t that long ago. One of my most memorable experience several takedowns and hook-ups and reach the end of our Hasbruck agrees with other biologists, however, that there are contribute to the next generation. Similar efforts have also taken hold was spent with my nephew, who was 12 at the time. He’s 24 now. float with a 30-pound male in the box. We knew this kind of action likely a variety of factors involved in the nearly statewide decline, on the Susitna, where some lodges now offer fish boxes full of sockeye Alaska had just begun to see a slight decline in Chinook numbers was rare, but king season was upon us and we thought the fun would factors such as ocean carrying capacity and increased competition for guests who release king salmon. Fish for the Future has gained and size then, something we figured was just a natural fluctuation. never end… from hatcheries, for example. Scientists also point to marine popularity on the Kenai by advocating for a variety of conservation Nevertheless, we set out on that typical June evening with the Unfortunately, today it is rare to start the season without pollution, ocean acidification, as well as climate change and the measures for kings and offers prizes in a variety of categories for eternal optimism and hope of all fishers, but also with the tempered precautionary restrictions in place—often no retention of kings. A effect of warming trends on both king salmon and their food released kings. Many clients increasingly seek out guides that practice expectations that experienced king fishers know especially well. few seasons the river has even been closed to king fishing altogether, sources. catch-and-release and want to release big kings. That’s because even in the best of times, king fishing is often a and not just the Kenai. The streams of the lower Kenai Peninsula— Fortunately, despite the downturn in king numbers, Alaska waiting game. Chinook are counted in the thousands, not the Deep Creek, the Ninilchik and Anchor rivers—which once teemed What can Anglers do? remains one of the all-time great fishing destinations, with most other millions, or tens of millions, like their smaller cousins, the sockeye. with large numbers of small kings and had runs so strong you Due to a tightening Alaska budget, no new king research is likely salmon stocks, as well as freshwater species, doing quite well. For the Catching one here was always an iffy proposition. Still, it was could almost count on firing up the grill on the evening of the first to be undertaken by state agencies, though they will continue most part, our rivers still have all the ingredients to make world-class a spring ritual, for many an obsession; one I have chosen, due to openers—saw added restrictions. Runs in southeast Alaska and on monitoring stocks with an eye toward management. Several salmon runs: clean and cool water that flows free from its headwaters declining numbers, to deprive myself of for the last several seasons. Kodiak Island have also seen diminishing returns, as they have in universities continue research, some working with the state and to the ocean. However, with a growing population and continued For someone that hasn’t experienced a Kenai king, it is difficult to northern Cook Inlet. In fact, Chinook stocks all up and down the with federal agencies. urbanization, and with projects such as the controversial Pebble Mine imagine the sweet panic and boundless awe it inspires, testing the west coast, California to Alaska, have been suffering. Based on these uncertainties, and a long view of the issue, being considered, Alaskans, and all those who fish our waters, are fisherman and his equipment to their very core. It is for all these many resident anglers and guides have taken it upon themselves right to be concerned. reasons that the king, the state fish of Alaska, is so cherished. The Search for Answers to take action to curb their impact on increasingly rare king The last thing anyone wants to see who cares about the last and But none of that was on our minds as we approached a spot At first, most biologists insisted it was part of a seasonal downturn, salmon. Studies have proven that catch-and-release tactics work, perhaps greatest intact wild salmon and trout fisheries in the world, is I knew well, laying out an elaborate array of gear, maneuvering but as the years have multiplied many are now scratching their and in-river king salmon can usually recover and spawn after a repeat of what has occurred to fish stocks elsewhere. the drift boat into place and beginning to settle in for what we heads in search of other answers. Is this decline just a longer, natural being caught. A 1991 study (Mortality and Movement Behavior expected would be a long but pleasant ride down the river. Yet occurrence or is it the result of factors such as overfishing, trawler of Hooked-and-Released Chinook Salmon in the Kenai River Recreational Fishery, 1989-1991, Terry Bendock and Marianna Dave Atcheson

Survival, once a fish is in hand, depends on minimizing handling, keeping the fish in the water, keeping fingers away from their sensitive gills, and not stripping the protective slime coating with our hands or nets.

38 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 39 DON’T BLOW IT! Story by Greg Brush

Let’s face it; in today’s world haters are everywhere. Social media is certainly proof of that. Nowadays, more than ever, it seems that angry people are just looking for something to criticize. Sadly, these nay-sayers often look past the inherent good in people or in their actions, choosing to tear down that which in basic premise is foundationally good. Take catch-and-release for in-river Chinook, for example. While not perfect (there is a slight, single-digit mortality rate associated with the practice) the choice to release one’s fish to potentially reach the spawning beds is, at its very roots, noble. Conscientious anglers embrace conservation for the greater good, so that one more king can spawn and future anglers might also be blessed with the opportunity to someday catch a special fish like a big, wild Kenai or Kasilof River king salmon. We want our kids to enjoy this awesome resource, and our kids’ kids! Yet a vocal but small minority of people claim that catch-and-release is reckless, cruel, immoral and even detrimental to our cherished king-salmon run. How can that be, when scientific studies show that catch-and-release mortality of in-river Chinook hovers between five- and seven percent? Simple common sense—something that haters are often lacking—undeniably indicates that “catch and kill” of the very same fish produces 100% mortality. At the risk of being redundant, conservation-minded anglers realize that catch-and- release isn’t perfect, but it’s pretty darned close! So how do we nip nay-sayers in the bud? By cleaning up our act and doing the best job possible with the C&R process. Remember, haters, by their very nature, are lurking, lying in wait, looking for any mistake—be it big or small—that a well-intentioned angler like you or I might make. For goodness sake, don’t give them any ammo! Examples of areas where catch-and-release anglers can avoid pouring fuel on the fire include the following:

COMPLETELY REMOVING THE FISH FROM THE WATER Quickly and partially lifting a fish to the water’s surface for a fast photo is a non-issue, but excessive handling, long photo sessions, or fully removing the fish from the water is simply not cool! COMPANY Spotlight DRAGGING EXCESSIVE DISTANCES FOR A PHOTO Sometimes the stars align and a big fish rolls over near a very safe and convenient gravel bar. In Soldotna Hardware and Fishing is dedicated to this case, beaching the boat and getting out to properly revive and photograph your catch is fine, king salmon conservation on the prized Kenai but dragging an exhausted fish long distances in search of a good spot just to take a photo is River. This retail store that purveys fishing unnecessarily hard on the fish, potentially increasing mortality. and outdoor gear to the Kenai Peninsula is owned by brothers Scott and Brian Miller USING TOO LIGHT OF TACKLE/NOT LANDING A FISH QUICKLY ENOUGH who live and recreate with their families in the This topic is a bit subjective, as who’s to say how long a fish should be played? Therefore, what area. It’s just as important to them to preserve exactly is too long a fight? One thing is for sure though; catch-and-release Kenai kings is not a the future of fishing for their children and fishery for light tackle. Use heavy gear, fight your Chinook aggressively with a tight drag, and land grand kids as it is for their own sake. Soldotna your fish as quickly as possible, giving your prize its best chance to recover and swim off under Hardware and Fishing features the largest its own power. selection of G.Loomis rods in Alaska. Stop by and talk with them about G.Loomis rods for HANDLING FISH TOO LONG, OR NOT LONG ENOUGH all your fishing needs. This is also a tough one, as the correct amount of time to revive a winded fish is a personal decision that depends on many factors, including how tired your catch may or may not be. The best advice is to always keep the survivability of your catch as priority one, assessing the fish’s recovery by how much it supports itself and how badly it wants to kick out of your grasp. If it’s ready to go, you’ll likely know it!

In sum, haters can make a lot of noise. And they don’t need data and facts, as they specialize in manipulating raw emotion. Rest assured, “antis” are lurking in wait, watching you and me. They are trolling our social media, scrolling through pro-C&R sites such as Fish For The Future, and looking for an open door the next time a well-intended angler voluntarily releases a special fish or proudly posts a photo of their prize powerfully swimming off…So please, don’t blow it!

This message brought to you by Soldotna Hardware and Fishing, G•Loomis and Fish A passionate Kenai River guide of three decades experience, the author is also a strong advocate for king- For The Future. For more information about salmon conservation, believing that catch-and-release is a remarkably effective but often underutilized Soldotna Hardware and Fishing, visit www. tool that, when done right, can provide fishing opportunity as well as big-fish protection. You can reach soldotnahardware.com. To learn more about him with your questions or comments by emailing [email protected] or by going to fishforthefuture. non-divisive, wild king salmon conservation, net for more information. visit www. fishforthefuture.net.

4040 FishAlaskaMagazine.com FishAlaskaMagazine.com May May 2020 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 41 This platinum Kenai hen was the very first king the author ever landed while backbouncing a circle hook. The Gamakatsu Octopus Circle was tied in the classic Kenai “hangback-amputee” style.

A chrome-bright Togiak hen succumbs to the author’s latest hangback-circle rig.

4242 FishAlaskaMagazine.com FishAlaskaMagazine.com MayMay 20202020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 43 Gamakatsu’s Nautilus Circle allowed the author to bring this backbounced Togiak king to hand without fear of mortally wounding the colorful buck.

It’s the third week of July in 2017 and I’m backbouncing a roe-laden Thin Twin with four ounces of lead just above Poacher’s Cove while my partner Coley Gentzel, is diligently stroking the oars to thread his driftboat precisely down a fishy, soft seam. My rod is the only one fishing as Coley had already harvested a mid-20s buck with a backtrolled plug at Sunken Island earlier that afternoon. I often quip that fishing with one rod is like pissing in the ocean. That sentiment is particularly acute this day because I’m committed to trying something strangely unconventional for backbouncing. Moreover, Coley is skeptically unconvinced about the wisdom of my choice in rigging the classic, time-honored presentation. Why? You see, this was my first attempt to backbounce Kenai kings with a circle hook rigged hangback style. Based on my positive prior experiences trolling for kings using herring rigged with hangback circles, I was finally ready to bring the concept to an in-river application. Just as we’re sliding into the money zone, an eager king grabs my offering. I instantly freeze, waiting patiently for the rod to load up in my grasp. Tug…tug…tug…pause… tug…tug…pause...and down goes the rod tip. As it folds into the butt section, I promptly reel into the bite. YEEHAW! FISH ON! Patience pays off as I’m fast attached to an underwater missile. The fish makes a couple of short runs, but mere seconds later the tension is abruptly gone…FISH OFF! The utter disappointment is palpable. King bites on the Kenai typically don’t come easy. My partner is dumbfounded that I even hooked that fish, but at the same time, I sense he is also expecting me to immediately ditch the circle hook after the discouraging loss…at the very least re-rig out 44 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 45 of respect for his stellar increasingly demand the effort on the oars. release of king salmon in Undeterred, I re-bait these times of diminished my hangback-circle rig, Chinook productivity, and get right back into it’s vital that participants the game. Coley dutifully adopt techniques to rows back upriver a small maximize survival of their distance through the released kings. frog water, and we make Make no mistake another short pass into about it, every study has the money zone. I’m shown that the site of bouncing methodically the hooking wound is through the run when the primary determinant good fortune strikes of release mortality. again. As I’m waiting Virtually all the vital with the patience of Job Hangback circled! It’s all about achieving non-mortal hookups as structures susceptible to for the rod to load, line shown with this Gamakatsu Nautilus Circle. a mortally hemorrhagic is suddenly screaming hooking wound reside off the reel. This time the hook gains a solid purchase that’s inside the fish’s mouth…particularly the ventral aorta, the gill secure to the bitter end of the wild battle. As I slide the mid-20s arches, and the convergence of these highly vascular structures at platinum hen toward the shallows, I’m able to readily grasp her the base of the tongue. Logically, the best way to avoid mortally by the tail. wounding a fish is to prevent the hook from ever entering its Upon inspecting the hooking site, I was absolutely convinced mouth in the first place. I’ve spent the past 16 years refining there was no way she was coming off. The 7/0 Gamakatsu and advocating “hangback” rigging to significantly reduce the Octopus Circle Hook penetrated the superior maxillary gutter incidence of mortal hooking wounds by design. In my personal and had completely encircled the bony maxilla (upper jaw). experience over thousands of documented encounters, rigging But more importantly, this uber-secure hookup was achieved hangback style results in greater than 95% of jaw hookups where without inflicting a mortal hooking wound, allowing me to the hook is NOT taken into the mouth. Such hookups have the safely release the fish unharmed. added benefit of making the hook infinitely more accessible for Predictably engineering these encounters to produce non- removal and expeditious release of the fish. mortal hooking wounds is my sole impetus for rigging my gear Among the popular techniques employed to successfully in this manner. As angling ethics evolve, and as regulations catch in-river kings, the one understandably most susceptible

46 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.comFishAlaskaMagazine.com 4747 The gap of a 7/0 Nautilus Circle is effectively identical to Gamakatsu’s standard 5/0 Octopus J-hook.

to inflicting a potentially mortal hooking wound is backbouncing bait. While it doesn’t happen often, it’s just heartbreaking when it does. Despite my best intentions, backbouncing remains one of those presentations where even a well-rigged Kenai hangback amputee can be swallowed. After several years of personal trial, the hangback circle has emerged as my definitive remedy. And here’s why. Widespread use of circle hooks originated in commercial longline fisheries primarily to increase retention rates after hookup and secondarily to reduce bycatch mortality. They first gained recreational acceptance while fishing bait with stationary presentations to reduce the incidence of gut- and gill-hooking. In this traditional application, the hook is rigged in a manner to encourage the fish to ingest both the bait and the hook. As the fish swims away, the circle hook is safely drawn back out of the throat and ultimately pins the corner of the fish’s mouth from the inside out. In contrast, with my hangback approach, the fish is permitted to take the bait…but the hook is rarely taken into the mouth. Nearly all the hookups are from the outside in by design. While the entire outer edge of a salmon’s lip/jaw line can produce solid hookups, most will occur in or around the maxillary plate. When Mr. King finally commits to your backbounced offering, it’s almost always an abrupt lateral take. At that crucial moment, your bait is inside the mouth, but the hangback hook is dangling just outside the mouth off its downstream side. It’s critical to wait, wait, wait for the fish to turn sideways before reacting to the strike. Immediately put your reel in gear, but resist the overwhelming compulsion to strike back! The instant your king is broadside to the flow, it will promptly be pushed downriver to engage the hook, deeply loading your rod against the full weight of the fish and the current. That’s your definitive signal to strike back….or simply reel into the bite. Either way, he’s yours! Now let’s suppose instead that the circle hook is inadvertently swallowed by a giant king in one of those exceptional cases while you are waiting for the rod to fully load. Fear not! As the fish turns broadside and is pushed downriver, the mechanics of the classic circle hookup would simply proceed in traditional inside-out fashion as previously described above, resulting in a non-mortal hookup in the corner of the mouth. Mission accomplished! Gamakatsu has long been my preferred hook manufacturer, and the company makes several styles of circle hooks appropriate for this technique: a traditional straight-eye circle, an up-eye Octopus circle, and the newer-style Nautilus circle. I’m partial to the Nautilus circle due to its shorter shank, unique fish-retaining bend, and my extensive personal experience using this style for sockeye salmon for the past nine seasons. Choice of hook size is largely personal preference, but keep the size of your quarry in mind. I lean toward a size capable of fully encircling the width of the maxillary plate but not so large a gap that it could take out an eyeball. This early in the game, a 7/0 Nautilus suits my preferences for targeting kings. For reference, it has a gap comparable to the classic

Gamakatsu’s circle-hook choices include (left to right) Nautilus, Octopus, and In-Line styles.

48 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 49 HOW TO PREPARE A HANGBACK CIRCLE RIG

Tie an 8” Surgeon’s Loop knot, trim the tag close, and thread the loop through your attractors.

Tie a second Surgeon’s Loop knot creating a 2-3” terminal loop.

Loop a circle hook onto the end.

Finished hangback circle rig ready to be baited up.

50 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 51 Open a space between the two your preferred combination of attractors and end with a memorable Togiak hen I hooked at Slattery Hill made recurrent terminal beads and place your couple of small beads. Note that with some spinning bobbers power sprints up and downriver that briefly left me slack-lined bait (or faux bait—the giant yarnie (Spin-N-Go, Flash & Spin Cheater) you may need to ream multiple times as I tried desperately to get the fish back on the reel. simulates an egg cluster here) between the exposed strands. out the hole to ensure they can spin easily on the double line. Despite the giant trailing loop of superline and completely losing Tie a second Surgeon’s Loop knot below the beads, creating a rod contact each time, the barbless Nautilus circle held firm until terminal loop of a couple inches. Loop your circle hook into the crazy-hot fish was finally brought to hand. I also discovered that place to finish the rig. You’ll see that all the attractor elements fresh Togiak chums could also be taken this way, but they were a bit are stacked free-sliding on the double line between the two more difficult to consistently stick because of their hesitancy to turn knots. Slide the terminal beads apart exposing a length of downriver after striking. the doubled leader. Place a bait of eggs between the strands, I returned to bounce the Kenai later that month with no bait for and slide everything back together toward the terminal knot. two bites without hooking either fish. VOILA! Aggregating all three seasons produced 26 bites, 21 hooked, and At this point in the article, I’m certain the skeptical Doubting 18 landed. That works out to 69% of the bites resulting in hookups, Thomas among you is thinking, “Yeah…Sounds good in and 86% of the hookups were brought to hand. I don’t know about theory, Francis, but does it work in real life?” The premise is so you, but I’ve been fishing kings long enough that I’d take those stats 5/0 Gamakatsu Octopus. I pinch the barbs on all my circles not just to facilitate ease of out of the comfort zone that the mind understandably repels ANY day! Moreover, not a single fish was mortally wounded along penetration, but also because a barbless circle hook retains better than a barbed J-hook the idea outright, enough that nobody fishing with me would the way. and being barbless, is easier to remove and does less damage to fish being released. dare to even try! Not one! So how did it go? Admittedly, it’s still a relatively limited sample racked up with Rigging hangback circles is easily accomplished with a few tying variations. The easiest My inaugural 2017 trial bouncing bait for Kenai kings with just one rod over a handful of trips, but I’m hopeful the innovation transition from traditional rigging is to simply substitute an Octopus circle when tying one lonely rod ultimately resulted in four bites, four hookups, at least piques your interest from both a conservation and efficacy the classic Kenai hangback amputee, leaving a few inches between the amputated shank and three kings brought to hand using the hangback Octopus perspective. I know it’s been enough to keenly pique mine and I and the hook. If you choose a straight-eye circle, just remember to tie it so the leader circle. During my 2018 trip, hangback Nautilus circles fully intend to stick it out in the coming years to further validate exits the hook eye on the same side as the hook point. The resulting off-axis attitude of produced identical results on the Kenai without bait…four the preliminary findings. If you enjoy backbouncing for kings the hook is a key element to producing more consistent hookups. bites, four hooked, three landed. During this time, two more (especially when bait is allowed) I sincerely encourage you to give Another ridiculously simple but innovative rigging option is the loop method. In kings were also landed with hangback circles backtrolling this method a try. It may well be the next new technique adopted a no-bait application, it only requires tying a single Surgeon’s Loop knot. Fashion with a jet diver while giving my wrist a break from bouncing. by king junkies everywhere. a Surgeon’s Loop a couple inches long and trim the tag close. Stack your preferred This is an application that logically makes perfect sense as attractor combination of hoochie, beads, drift bobber(s), and/or wings above the knot Slide your attractors the mechanics of the take and hookup are identical in both down to secure and loop your circle hook into place. presentations. the bait and you’re This past July I backbounced for Togiak kings with bait, Francis V. Estalilla, MD has avidly fished the Kenai River since 1974. If using bait, a simple modification to the loop method gets you in the game. Tie a ready to fish! Surgeon’s Loop about 7-8 inches long. Pinch the apex of the loop and thread it through significantly bolstering the sample size…16 bites, 13 hooked, “Treading lighter on the resource” is a recurring theme in his published 12 landed for the hangback Nautilus circle. An exceptionally works.

52 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 53 Big, bright kings like this one are suckers for a well-presented plug.

JD Richey’s plug selection, as seen hanging in his boat last season in southwest Alaska.

latent feeding response. Yes, salmon are programmed to quit When flatlining, you are using the lures without lead, relying behind the boat, which allows you to better navigate them eating once they hit freshwater but I think sometimes instinct on their diving abilities to get them to the bottom by slowly through snaggy zones. Additionally, kings are more likely to is a hard thing to completely overcome. backing them downstream. It works best in shallower sections strike when confronted with a “wall” of plugs bearing down Second, and perhaps more important, is the big fish’s of river with modest current and 8- to 20-foot-deep flats, in on them. If you’re looking to target the instinctive need to clear the path of all potential competition particular, are perfect for this technique. Use a kicker motor or the oars to slip downriver at a rate biggest, baddest king salmon in to ensure he gets the best spawning habitat and fattest ladyfish. On rivers that feature a lot of deep holes and slower water, that’s approximately ¼- to ½ of the current’s speed. The right the river this summer, backtrolling This makes Mr. Big extremely grumpy and aggressive to anyone backbouncing is the ticket. The idea here is to use just enough backtrolling speed is important—slip downstream too fast and who has the misfortune of getting in his way. A plug that lead to get your lure down near—but not anchored to—the your lures will rise up off the bottom and away from the fish. plugs is the way to go. comes wiggling into his water space could be misconstrued as bottom. The sinker keeps the bait in the strike zone as you Slip downstream too slowly and you won’t cover much water. a competing jack salmon or an egg-eating Dolly and is often work the lures slowly downstream. Salmon typically face upstream, and the objective here is to put When you look at the largest kings of the year on any given met with a swift and violent response. Since fish don’t have the wiggling, throbbing lures right in their faces. Keep an eye on river, chances are they were caught on plugs. To understand why fists, the attack is of the full-frontal variety: powerful jaws and Flatlining the rod tips—a lack of action may indicate the lure is snagged these lures are the keys to the big boy’s hearts, we first need to get sharp teeth mashing, smashing and ripping. Start by positioning the boat slightly upstream of where you or has some debris on it. inside their heads. Hopped up on spawning hormones, jumbo So, we’ve established why plugs work; now let’s take a look think the fish are holding and let the lines out 40- to 70 feet male Chinook have a lot going on. Their bodies are changing at all the nuts and bolts of how to fish them for Fiat-sized (keep them close if the water is off color or shallow and go Backbouncing from saltwater mode to fresh and they are full of territorial kings. longer in deeper or clearer water). Without weight, the plugs For this style of plug pulling, you’ll need to tie a three-way swivel aggression. That’s where plugs come into the equation. will simply float on the surface until you engage the reels. to the end of your mainline and then attach a 12- to 30-inch On one hand, Mr. Big just spent the past several years in the Backtrolling Click the reels into gear and the water tension on the plugs dropper line to the second eye and a 4- to 6-foot leader (40- to ocean doing almost nothing but chasing silvery baitfish around, The two main ways to present a plug to river salmon while will force them to dive and start wobbling. By using line- 60-pound-test monofilament) to the last eye. The plug goes on so the wiggling action of one of these lures probably solicits a backtrolling from a boat are flatlining and backbouncing. counter reels, you can keep all the plugs at the same distance the other end of the leader and a cannonball sinker is fastened

5454 FishAlaskaMagazine.com FishAlaskaMagazine.com May May 2020 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 55 The Strike One of the most difficult aspects of plugging for salmon is having the patience to let the rod load up when a fish bites. When a huge king starts wailing on your plug, it takes almost superhuman resolve to not set the hook—but you’ve got to hang tough. Set too quickly and you’ll be lucky to land one out of every 10 bites you get. A classic takedown starts with a thump and then the rod tip will dip a couple times and then lay over. Wait until it really loads up before doing anything. Until you get the concept down, it’s not a bad idea A naked plug will get bit, but you really up the to keep the rods in the holders when you are flatlining; that way, attractiveness by adding a sardine fillet to the belly. you’ve got a built-in delayed response time to help you from pulling the trigger too soon. When bouncing, the same methodology applies—wait until the rod is buried before setting the hook. to the dropper. The dropper should be of a lighter pound-test The initial contact of the sinker on the riverbed is crucial. If than the leader so it breaks off if the sinker gets caught in the you don’t feel the “thud” of the cannonball hitting the bottom Wigglers rocks. That way, you don’t lose the plug too. in pretty short order, reel up and try again. Often what Now, let’s get acquainted with the types of lures that give you the best shot at a big Once you’re set up in a good spot, drop the sinkers down happens is the angler misses the sensation of the lead hitting Chinook. Banana-shaped plugs like Kwikfish and Flatfish are my mainstays. to the bottom and then reel up a couple cranks so that the the bottom and keeps letting line out…and out…and out… When flatlining, my all-time favorite plug for Alaskan kings is the Yakima Bait A sardine-wrapped plug starts throbbing. As the boat drops slowly downstream, when in reality the sinker is already in the rocks and the boat Company Mag Lip in the 5.0 size, followed by the larger Hawg Nose Flatfish. These Mag Lip 5.0 proved to keep checking for the bottom. Reel up or free spool more line passes over the whole rig as the boat slides downstream. two lures almost always run true straight out of the box and dive as deep as 20-plus be too much for this king as necessary to keep the lure following the contours of the feet in the right situation. They also feature “skip-beat” action, meaning that they to resist. Notice the heavy bottom...so it stays “in the zone.” occasionally break from their normal wiggle pattern and swing hard right or left for 60-pound-test leader.

56 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 57 light conditions and stained water, black and chartreuse is a good bet.

Tuning the Plug It’s extremely important to check the lure’s action before you send it into the depths. A plug that’s not properly tuned will severely reduce your chances of hooking up. To give your lure a tune up, drop it into the water next to the boat and pull it against the current with the rod. Watch

If you want big kings, big, wiggling plugs are the way to go!

a second. That erratic action really seems to trigger strikes. On smaller/shallower rivers, I will run the smaller Mag Lip 4.5 as well as Luhr Jensen K15 Kwikfish, which both dive well and stay down in reasonably fast current. When backbouncing, I prefer plugs that don’t dive as deeply as the ones mentioned above. Because I’m using lead to get the lure near the bottom, I don’t have to rely on the plug’s diving abilities. And, if it’s a situation that calls for bouncing, that probably means that the hole is fairly slow moving and that’s where I prefer a plug with a wider wiggle. Lures like the T-50, T-55 and massive T-60 Flatfish aren’t great divers on their own but they have lots of action in slow water. Luhr Jensen’s K16 Kwikfish is also good in these spots. As far as plug colors for kings go, the chrome/chartreuse bill is the number one all-time producer. While you could confidently fish out the rest of your days with that one, it doesn’t hurt to have a few other patterns on board to throw at the fish when the bite’s tough. In low, clear water I like metallic pink and metallic blue. Straight gold or gold/ chartreuse works well on cloudy days, The old standby plug color, silver while white/pink and copper seem to and chartreuse, worked its magic fish well when the water’s cold. For low- on this king.

58 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 59 I’ll use a wide chunk of sardine because the bulk of the plug can handle the extra size and weight of a bigger sardine fillet. In fast water, where plugs have to be perfectly tuned, a narrow piece of bait works best—especially if you’re fishing smaller stuff like the 4.5 Mag Lip, and M2 Flatfish.

Gearing Up The rod you use for backtrolling plugs has a major influence on your success rate. The ideal stick will have a very soft tip section to Sardine fillets should be centered on the allow the plug to properly work. Plus, a soft plug so the lure’s action isn’t compromised. tip also gives the fish a chance to munch on In some Chinook fisheries, treble hooks aren’t legal. Be sure to check the regs. the lure without feeling a lot of resistance, and that’s huge. Kings will chew on plugs for what seems like an eternity and if you’re using how it swims. If the plug pulls off to one side or the other, Sardine Wraps a broomstick, they’ll sense something’s wrong take a set of needle nose pliers and turn the line attachment Where bait is legal, adding a sardine fillet to the belly of the plug and spit out your offering before you can sink screw the direction you want it to swim. For plugs with a and holding it there with stretchy thread—a “sardine wrap”— a hook into them. fixed eyelet (rather than a screw, i.e. X-series Kwikfish, Mag will greatly improve the number of takes you get. While the That being said, you also need a rod that’s Lip), you can bend the eyelet slightly. You may over-correct a wobbling action of the lure alone will draw plenty of strikes, got some power to it. When Mr. Big comes few times until you get it right, but that’s okay. Keep working you can take your game to the next level with the addition of a calling, you’re going to need enough power in on it until the lure tracks straight and true. fresh, oily sardine fillet. the lower ⅔ of the blank to be able to put If you absolutely can’t get the plug to run straight, toss it in Sometimes, your sardine fillet may be causing the plug to act some pressure on him. There are a bunch of the trash and start with a new one. I’d say one out of about funny so make sure it’s properly seated on the lure and centered. good models out there, of which my favorite every 15-plus plugs runs just right and catches fish. To keep Generally speaking, I’ll make my fillets about as long as the is the Douglas Outdoors LRS 835M which a tally on which plugs are fishing best, carve a small notch distance between the bill of the plug and the belly eyelet. In seems to be perfect blend of flex and power. into the back or underside of the bill every time it catches a most situations, I will place the sardine so that about ⅓ of it is Silver/chartreuse and variations on that theme are the most In the reel department, keep it simple. salmon. Pretty soon, you’ll see which ones are your superstars forward of the belly eye. popular king plug patterns. Be sure to check regs to see if treble You’ll need a good, quality level wind with and which ones need to be benched. With big plugs like K16 Kwikfish fished in slower water, hooks are legal. an excellent drag system. Also, a line-counter

60 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 61 The author’s son, Cooper Richey, with a nice Togiak River king caught on a plug.

device is helpful so you can keep track of where everybody’s lures are. Shimano’s Tekota series has been pretty bulletproof for me and I also like the Daiwa Lexa series, both of which come in line-counter models. For both flatlining and backbouncing, I like braid for my main line. It’s strong, durable and very sensitive. Braided line also has a small diameter, which means you can get more of it on your reel— an important factor when big kings are the target. Thin-diameter mainline also allows plugs to dive deeper if flatlined, and requires less lead when backbounced. Chinook aren’t very line shy in most situations, so I’ll go heavy on my leaders when plugging. I rarely use anything lighter than 40-pound-test monofilament and typically go with 50- or even 60-pound-test in all but the lowest water conditions.

JD Richey is a full-time fishing guide and author of several books and countless magazine articles on fishing. He can be reached through his website, fishwithjd.com.

62 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 63 Flies in blue/chartreuse are sometimes very effective for kings. © George Krumm

Story by George Krumm

A confession is in order: I’ve been a swinger for many years. for kings. I loaded up several of my two-handers, a bunch of flies But last year, with much trepidation and reluctance I began and sink tips. I caught Chinook swinging flies, as expected, but stripping as well. I ended up catching many more by stripping flies with a single- I hope you’ll pardon the pun—it’s not what you think! hand rod. When I think of flyfishing for Chinook, swinging flies for One evening last year I fished with James Johnson of Katmai them has always been my preferred method. Looking back, Trophy Lodge on a Bristol Bay river for kings. It was a little early it makes sense, because some of the rivers I’ve fished for them in the season for big numbers of fish, but as it turns out, I hit it have good swinging water, and there’s no denying I’d rather just right because very shortly after my trip, water levels in many fish big water and big flies with a two-handed rod rather than streams were unusually warm and low, making for tough fishing. a single-hand rod. I enjoy the whole mentality and pace of We fished a few different runs that afternoon. I wanted to The author with a small Bristol Bay-area king. swing fishing, as well as the casting involved. It’s comfortable. swing as that’s my comfort zone for kings, and James put me on Kings this size were common last year. It’s satisfying. It is effective, too. some good water. The first hole didn’t produce on the swing, but © George Krumm Last year I made a trip out to the Bristol Bay region to flyfish after fishing through the good water twice, James suggested we

6464 FishAlaskaMagazine.com FishAlaskaMagazine.com MayMay 20202020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 65 hop in the boat and have me cast into the wood along the far bank, stripping flies back to the boat. It reminded me a little of bass fishing. I’d make a 30-foot cast into a likely pocket behind a root wad or at the end of a long log, and strip it back. Inside, I was thinking it was pointless and wanted to get it over with so I could get back to swinging. About halfway down the run and after several casts into likely water, I felt a “tick” in between strips and lifted the rod to set the hook. I saw my fly come out of the depths and at the same time, saw a small king turn back into the wood. James explained, “You have to strip-set these fish, George.” He’d said it before we started fishing, too; I made a mental note to do it. We ran farther up the river after that, and as we approached one run we saw a couple fish roll. It was a good hole to swing. James suggested I take the lower end, just above where the fish were rolling. As I settled into the methodical groove I so enjoy, fish continued to roll, and moments later I felt a tap. I waited, but the fly continued its swing. Not moving, I stripped in the running line, executed a downstream Perry poke, and fired it back out there. Halfway through the swing the line came tight. The rod bucked once, twice and line began to peel off of the Cascapedia. Fish On! The fish left the hole, and we hopped in the boat to chase it down. We landed that low-20s chromer in the next hole down. Swinging for kings with two-handed rods is probably the way most fly anglers targeting Chinook fish for them. It is a very effective and enjoyable way to catch them. Though swinging can be done with single-hand rods, two- handers make it much easier to cast the heavy sink tips and flies that are usually necessary. I like rods in the 12- to 13- foot range for kings, with two of my favorites being the 13-foot Echo King in 9-weight for kings up to 30 pounds, and the 13-foot, 10-weight if fishing in places where the likelihood of hooking fish over 30 pounds is high. Another favorite of mine where large kings aren’t common is the Pieroway Renegade 12-foot, 9-weight. The rivers I fished last year aren’t known for producing big numbers of fish over 30 pounds, so I used the light-in-hand, easy-to- maneuver Pieroway a lot. Both of these rods, matched with appropriate shooting heads, have no trouble launching heavy sink tips and big flies out into king water. Though I frequently use click-and-

66 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 67 pawl reels like the Hardy Perfect for urge to set the hook as soon as you feel trout, even large trout and steelhead something. You’ll usually wind up with that might exceed 15 pounds, I prefer a swing and a miss, if you do. Instead, my king fly reels to have a reliable, wait as long as it takes to have steady, strong drag. Kings pull hard, and have deep weight on the line. Often the fish a lot of stamina. A good drag is helpful, will hook themselves if you let them. especially if you’re fortunate enough to Once you have “the deep pull,” you can hook into several fish in a day. Some reels set the hook by pulling the rod towards that I’ve had success with include the the downstream bank. I do this just to Hardy Cascapedia 8/9, the Redington further tighten the line. At that point Grande 7/8/9, and the Redington the fish is usually well hooked. Behemoth 9/10. What these reels have I never wanted to be a stripper. It just in common is a great drag, and plenty seemed like something no self-respecting of capacity—I like to have at least 150 king angler would do. However, it’s yards of 30-pound-test Dacron backing deadly effective in the right situations, on my king reels in addition to the and fun, too! If you’ve ever fished big running line and Skagit head. streamers in rivers for big brown trout Regarding Skagit heads, I used the in the Lower 48, you already know the Airflo Skagit Compact in 630 grains mechanics of this technique. It’s very with the Echo King, and an OPST similar by outward appearances, but Commando in 475 grains for the you’ll be hooking king salmon that Pieroway Renegade. There are many could weigh upwards of 30 pounds! I Skagit heads on the market today and was astonished at how effective it was most will work fine as long as they have this year. I’ve been converted. the grains-per-foot to cast the heavy I used nine-foot, single-hand fly rods sink tips and big flies we use for kings. in 9- and 10-weight. Long casts aren’t When swinging, you’ll typically be really needed with this technique—60 using a T-material sink tip ranging from feet would be a very long cast. But you T-14 to T-20, depending on the depth do need a rod that can punch a heavy and speed of the water you’re fishing. fly accurately into small targets at Typical sink tip lengths are from 10- ranges from 25- to 50 feet. The rod also to 13 feet, again dictated by the depth needs to have enough power in the butt and speed of the water you’re fishing. section to put the heat on big, strong During last year’s low water, I used 10 king salmon hooked in and around feet of T-14 most of the time. woody structure. This year, I used the Presentation while swinging is affordable 9-foot Echo Boost and Echo generally simple. Most anglers use the Boost Salt rods in 9- and 10-weight and classic wet-fly swing. Cast across, or they performed admirably. They have down and across, mend if necessary all the characteristics needed to employ to achieve depth, and let the fly swing this technique. through the water. You can vary the The reels I mentioned for swinging swing speed and depth by leading your work just fine for this application, too. fly line with the rod tip (to speed up the Regarding fly lines, last year I used swing), or following the fly line with the out-of-production Scientific Anglers the rod tip (to slow down the swing). Streamer Express lines in 300- and 350 You don’t want the fly dragging on the grains. Though these lines are out of bottom, but rather, swimming along a production, there are still some around. foot or two above bottom. The other line I used for stripping Speaking of flies, any big, large- was the Scientific Anglers Sonar Titan profile, Intruder-type fly will work, tied Intermediate/Sink 3/Sink 6 (WF-9-S either on shanks or tubes. A multitude of and WF-10-S). All of these lines were colors will work; I like pink, chartreuse, made for throwing big streamers. They and blue/black or purple/black flies. make the Sonar Titan line in other sink Some patterns that have stood the test rates, such as Intermediate/Sink 3/Sink of time, and which are available in 5 and Intermediate/Sink 3/Sink 7, and many fly shops are Guide Intruders and they could be useful too depending Jumbo Critters. If you tie your own, the upon the water you’re fishing. Although options are wide open. I didn’t try it this year, the Teeny T-300, The bite while swinging varies. It T-400, and TS-350 lines might work can be a hard yank and off to the races, well for stripping, too. but that isn’t typical. Often it’s a dull Regardless of the fly line you’re using, thump followed by weight, and maybe a 20-pound-test fluorocarbon leader some throbbing of the rod. Or it might will generally suffice. The length will be a tap, then another tap, then heavy vary depending on depth of the water weight. In any situation, resist the being fished, but four- to six feet will 68 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 69 A swung blue/chartreuse Jumbo Critter was more than this tide-fresh Chinook could resist. © George Krumm

generally work. You don’t want too long a leader—the fly line is what is taking the fly down to depth, so a long leader negates the ability of the fly line to get the fly down. The two leader materials I used while stripping for kings last year were Seaguar STS Fluorocarbon and Seaguar Red Label. P-Line CFX Fluorocarbon or P-Line SS Fluorocarbon would also probably work well. In a recent phone conversation, Katmai Trophy Lodge guide John McCloskey said, “Any big streamer fly you tie for browns, but in pink or chartreuse, is money for stripping kings.” I couldn’t agree more. A big, long profile, that breathes and pulsates, combined with the slight fall you get between strips due to lead eyes, is a combination kings hunkered down in the wood can’t resist. Some that I used this year include the pink Guide Intruder (this one does double duty, being both a great swing pattern as well as excellent stripping pattern), and some of Katmai Trophy Lodge guide Kodie Kowitz’s custom “strip-truders” in chartreuse/pink and blue/ chartreuse. Many of Kodie’s flies are articulated, and as such they move exceptionally well in the water. As with swinging, a size 1 or 1/0 Octopus-style hook is a good choice. One day last year Dennis “Sammy” Saam and I fished with Kodie for what might have been the best day of flyfishing for king salmon I’ve experienced. We caught fish swinging flies as well as stripping. We’d swing a run, maybe do it twice if we felt it was merited, then get in the boat and strip through the pockets we couldn’t fish well by swinging. Then we’d work our way down the river, Kodie on the sticks, while Dennis and I rapid-fired casts toward the bank, Katmai Trophy Lodge guide John McCloskey battles a king hooked on the swing using a Pieroway Renegade in the holes in the woody structure, alongside wood, and anything 12-foot, 9-weight two-hander. © Micah Walker deep enough that we couldn’t see bottom. And we spanked ‘em. We

70 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 71 hooked about twice as many fish stripping as we did swinging; that’s when I decided I’d be a stripper as well as a swinger. There was no denying the effectiveness of the technique. We pulled fish out of the wood that we couldn’t reach while swinging. We pulled fish out of little pockets of holding water that weren’t conducive to getting out of the boat to swing. We hooked them in little pockets of deep water you might normally pass by. I used one of Kodie’s pink strip-truders with a chartreuse head, and Dennis used an orange one. At the end of the day, Dennis said he’d never seen anything According to Katmai Trophy Lodge guide John McCloskey, “Black/ Purple is an absolute must for the kings we have on the Naknek River. like what we did that day. For kings, I certainly hadn’t. I love this fly on a tube and the sonic cone makes it a little sweeter I think I landed between 20- and 25 kings myself that although it doesn’t get down as fast as flies tied with dumbbell eyes. day, and that was by noon when the fog burned off, This fly works great in shallow riffles where heavier flies would get hung the sun came out and shut down the bite. Interestingly up.” Tied by Micah Walker. © Micah Walker enough, several decent rainbows also took the fly while stripping. A heavy dose of ibuprofen was needed that night to still the pain in my wrist and forearm. Katmai Trophy Lodge guide John McCloskey states, “This is one of The stripping presentation could be done from shore, my favorite flies for the king swing! It continually gets grabs from but it would require much longer casts, and because aggressive fish and the dumbbell eyes, although tough to cast, you can’t see the structure well, you’ll probably end really get this fly down with some T-20.” Flies like this will work while up losing lots of flies. Plus, being anchored in place, stripped, too. © Micah Walker drag will affect the fly, pulling it out of the water and moving it too fast. Stripping from the boat works much better. You’re standing above the water, so you can see the structure and can cast into holes in it. Note also that the whole presentation works better while someone is rowing, rather than anchored. The rower positions the boat within easy casting distance (35- to 40 feet) and rows just enough to let the boat slowly slide downstream. Anglers cast across, or across and slightly downstream, into any fishy-looking pockets. The fly is allowed to sink briefly, then retrieved in foot-long strips, with about a second between strips. Strip. Strip. Strip. This is very active fishing. You need to always be looking and thinking about the structure you’re approaching, and planning the next cast. Because the boat is slowly slipping down the river, drag doesn’t influence the fly’s motion. On the pause between strips, it drifts downstream at current speed while slowly falling a little in the water column. This triggers a lot of bites. The bite will usually register as a tap in between strips. Don’t set the hook by lifting the rod. Just keep stripping! Sometimes the fish will hit the fly two- or three times before it ends up being hooked. Sometimes you’ll see the fish slash at the fly; other times you won’t. But if there are kings in the river and they’re tight to woody structure, I know of no other fly technique that is nearly as effective.

These two techniques are the most consistent methods I know of to hook kings on flies. Prior to last year, I wasn’t interested in using any fly-rod technique for kings other than swinging. Last year, though I caught fish both by swinging flies and stripping, I caught far more stripping. I’m not embarrassed at all to say I’m now a stripper as well as a swinger, when it comes to flyfishing for Chinook salmon in rivers.

Here’s a sweet little squadron of Intruders tied by Micah Walker. Tube flies are great for swinging (the purple/black one), but flies tied George Krumm is Editor of both Fish Alaska and on a shank with a stinger hook certainly have their place, for both Hunt Alaska magazines. He can be reached at swinging and stripping. © Micah Walker [email protected].

72 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 73 Fishing out of kayaks versus a traditional powerboat has many benefits. One of the biggest benefits is that I have been able to experiment with a variety of new methods, locations, and seasons. This article shares some of the things we do to catch kings and halibut in lower Cook Inlet during the springtime. It certainly is not the only way to catch these fish and we have lively discussions amongst our friends on the different techniques. But hopefully, it may inspire some new anglers and provide an idea or two to more-experienced anglers participating in what I consider to be a very productive fishery in Cook Inlet.

Springtime is my most-productive season to fish. If I had to pick my favorite month to fish, I would pick May though I have found it productive as early as mid-April. Often it is accessibility that is the problem and not a lack of fish during the early-spring fishery. Snow may not have melted at the traditional launch points to grant access to the Inlet in mid-April.

From late-April through May, feeder king salmon and quality halibut can be found close to shore, making them accessible to kayak anglers. Feeder king salmon are king salmon that are not yet mature, and most don’t originate in Cook Inlet streams. They are using Cook Inlet and Kachemak Bay as feeding grounds. Many of these kings originate from as far south as British Columbia and Washington.

Cook Inlet begins to fill with baitfish this time of year. In addition to sand lance, herring and hooligan enter Cook Inlet to find a place to spawn. The baitfish are often concentrated near the shorelines, drawing not only quantities of fish, but quality fish within range of our kayaks.

Background: A kayaker heads out into the midnight sun at the end of May. Far left: A two-species daily limit is entirely possible for kayakers plying lower Cook Inlet. Center: Ryu Tsukada with a couple of May halibut.

7474 FishAlaskaMagazine.com FishAlaskaMagazine.com MayFebruary 2020 2020 FebruaryMay 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 75 The author with a limit in May from Whiskey Gulch.

Many kayakers prefer to fish from Whiskey Gulch, just north of Anchor Point, as the king salmon conservation zones found in the fishing regulations do not cover the waters directly off the Whiskey Gulch launch area. This means kayakers can fish immediately after launching, versus the more popular launches found at Deep Creek and Anchor Point, which require one to move clear of the conservation zones by traveling several miles away from the launch. The wide variety of bait sizes in the water in the spring means that one can use virtually anything and still hook into some nice fish. We typically fish green- label herring (6-7 inches) as we think it is the best balance between effectiveness and the price per bait. However, the herring and hooligan entering the Inlet are considerably larger. I have caught kings on black-label herring (9-10 inches) as well as blue label (7-8 inches). We rig our herring using two snelled Gamakatsu Big River Bait (BRB) hooks.

76 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 77 We rig our herring using two snelled Gamakatsu Big River Bait (BRB) hooks. If you can’t find the BRB hooks, the traditional Octopus-style hooks work just fine. I like the hook that I insert into the head end of the bait to be larger than the trailing hook, which I typically leave hanging free of the bait. I like a 6/0 to 7/0 top hook with a 4/0 to 5/0 bottom hook. I snell the hooks so the distance between the two hooks is roughly the same length as the bait. I believe a more effective setup for salmon is to snell the hooks about one and a half bait-lengths apart. The “hangback rig,” as it is often referred, has had significantly higher hookup rates, and I frequently use it in the fall in Kachemak Bay. However, when hooking a halibut is a good possibility, I run the hooks closer together. This is due to the difference in how a halibut strikes a trolled bait versus a king. A halibut will engulf a lure by flaring its mouth and creating a vacuum. A salmon will approach a bait from behind but slash at the bait from the side at the last second. With the hangback rig, salmon usually get hooked by the trailing hook. I believe salmon also sometimes strike at the bare, trailing red hook as often I find the trailing hook well inside the mouths of salmon versus in the corner of the jaws as one might expect if the fish were “lined.” Halibut most often have the top hook in the mouth with the trailing hook outside of the mouth. Because we tend to run heavy leaders, I feel the stiffer trailing leader rigged hangback-style makes it more difficult for the halibut to engulf the trailing hook. When we troll for feeder kings, we typically use 40- to 50-pound-test fluorocarbon leaders. Perhaps because the salmon approach the bait from directly behind, they do not seem to be line shy; or maybe it’s just because fluorocarbon is so clear. The heavy leader also makes it much easier to handle the fish near the boat if it is going to be released. Of course, the possibility of hooking a 100-plus- pound halibut makes using a heavier leader more comforting as well. For salmon, my personal preference for lures runs contrary to my “big bait is Top: Eric Lim with a nice Kachemak good” preference. I like to run the Silver Horde Coho Killers in chrome or black Bay king. Above: Ryu Tsukada with a and white that mimic the sand lances. Their effectiveness is not surprising given 40-pound halibut caught on 8-pound- the abundance of sand lances in the area. We have had enough success with either test line. Below: The author’s very first herring or the Coho Killer lures while salmon fishing that we haven’t really gotten kayak king salmon.

78 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 79 The author nets a king salmon for Greta Glotfelty Horn. © Greta Glotfelty Horn

around to trying too many other options metal dodgers in conjunction with 4- to 8 for salmon in Cook Inlet. ounces of weight. For halibut, I think most anglers, when A discussion my son and I have been they think artificial lures, think about having is whether we need a dodger or vertical-presentation lures such as lead- flasher at all. We have caught fish with just head jigs or butterfly-style jigs like the a diver or lead weight and herring when we Crippled Herring. Our primary tactic for felt we had to try to maximize the depth halibut is trolling, though we use herring we needed to fish by minimizing the drag. 90% of the time. On the days we have I have also caught a half-dozen kings using tried to use artificial lures, we have had a 2-ounce trolling weight and just herring the most success trolling Mag Warts and in conjunction with a Barbie-model Kwikfish with lead to help get them down. Shakespeare rod with a molded-in spin- Color doesn’t seem to matter much, but casting reel (we did change the line out). we’ve done best with metallic blue Mag When we prioritize halibut fishing over Warts and chrome Kwikfish. salmon, but we are still targeting both fish, The other piece of hardware that we we remove the flasher/dodger to minimize often use is a flasher or a dodger. When we tangling. When halibut are specifically kayak fish, we tend to use the triangular targeted, we snell 12/0 Gamakatsu Big flashers such as the Big Al’s Fish Flash. River Bait hooks on 150- to 200-pound- The key advantage is that we can attach a test mono leaders on spreader bars to weight directly to the flasher. This allows minimize the tangling. With these big for a longer leader length between the hooks, we sometimes use green-label flasher and bait. I also think it has less drag herring. Other times, we use bigger herring than a more traditional dodger or flasher, like blues, purples or blacks. That halibut and that allows the bait to run deeper. don’t seem to care. However, in this fishery, most of our Unlike salmon which will hit a trolled fishing is done in very shallow water. bait and immediately turn, the halibut I This eliminates the need to minimize have observed in underwater videos will the flasher’s drag. Over 90% of my kings often strike a bait, only to swim along with caught in lower Cook Inlet during the the bait in its mouth. The strike is often springtime have been in water from 15- to missed with the angler completely unaware 30 feet deep. When we were still learning that a large halibut may be on the line. the fishery, we utilized downriggers to Often a smaller halibut will shake its head, better record the depth of our baits. It perhaps trying to cut the baitfish. Larger turned out that most of our salmon strikes fish seem to simply hold on and swim came when our downrigger depth was set along. The habit of halibut not turning between 5- to 10 feet deep. This allows for away once the bait is partially in its mouth the use of virtually any type of flasher or is another reason circle hooks do not seem dodger setup using lead trolling weights. to be as effective while trolling as when I often run the medium- to larger-sized bottom fishing.

80 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 81 Clockwise from left: This 70-pound halibut was caught off of Whiskey Gulch. Nice fish like this are a bona fide possibility for kayakers fishing lower Cook Inlet. Ryu Tsukada with a 40-pound halibut off of Whiskey Gulch in May. Ryu caught this feeder king in Kachemak Bay.

When we detect a “bump” on the line, we will troll for a bit longer to allow for any kings to come back and strike the missed bait. But after 15- to 30 seconds of more trolling, we will stop our forward motion important rule is to always put safety and drop our rod tip back to feed some first. Know the limits of both yourself additional slack in the line. It seems when and your boat. Ensure that you have the the bait loses forward motion, the halibut proper safety and communication gear. will release the bait briefly so that it can Understand the effects of cold water and swallow it further into its mouth. We then air temperature. Understand the currents slowly retrieve any slack line. If we feel in Cook Inlet. Always err on the side of weight or movement, we strike. caution when it comes to weather. File a One of the most enjoyable aspects of float plan with family or friends. this fishery is not knowing if your next The springtime fishery in lower Cook fish will be a king salmon or a halibut, Inlet is a great way to get fresh king salmon two of Alaska’s most-prized species. If and halibut on the dinner plate. Though you can safely fish within a half mile of the productivity of the fishery cycles, it shore during the springtime, you stand an has been a reliable fishery and one that is excellent chance of catching a king salmon, accessible to a large segment of Alaska’s a halibut or both. We have great success anglers. using kayaks. We have seen drift boats without motors anchored up and fishing Rudy Tsukada and his son Ryu are Brand for halibut and kings. Powerboats can be Ambassadors for Alaska Raft and Kayak for launched via tractor at Deep Creek and their line of Hobie kayaks and Kokatat dry Anchor Point. suits. Their kayak fishing videos can be found Regardless of the vessel type, the most at: youtube.com/RudyT.

82 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 83 When king salmon enter fresh water, they consume part of their oil and turn darker, yet are still good to eat, according to the local biologist.

The tide from the Wrangell Narrows had slightly receded allowing obviously been in fresh water for a short time, perhaps the reason for wading access to a huge pool of king salmon that swam just above the aggressive strike and brilliant battle it provided. After dispatching the rapids. I cast a naked egg sack into the current, allowed the the fish and laying it in a shallow pool, I waded into the stream again, bait to drift a few feet and then raised my rod tip to take up slack. looking for another fish. Suddenly, a freight train struck the line and a white rocket jumped We were headquartered at Island Point Lodge in Petersburg, Alaska, five feet above the water. where we had prepared several dozen egg sacks, each with a small, red Mouth agape, I knew I was in for a battle and this powerful, fresh treble hook. The presentation package needed to be small enough to Chinook did not disappoint. The 30-pound-test monofilament entice a bite, yet large enough to avoid ingestion by nuisance sculpins. handled the first run to the far side of the pool, and I reeled quickly Several fishermen at Island Point suggested rigging egg sacks about to keep the big fish from the rapids where the swift current would a foot below a small float, yet I experimented with free-drifting eggs make landing it nearly impossible. with good success. Suddenly, I got a second hit, but quickly realized Luckily, the drag and Ugly Stik absorbed the shock of the powerful that this fish was a jack. Despite its three-pound size it made the reel run and I was able to reel line in preparation for a continued fight. sing several times and eventually became half of my four-fish limit. Standing in thigh-deep water, I Two more casts were met with began to inch toward shore where sculpin bumps, but the third drift I could land the fish, however, stopped suddenly in the grasp of doing so meant walking backwards another jack. This one was smaller among rocks and small boulders. than the previous fish, yet was Maintaining pressure on the fish chrome in color, an indication that was critical and I circled like a it had just entered freshwater. clumsy ballerina working toward the shore while fighting the fish Final Fish during each pirouette. As tidal waters waned, reaching the Nearing a sandy, shallow area deepest part of the pool became where I could tail the fish, it easier. Moving further from shore, zoomed between my legs in a final I was able to cast the unweighted break for freedom. However, the eggs to the head of the current and Ugly Stik held to its unbreakable the drift had barely begun when reputation and I lifted the fish I felt a solid bite. Raising the rod onto the bank. tip, I sensed contact and set the The author had much better hook on another big king. This success drifting eggs rather than Just Getting Started one was not as acrobatic, yet its fishing them under a bobber and Now a decade into Social Security, powerful runs could easily break a scored a double over 28 inches. I’ve fished most of my life, yet I line, especially if the fish managed can’t remember a more thrilling to contact the numerous boulders salmon catch. At 37 inches, the that dotted the stream. male Chinook gave me all the Again, walking backwards was battle I could handle, and only Granddad Bernie Lesky hefts a Petersburg king with his a challenge and I took extra care The author with a small Bristol Bay-area king. perfectly balanced line, rod, and favorite fishers, Jasmine and Nick. After posing for this picture searching for level footing while Kings this size were common last year. reel provided success. Although the trio quickly got back into the action as the incoming tide maintaining pressure on my prize. this fish wasn’t chrome, it had flooded Blind Slough. A day earlier, I hooked a big salmon

8484 FishAlaskaMagazine.com FishAlaskaMagazine.com MayMay 20202020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 85 only to fall on my back twice while landing Timing the Run and everything you need to catch halibut it. When you taste saltwater, you know you Fowler says the return of Chinook salmon and salmon including rods, reels, bait, a 16- are in trouble and I quickly became soaked begins in mid-May when fish begin to foot Lund and 50-horsepower motor. from head to toe as my waders filled with congregate in the saltwater of the Wrangell From mid-May through the end of June, water. After considerable effort I prevailed Narrows. In late May and early June, fish anglers catch fish from saltwater literally in and was delighted to have such a fine catch begin to enter the lower pools of Crystal front of the lodge as well as at the mouth and prospects of great table fare. Creek and by mid-June move further into of Crystal Creek a quarter mile down the the river on their way back to the hatchery. channel. Mature fish range from 20- to 30 A Unique Fishery At this time, fish are still bright and similar pounds and absolutely punish tackle with The Blind Slough offers one of Alaska’s most to their chrome condition in the ocean. powerful runs; a large landing net is needed accessible salmon fisheries. Located 20 miles Later in June and through mid-July fish to get them in the boat. Fishermen find south of Petersburg in the Tongass National begin to change color and become darker. success by trolling herring, mooching baits, Forest and part of the Blind Slough Park, “As fish begin to change, their bodies lose oil and jigging. you’ll find free parking and a boardwalk and their flesh pales from the red color of Although you can stay at motels or to the Blind Slough Rapids where Crystal fresh salmon,” says Fowler, “but they are still other accommodations in Petersburg, Creek flows several miles from the hatchery safe to eat.” fishing from a lodge eliminates the need to the mouth of the Wrangell Narrows. One might consider releasing the small to bring equipment, cook meals, and rent This fishery is unique because it offers a jack salmon that comprise the under-28- transportation. Plus, lodge staff clean, liberal bag limit for king salmon as compared inch portion of the daily limit. However, package, and freeze your catch. to the rest of the state. Technically, at the Fowler says jacks should be harvested. They By the time our group arrived at Island Wrangell Narrows/Blind Slough Terminal are salmon that have returned early to spawn Point Lodge, most fish were in the rivers, Harvest Area the daily limit is two fish over and have not grown to full size. They do although schools of fish commuted from 28 inches and two under. Additionally, these not return to the ocean and will fertilize saltwater to freshwater daily waiting for fish do not count against the state annual bag eggs when possible, perhaps continuing the their biological clocks to engage their spawn limit for king salmon, even for nonresidents. tendency to return to freshwater earlier than mode. Patrick Fowler is the Area Management normal. They should be excellent eating, so Biologist for Alaska Department of Fish don’t throw them back. Much More Difficult than it Looks and Game and explains that these fish are I’ve fished from Island Point Lodge for the all hatchery produced and managed for Island Point Lodge past 20 years and have caught coho salmon Island Point Lodge offers DIY fishing in the heart of an abundance of brood stock. Basically, This summer, our group of eight stayed at from the Blind Slough on several occasions. Petersburg’s salmon and halibut fisheries. After our Despite an abundance of salmon, our visit to the pool above Blind ADF&G calculates the number of salmon Island Point Lodge, a fishing lodge operation However, this was my first effort during the catch, the staff cleaned, packaged and froze fish Slough Rapids held only two fishermen. Rocks are slippery and for the trip home. needed to maintain hatchery operations unique to the area in that it provides Chinook run and I was worried that the run wading can be “dampening.” and anglers are encouraged to harvest the equipment for self-guided fishing. As a had passed. surplus—thus the liberal limit. guest, you get hearty meals, a rustic cabin, After taking a five-minute boat ride across

86 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 87 Orange flies resemble salmon eggs and From mid-May through mid-June, kings can be effective. These are powerful school in saltwater and are most often fish and you’ll want at least 20-pound- caught by trolling herring strips as test leader or tippet. The author had no shown here. breakoffs with this product. the channel, we tied up at a floating dock and then drove an Island Point Lodge vehicle to the Blind Slough Rapids. I’d convinced two friends to join me who were seeking Alaskan Ed Beachley, a novice angler, had adventure but weren’t experienced anglers. diffiut mngn hs da bt fgrd i After parking the van in the main parking out and landed this nice king. lot, we began the walk down the Blind Slough Park boardwalk, and I wondered if there would be fish. What if I convinced my friends to travel from the East Coast and the fish were gone?

Don Wilson caught his first salmon on the trip and ended up limiting. Here he shows a jack and an adult.

88 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 89 A local fisherman had excellent success with Egg Sucking Treated salmon roe is a popular and Leech flies. He placed an orange bead in front of a Woolly productive bait for kings. The lodge Bugger and caught his limit. treated the eggs and we placed them in small mesh sacks so that the eggs OMG!!! stayed on the hook longer and were less Arriving at the upper pool above the rapids, my mouth fell agape. susceptible to bites by smaller fish. The pool looked like a scene from the movie Jaws. Hundreds of dorsal fins bobbed above and below the water as a huge school of Accommodations are readily available in king salmon swam about, often jumping and splashing loudly. town or you can choose a fishing camp like The pool above the rapids was the size of four football fields with Island Point Lodge and combine salmon and modest access on either shore. We had prepared our gear at the halibut fishing with lodge staff cleaning fish lodge, which included a medium-action rod and spinning reel. Line and preparing meals. was either 80-pound-test braid with a 30-pound-test monofilament Fishing licenses are available online at leader or a full spool of 30-pound-test monofilament. ADF&G’s website, and you can choose Previous anglers had success by using a bobber 10 inches above from various lengths of king-salmon stamp an egg sack. The bobber added weight which made the eggs easier purchases. Fishing lodges will freeze and to cast and the short leader kept the bait floating so that it didn’t package your catch so that it can be flown snag on the bottom. home inexpensively, or you can have fish Given the number of fins in front of us, landing the four-fish limit The author poses with one of his four-fish limit. smoked and/or frozen in town. Finally, seemed imminent, however, experience would prove otherwise. The during our visit, we saw black bears searching pool had a steady flow that made casting upstream enticing with for catching kings and the staff emphasized the importance of tidal for salmon, a huge sea lion visited our dock, about a minute’s time for the bait to float by. Conditions seemed movement. “The fresher the fish, the better the bite,” was the consensus. and three orcas passed by the lodge, spouting perfect, yet the fish would not bite. Arriving at the Blind Slough Rapids, looking half a mile downstream, breath to the delight of everyone. For many it seemed impossible that the tide could rise enough to reach the falls. reasons, Petersburg is truly the king of Fly Fishing Paradise A huge boulder marked the first fishable pool as fresh fish arrived and fishing destinations, especially when one While my friends floated eggs, I switched to a fly. I had caught a we hiked toward that water which was gradually expanding with the king is not enough. king salmon on the Alaska Peninsula near Wildman Lake more than rising tide. Along the way, we found salmon bones, an indication that a decade ago and still had the 7- to 9-weight rod, reel, and 200 yards we weren’t the only salmon predators in the area. of backing. Before leaving home, I had a local flyfishing shop nail Locating salmon was easy since they often revealed their dorsal fins knot a length of 20-pound-test fluorocarbon leader to my fly line in the relatively shallow water or jumped seemingly for fun. However, for just this event. My friend, Joe Bruce, had tied me a dozen flies so like their running mates in the higher pools, they weren’t biting. I was eager to make my first cast. As the tide worked its way up Crystal Creek, we began a retreat, The setting seemed perfect for a quick hook-up and itwas… all the while casting and floating eggs. Young Jasmine was the first although not what I expected. On my second cast I began stripping to hook-up and soon battled a 20-pounder onto the shore. Ten feet line when the rod was nearly jerked from my hand and in mere of saltwater would eventually consume our initial fishing spot, so we seconds the leader tore from the fly line. So much for the nail knot. continually retreated up the creek as the incoming tide covered more Joe Byers has been communicating a love of the Without a nail knot tool, I re-rigged using a double fisherman’s knot land. outdoors through text and photography for 40 and was soon casting again. The fly had barely touched the water years. He has fished the four corners of Alaska when a pocket of large kings exploded, and one became snagged Fresh Fish Are the Key and hunted much of the world. A retired in the tail. I brought it to hand and released it as expeditiously as As previously mentioned, “Fresh fish bite best and are more aggressive educator, sharing the excitement, adventure, possible. in their strike,” was the consensus at the lodge and we saw these and passion for the outdoors is homework he Ironically, a local resident was fishing nearby and recognized me elements play out as the tidal water reached the rapids and dozens of loves. from previous trips. He had just landed a mature fish using a bobber fresh salmon raced through the swift water. and a single bead. After a brief chat, he offered to give me an orange A neighboring flyfisherman quickly hooked up and after a lengthy Editor’s note: Though the Blind Slough fly that he used successfully for steelhead, suggesting that it should battle told me that he had created an Egg Sucking Leech by placing an daily freshwater limit for residents is still work well for kings. orange bead in front of a green Woolly Bugger. In the next two hours two Chinook over 28” and two under 28”, Unfortunately, the fly snagged another large salmon. Once he’d catch another and release a third powerful fish. nonresidents have an annual limit of three released, I went back to my spinning gear, but tried free drifting an My friends stayed with the bobber-drifting method, yet I believed kings 28 inches or greater in length, and a egg sack instead of using a bobber. Finally, I got a hit and landed a that free-drifting eggs was a better strategy which proved to be true. harvest record is required. A king salmon good fish, the only catch of the afternoon. After I beached a four-fish limit, my friends removed their bobbers and 28 inches or greater in length harvested immediately had success. by a nonresident counts towards their A Full Day’s Try annual limit and must be recorded on their That evening, another friend and his two grandchildren arrived at Destination Petersburg harvest record. Be sure to check the 2020 the lodge and we made plans for an all-out assault on the Slough the Alaska has many great fishing destinations, yet for liberal limits and regulations, including any Emergency orders next morning. Over hotcakes and sausage, we discussed strategies ease of access, the Blind Slough/Crystal Creek fishery is hard to beat. for this area.

90 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 91 Butter Poached King Crab with Wilted Kale and Quinoa Salad Recipe by Chef Shane Moore, South Restaurant, Anchorage

Makes 4 servings Time: 1 hour

Butter-Poached King Crab 8 oz clarified butter (see note at bottom) 2 to 3 lb wild Alaska king crab Kaffir Lime Lemongrass Broth Wilted Kale and Quinoa Salad Cilantro Ginger Pesto Garnish: Alaska Grown beet sprouts

Kaffir Lime and Lemongrass Broth 1 tsp fresh lime juice and gently toss to coat just before serving. 1 medium Alaska Grown onion Salt and pepper, to taste 1 medium Alaska Grown carrot 2. In a shallow serving bowl per person, 1 stalk Alaska Grown celery Directions: add a ladle or two of kaffir lime broth. Toss 1 bay leaf Kaffir Lime and Lemongrass Broth Wilted Kale and Quinoa Salad with Cilantro ½ tbsp ground turmeric Place all ingredients in a large pot over high Ginger Pesto and divide evenly among 3 garlic cloves heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and bowls. Top with Butter Poached King ½ tbsp black peppercorn let simmer for one hour. Place a fine-mesh Crab and Fennel Orange Salad. Garnish, if 3 stalks lemongrass (split) sieve over a large bowl and strain broth, desired, with Alaska Grown beet sprouts. 1 package or .03 oz kaffir lime leaves discarding solids. Keep broth warm until 3 qt water ready to serve. Note: To make clarified butter, heat 12 ounces unsalted butter in a heavy-duty Wilted Kale and Quinoa Salad Wilted Kale and Quinoa Salad saucepan over low heat until melted. Let 2 c cooked tri-colored quinoa (½ c dry Remove stems from kale and tear leaves into simmer gently until foam rises to the surface. uncooked quinoa) bite-size pieces. Heat oil in a pan and sauté Remove pan from heat and skim foam from 1 c torn Alaska Grown kale leaves garlic one minute or until golden. Turn off the top (discard foam or keep for adding to 1 tbsp minced garlic heat and stir in kale and cooked quinoa. soups, polenta, bread, oatmeal, etc.). Line 1 tbsp olive oil a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth and Cilantro Ginger Pesto place over a bowl. Strain butter, leaving any Cilantro Ginger Pesto Place all ingredients in a blender and purée; solids in the pan. Store clarified butter in 1 bunch cilantro set aside. refrigerator up to several weeks. 1½ tbsp fresh grated ginger 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar Fennel Orange Salad 2 oz (about ¾ c slivered) toasted almonds Combine fennel and orange in a mixing ⅓ c olive oil bowl. Squeeze lime over salad and season Salt and pepper, to taste with salt and pepper; set aside.

Fennel Orange Salad To Serve: 4 oz Alaska Grown fennel, sliced thin 1. Heat clarified butter in a small saucepan 1 orange, segmented and keep warm. Dip cooked crab in butter

92 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 93 May is when anglers in Alaska begin to see the first real signs of the coming summer season. Saltwater fishing is happening from Southeast through Southcentral and Southcentral lakes are ice free, or will be very soon. Now that the weather is getting warmer, take a moment to check out these highlights online before we’re in the heat of the 2020 fishing season. May Highlights at: FishAlaskaMagazine.com Yes, the 2020 Great Alaska Sportsman Show has been postponed, but we’re working with the show to provide updates at FishAlaskaMagazine.com/GASS. As this issue goes to press in late March, we do not have new dates, but look forward to a show as great as or greater than the original show promised in the guide published in the April issue. Keep an eye on our site as well as GreatAlaskaSportsmanShow.com for the latest.

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96 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 97 Making “Friends” Story by Kelly Pinnell

When I fish with my wife I get an entirely different perspective on was doing, when I heard her start to laugh a little. My curiosity the sport. She can find things to enjoy that I wouldn’t consider. was piqued as I moved to shore for an easier walk upstream to For example, she likes to catch salmon, silvers being her favorite, where she was amusing herself. As I got closer, I noticed that and is quite good at it. However, the thing she enjoys most about she had one finger in the water and was tapping it lightly on the salmon fishing is when there is a big school moving by and she surface. Baffled, I took a closer look and realized what she was can stand in the middle of them and feel the fish crashing around doing. her legs. She laughs like a kid every time it happens. Me? I’m the Under her finger was a fat, 16-inch rainbow hovering like it guy trying frantically to tie on a new fly before the school gets was about to strike her finger. Now I started laughing too and past me. asked, “Are you trying to catch it?” She also has a much more relaxed pace. While I’m trying to She turned her head in my direction with a smile that went wring every trout out of the river by pounding the water with from ear to ear and replied, “No, I’m petting them.” casts into anything that looks even remotely promising, she is “You’re kidding.” But she didn’t have to answer. I watched moving along observing her surroundings, only stopping to fish in total disbelief as the trout rose up and let her pet it on the when she “feels” it. Her intuition is usually spot on. I wrote a head. Then I noticed two other trout hanging close by, one a nice book on how to read water to find fish but still don’t know her 18-inch-plus specimen. I didn’t know how to process what I was secret. seeing other than to laugh and shake my head as I moved into She gave a textbook example of this one day while we were position to make a cast at the biggest trout. fishing for fall trout. She was seven months pregnant at the time “What do you think you’re doing?” Her smile turned a little and wasn’t having the easiest time wading the river. To counter devilish with the question. this, she would often walk ahead a little and find a place to rest “Well, I was going to try and catch that trout.” while I fished my way down to her. But every so often she would She laughed as she scolded me, “Nope. These are my friends.” get one of her “feelings” and make her way into the current for “You can’t be serious?” a cast. She was rewarded every time with a nice trout. I don’t She smiled and gave me that sparkle-in-the-eye look, “Not remember her catching one under 20 inches long in a river happening.” where a 25-inch fish would be a trophy. It was spooky. However, After thirty-plus years with this angel of a woman, I’ve learned it’s the sort of thing I’ve grown accustomed to over the years. She when to pick my battles. This was one I wasn’t going to win no just has a way with animals. A way that makes me rethink my matter how much I turned on the charm. My only option was relationship with nature. to turn back downstream and look for trout she hadn’t met yet. I remember one particular day in May when she did something Luckily for me, she hadn’t visited that part of the river and I was that I never would have considered doing. We were chasing soon into some of her friends’ distant cousins. spring trout on one of our favorite streams and were having a Ten years have gone by since that day and I have yet to wet decent day of it. It was cool and windy so it didn’t take long for a line in that spot. I just can’t bring myself to do it. I laugh at the hands to start getting cold. My wife had broken her fly off myself every time I walk past, and for a moment, remember that on a snag and her hands were too cold to tie on a new one. So there is more to enjoy on a river than just fishing. You might she sat her rod down on the bank and waded into the river. I had even make a friend! worked my way about 20 yards downstream and was focused on a hole that had already given up two trout so I didn’t notice she had stopped fishing. I was releasing my third trout when I saw my wife standing Kelly Pinnell is a longtime Alaskan author. He books include The knee deep in the river bent over like she was picking something Dolly Made Me Do It and The ABC’s of Reading Small Rivers and up off the water. I continued to watch, puzzled as to what she Streams. He enjoys standing in the water and waving sticks at fish.

98 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020 May 2020 FishAlaskaMagazine.com 99 100 FishAlaskaMagazine.com May 2020