October/November 2017 www.FishAlaskaMagazine.com 1 Volume 17 • Issue 9 • October/November 2017 Terry W. Sheely W. Terry © 40 Departments Features Fish Alaska Traveler 6 The Backside of Admiralty Fish Alaska Creel 10 by Terry W. Sheely 40 Fish Alaska Gear Bag 12 Contributing Editor Terry Sheely ventures to the backside of Admiralty Island, exploring the vast Fish Alaska Online 14 eastern shore and finding a plethora of unfished Fishing for a Compliment 16 honey-holes every angler should know about. Fish Alaska Families 18 Spoon-feed ’Em by George Krumm 46 Salmon Sense 20 Hard water and heavy metal are a match made Fish Alaska Conservation 22 in heaven, so enterprising ice anglers should take 34 Fish Alaska Fly 24 heed of this in-depth how-to from Contributing Fish Alaska Boats 26 Editor George Krumm, which takes us through Fish Alaska Saltwater 30 all the ins-and-outs of vertically jigging spoons for lake trout, Arctic char, rainbows and burbot. Fish Alaska Stillwater 32 Fish Alaska Recipe 70 Building a DIY Ice Shelter by Joe Overlock 54 Advertiser Index 73 Having a cozy, comfortable shelter will allow you Final Drift 74 to spend more time on the ice this winter, which ultimately means more fish through the hole. SPECIAL SECTION Here Joe Overlock explains how to build a great shanty on a slim budget. Holiday Gift Guide - Part One 34 Here is a list of items on our wish list this Crossover Flies for Silver Salmon © George Krumm © George 46 season. Make your loved ones’ lives a bit easier by Angelo Peluso 60 by leaving this page opened with your desired Don’t get hemmed in by tradition; try some gift circled. Also check out these gift ideas for of these proven producers for silver salmon in Alaska’s fishing youth. Alaska and be prepared to haul in the chrome. Whether patterns designed for the saltwater species of the Atlantic coast to flies built for tropical flats, our coho love ’em all equally. Northern Pike Your Way by Mike Lunde 64 Late fall is a great time to chase Alaska’s water © Joe Overlock 54 wolf, and Mike Lunde is here to detail the techniques, tactics, gear and rigging you’ll need to take pike all year long. COVER / George Krumm with a nice spoon-fed char. © George Krumm © Mike Lunde © Mike 64 October/November 2017 www.FishAlaskaMagazine.com 3 2 www.FishAlaskaMagazine.com October/November 2017 October/November 2017 www.FishAlaskaMagazine.com 3 PUBLISHERS Marcus Weiner Melissa Norris ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS Patrick Speranza Kathy Anderson EDITOR Troy Letherman OPERATIONS MANAGER Wayne Norris EFFICIENCY MANAGER Ana Taylor ART DIRECTOR Bailey Anderson PRODUCTION MANAGER Russell K Porsley III GRAPHIC DESIGNER Melissa Wong CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Greg Brush, Troy Buzalsky, Andrew Cremata, Les Gara, Scott Haugen, Pudge Kleinkauf, George Krumm, J.D. Richey, Terry Sheely, E. Donnall Thomas Jr., Jeremy Anderson, Nicholas Olhrich CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Hastings A. Franks, Ken Baldwin, Anthony Madden, Tony Davis, Kristin Dunn, Brian Woobank REGIONAL SALES MANAGERS George Krumm (907) 529-6172 Rick Birch (907) 394-1763 Fish Alaska Magazine PO Box 772424 Eagle River, Alaska 99577 Toll Free 1-877-220-0787 (907) 345-4337 main (907) 223-8497 advertising www.FishAlaskaMagazine.com ISSN 2475-5710 (print) ISSN 2475-5729 (online) SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Check out our specials at www.FishAlaskaMagazine.com Already a Subscriber? Call for our renewal specials! (907)-345-4337 Toll Free: 1-877-220-0787 Fish Alaska magazine is published ten times annually in January-July, Aug/Sept, Oct/Nov and December by Fish Alaska Publications, LLC, P.O. Box 772424, Eagle River, Alaska 99577. Send all address changes to P.O. Box 772424, Eagle River, Alaska 99577. One year subscriptions are $30 U.S. dollars for subscriptions in the U.S., $50 U.S in Canada, and $80 U.S. in all other countries.The single copy price is $6.99 in U.S. dollars. To subscribe by phone please call 907-345-4337. Editorial correspondence should be sent to Attn: Editor, Fish Alaska magazine, P.O. Box 772424, Eagle River, Alaska 99577. Unsolicited manuscripts and photos will be considered, but must be accompanied by a self- addressed stamped envelope. Although we will take care, Fish Alaska is not responsible for the loss or return of unsolicited materials. The opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the opinions of Fish Alaska magazine publishers and editors. ©2017 by Fish Alaska Publications, LLC. All rights reserved. 4 www.FishAlaskaMagazine.com October/November 2017 October/November 2017 www.FishAlaskaMagazine.com 5 A Young Entrepreneur Story by Marcus Weiner Photos courtesy Alaska Paracord Designs Entrepreneurs can be found across all nationalities, both genders, and a wide range of ages. We often think of entrepreneurs as older, experienced individuals with a war chest of experience to draw from and the ability to navigate the perils of developing and marketing new products and running fledgling businesses. As the world grows ever Alaskan entrepreneur Grayson Davey at work building the more connected and smaller, there’s more and more Alaska Survival Bracelet he designed. opportunity for entrepreneurs to rise and get new ideas up and running, no matter the age. Meet Grayson Davey. Alaska Paracord Designs (APD) was started in 2013 by Grayson when he was 12. Over the last four years the company has continued to enjoy year after year growth and employed 19 youth in 2016, with each of them The Fish ’n Flame contains the same survival equipment as the Fire Bug key chain but also includes an added Alaska fishing kit. earning around $15 per hour. The company is looking to continue its near 150% growth rate through 2017. APD was recognized as the Made in Alaska 2015 Manufacturer a whistle buckle to aid in signaling for get to build their products. The paracord could completely trust to save your life if of the Year. help. The Fire Bug keychain includes a is USA Mil-Spec 550 cord. The firesteel you ever need them. The functionality of their products is evident. The firesteel, ceramic knife/scraper, waxed and ceramic knife/scrapers are custom- Alaska Paracord Designs products are Alaska Survival Bracelet is a standard paracord bracelet, jute, a mylar signal mirror and 10 feet machined for APD by a military supplier. available at www.alaskaparacord.com, as and includes a fire steel on the buckle, has an embedded of paracord. The Fish ’n Flame keychain These do cost a little more than the mass- well as many retailers in Alaska. ceramic scraper, the center strand of paracord is threaded By wearing your Alaska Survival Bracelet in the field, you’ll be includes everything the Fire Bug does produced items that may be similar but with waxed jute for use as water-proof tinder, and it has prepared for the worst-case scenario. along with an entire Alaska fishing kit. APD wanted to make products that you I asked Grayson a few questions recently. Outdoor enthusiasts should always have at least one way to make a fire on them at all times. Especially in Alaska’s backcountry, where it is possible to get stranded for several days before rescue comes. The ability to start a fire can mean the difference between life and death in that time period. Survival experts will tell you that in a survival situation, all that will likely be available to you is what is on your person. The three products made by APD, each hand-made in Alaska, were created to be kept with you when adventuring. For those that don’t want to wear a bracelet, the other two items come on a keychain so that you can attach keys if riding a snowmachine, driving an ATV or boat, or could be attached to a pack or life jacket. The keychains must be unraveled to find the tools inside, but the bracelet may be used to start a fire without taking it completely apart by pulling out the waterproof tinder and using a knife on the firesteel to make a spark and start a fire. Otherwise, the bracelet can be taken completely apart, the scraper removed and used on the firesteel as designed to start a fire. The paracord can be used to lash together a shelter, and signal for help or locate others in your party who may be on a different part of land. APD uses the best materials they can 6 www.FishAlaskaMagazine.com October/November 2017 October/November 2017 www.FishAlaskaMagazine.com 7 Alaska Survival Bracelets are available at retailers across Alaska. FA: Why did you start the company? GD: I started Alaska Paracord Designs because one of my dear friends took his daughter on a fishing trip in the Skwentna river, yes, IN. Their motor quit on them while they were going to get food. They threw the anchor over, but it didn’t sink. They soon hit a sweeper and it flipped the boat. They swam to shore, found themselves on an island and were stranded for three days without food, shelter, and of course.... no fire. Luckily they were rescued by a care taker who happened to see them waving their arms. When my dad flew down to pick them up, they said, “If only we could have started a fire.” That was when I decided to make a product that would be on your body while you enjoy Alaska, and make it possible to start a fire even when cold, windy, or soaking wet. FA: What new products do you have in the works? GD: Our main focus right now is improving the 3 products we have, by integrating stronger and louder whistle buckles, insisting on manufacturing our own military- grade fire steel, and most recently, ceramic scrapers which resist corrosion and give a much more intense spark from the fire steel.