Mary's Fishing Update

Quick update on fishing in Alaska! Ginger and I took the dogs, two friends (Karen and Joey) and the motorhome over to Kasilof River on the Kenai Peninsula to go dipnetting for sockeye (red) salmon this past weekend. We were out at the river from about 10:30am till 9 pm on Saturday. We caught 8 fish total. Not a large amount considering we had 2 to 4 nets in the water at any one time. People were catching but nobody was limiting (25 per head of household plus 10 per family member) out.

We did have a good time and met some nice, some weird, and some interesting people. One guy makes his own nets and loaned us two. He uses copper pipes which are heavy but the size of the net is effective. Although 12 feet long, our new nets still aren't quite big enough (diameter) so Ginger plans to make use of the shop at school to construct some bigger nets for us this winter to use next year.

There was some excitement when two people caught king salmon in their nets. The kings have to be released since it is illegal to catch and keep them when dipnetting. The first was probably a 20# fish but the second was the size of a miniature horse or at least a goat (60 to 70#). Imagine having the animal swim into your net (you feel the hit at the end of the net) and than pulling it out of the water and up onto the beach. Wow! The guy who caught it worked really fast to get it out of the net and back in the water. Even if he wanted to keep it, I am sure it was too big not to be conspicuous.

The weather cooperated and we actually had some blue sky and we all came home with sunburnt faces. (yes, even in Alaska). We are planning another motorhome camping trip with the boat over Labor Day to a place outside of Anchorage called Big Lake. The lake has rainbow trout, silver salmon and the evil northern pike which tends to eat the other fish and take over. So we will see how good the fishing is.

Rainy in Anchorage today but I'm back to work so who cares. Everyone is complaining that we aren't having much of a summer but the weather forecasters are saying this is more on the normal side, cloudy, rainy, etc. rather than 70 degree days Anchorage had last year. What I find is activities like bicycling, baseball, softball that when it rains, would stop people in So. Calif., folks here just keep on going. Otherwise we might never get outside to play if we wait for the rain to stop! Those of you who have visited know what we mean. Those of you who haven't visited, get your bums up here.

Ok folks that's it for now. Back to work, lots to do...!

Time passes so quickly

Can't believe that my last post was June 22...the days have been busy - I hope you all had a great 4th of July. Mary and I traveled to Cape Cod for the 4th to visit with our best buds - Sue and Susan. It was a great trip!

There were many highlights - including a trip to a working organic cranberry bog...learned lots of cool things, such as - cranberries are "dry harvested" and "wet harvested." The wet havested technique is a second harvest and these berry can only be used for juice and jams. The berries found in the produce section as whole berries and/or cranraisins arrive in stores through the dry harvest.

Back in Seward and Anchorage - our friends at Puffin Charter were nice enough to take me out on a combo trip that was not full last week (halibut and silver salmon) as always when I am fishing it was a blast (and a beautiful day). Summer is quickly passing with lots of fishing, gardening and Alaska Baseball League games...plenty to keep us busy. Gotta run for now - I hear through the grapevine that the King Salmon are still at the water fall - high tide is 11:30pm and my snagging hook is begging to hit the water.

Dipping netting this weekend complete with camping (full hookups) - report to follow...

Later Ginger

Sockeye and Snagging

The weekend was a one good with fishing on the Kenai River yesterday in the drift boat with our friends Karen and Joey followed by snagging today in Seward. Mary and I walked away with 7 sockeye today. (limit for the two of us would have been 12 - so it was a good day). I am proud to say that Mary caught two huge fish today - wish we had pictures...

It was a great weekend with friends and fishing!

Gardening - will the fun never end...

Nikan (on couch) and Bruno spent most of the day between this window and the windows in the dining room watching my work...wondering when I was going to come in and play with them.

I spent to better part of the last two days working outside in my flower beds. Spring finally arrived at a time when I could not get out to address the weeds as they appeared...so yesterday and this morning was about weeding and readying the flower beds for planting. The weeds and dandelions were out of control - pretty yellow but not the "wild" look I was after. (mowing the lawn this morning helped with the "kept yard" look I was going for). This afternoon was all about planting. I managed to finish one audio book and get a good way through another while working the last two days. The green house has helped with my gardening endeavors this year - currently it houses a number of veggie and strawberry plants. Can't wait for my bounty!

Tomorrow is my reward for a job well done - fly fishing on the Kenai River. :-)

Sports and fishing...

It was a busy week - it began last Sunday, June 8, with the Eagle River Triathlon. 500 yd pool swim, 20K hilly bike ride and a 5K run. Although the bike was more hills than I ever want to see again...it was a good event. I completed the entire course in 2 hr 10 min. Good time given that it was my first Tri since leaving San Diego two years ago.



The middle of the week found me snag fishing in Seward - after 3 frustrating trips to the fishing stream...I was rewarding on my 4th trip by limiting (6) sockeye salmon on Thursday in less than 2 hours. I got some pretty good size fish - I was very excited to limit but than had to fillet and vacuum seal those puppies on my own - it was a long night.



Friday night found Mary and I again trying out luck in the Slam'n Salmon Derby - no luck with the King Salmon. However we did learn how to safely get out of the "quick sand mud" on the banks. This is important as this is the same mud found in the Turnagain Arm that people get stuck in when the tide goes out...and there are those who have lost their lives by being unable to get out of the mud as the tide rapidly rushes into the inlet.



Saturday - Mary had been doing volunteer time for the Run for Women (Breast Cancer Run). So Saturday found Mary with her company at Mile 3 (of 5) staffing a water station and I run/walking the route - happy to report 15 min miles...finishing in 1 hr 15 min.

Finally - we got in 3 baseball games this week in the Alaska Baseball League. YEA! (Peninsula Oilers, Anchorage Bucs and Glacier Pilots (my new favorite team).

3 Day Walk for Breast Cancer

Every day someone we know is affected by breast cancer. For me personally - far more people than I care the count. Thank you to those who have already made a donation. If you have not yet given, please consider supporting my twin sister (Connie), with a small donation as she takes on the challenge of walking 60 miles in three days to raise money and awareness about this disease. (Click link in left column for more information or to make a donation)

Slam'n Salmon Derby

In other fishing news, Mary and I entered the Anchorage King Salmon Derby (as amateurs - ha, ha) running from June 6-15. The proceeds benefit The Downtown Soup Kitchen. After two day of fishing...

King Salmon = 0

Combat fishing at its finest (picture for 2007 derby)

Picutre from last year's derby titled: Huge fish - no derby ticket (so sad)