Alaska Sporting Journal - December 2024

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Volume 14 • Issue 7 www.aksportingjournal.com PUBLISHER James R. Baker GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott EDITOR Chris Cocoles WRITERS Cam Bohan, Bjorn Dihle, Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Tiffany Herrington, Katrina Liebich, Andy Stevens SALES MANAGER Paul Yarnold ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Janene Mukai, Tom St. Clair DESIGNERS Kha Miner, Gabrielle Pangilinan PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Emily Baker WEB DEVELOPMENT/INBOUND MARKETING Jon Hines ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Aumann

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INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn ADVERTISING INQUIRIES media@media-inc.com MEDIA INDEX PUBLISHING GROUP 941 Powell Ave SW, Suite 120 Renton, WA 98057 (206) 382-9220 • Fax (206) 382-9437 media@media-inc.com • www.media-inc.com ON THE COVER Cam Bohan and his dad Rob have been taking regular trips to Alaska and they are particularly fond of the great fishing around Yakutat. Cam says, “Yakutat is our favorite and keeps us coming back.” (CAM BOHAN) CORRESPONDENCE X @AKSportJourn Facebook.com/alaskasportingjournal Email ccocoles@media-inc.com

CONTENTS

VOLUME 14 • ISSUE 7

A BEAR OF A LIFETIME Last month, Scott Haugen detailed his passion for hunting Alaska predators such as foxes, coyotes and black bears.

But a challenging Alaska Peninsula hunt for a wily old giant of a brown bear was worth a Haugen story on its own, so come along as he shares the play by play for his difficult journey from the beach through the tundra and along a muddy creek bank in hopes of finally tagging a 10-foot-plus bruin!

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(LISA HUPP/USFWS)

FEATURES

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

27

HOLIDAY HAUL FOR HUNTERS

11 The Editor’s Note 13 The Alaska Beat: News and notes from around the Last Frontier 17 Outdoor Calendar 42 A father-son fishing adventure in Yakutat 44 Southeast Alaska fish passage work helps salmon, steelhead

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A BREAK IN THE ICE In this first of a two-part series on sheefish and the threat to the species from the proposed Ambler Road, Bjorn Dihle explores the outstanding fishing around the isolated Northwest Alaska outpost of Kotzebue with local savant/guide Lew Pagel. These big fish are a big draw under the ice, and fighting one makes it easy to see why the “tarpon of the north” are worth the trip – and worth protecting!

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CORDOVA CRAFT BREWERS’ ODE TO THE OUTDOORS

It’s that time of year again, when shoppers look for good bargains and ideal holiday gifts for loved ones, not to mention planning a unique and memorable meal for your family gathering. No problem; just take the advice of our From Field to Fire team of Scott and Tiffany Haugen. Scott offers up some great hunting swag – even a resting spot for your gun dogs – and Tiffany whips up a big game recipe with a Thai twist.

Tiffany Herrington’s Alaska brewery tour stops in Cordova, home of East Coast transplants Christiana and Curtis Fincher, who, along with cofounder Micah Renfeldt, started Copper River Brewing. Their beers – featuring a fishing-themed logo and local ingredients – reflect a love and passion for the outdoors and are a “nod to the town’s fishing heritage.”

Alaska Sporting Journal is published monthly. Call Media Inc. Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Inc. Publishing Group and will not be returned. Annual subscriptions are $39.95 (12 issues) or $59.95 (24 issues). Send check or money order to Media Inc. Publishing Group, 941 Powell Ave SW, Suite 120, Renton, WA 98057 or call (206) 382-9220 with VISA or M/C. Back issues may be ordered at Media Inc. Publishing Group, subject to availability, at the cost of $5 plus shipping. Copyright © 2024 Media Inc. Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in U.S.A.

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Cam Bohan (left) and his dad Rob have shared many great memories on their Alaska fishing trips. The editor misses such moments he and his late dad experienced together. (CAM BOHAN)

W

hen Cam Bohan reached out to me to share some of the photo memories of a recent Yakutat fishing trip with his father Rob, it brought back some nostalgia for me.

My late dad Stan and I had plenty of father-son moments that I can cherish now. My first plane trip happened when I was in high school in California’s Bay Area region. We flew from San Francisco to Anaheim and went to iconic Golden State theme parks Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm. And knowing what a sports nut I was, he got us box seats just behind the Baltimore Orioles’ dugout at a then California Angels baseball game (highlighted by a profanity-laced tirade from Baltimore manager and noted hothead Earl Weaver with the homeplate umpire).

We also went on many fishing expeditions, despite my dad’s lack of knowledge and, frankly, his indifference

toward the sport. In the early days, before my friends and I could get to local lakes via our own cars, usually Dad would leave the dirty work to me and he’d stay out of my way while I’d cast my marshmallow/salmon egg setup with the hope that planted rainbows would play along at lakes near our suburban San Francisco home.

But he’d get in on the act during family trips, casting his own line when we would rent boats on lakes in and around our destination. Sometimes we’d even catch enough fish for either dinner or a snack, and I still laugh at one trolling morning when I caught a nice kokanee we shared with our motel staff at dinnertime that night, and the time my dad fought and lost what must have been a bigger fish than I landed.

As we both aged, I moved away from home, first for college and then work. Our trips became few and far between, though

when I moved from Southern California to Arkansas in my mid-30s, we drove together halfway across the country to my new job/home, which remains a wonderful snapshot of our time.

He’s been gone for five years this fall, and the holiday season is always bittersweet for me, with the just concluded Thanksgiving holiday particularly hard on me. It was a special day for my pop, who’d annually host the Turkey Day gathering for his kids and brothers, nieces and nephews. My sister, as is a new tradition, hosted almost two dozen family members this year on Thanksgiving, and we almost always find a way to rehash some past stories of my dad. He never savored the attention and he could be a bit gruff at times, but I’m sure he’d appreciate the laughs.

Here’s hoping for more happy times during this holiday season for all of us.

-Chris Cocoles

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Izembek Lagoon hosts practically the entire Pacific brant population in fall as they stage for migration, but a U.S. Department of the Interior proposal would construct a road inside the national wildlife refuge there, which has some Native residents concerned about impacts to the critical habitat. (KRISTINE SOWL/U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE)

ALASKA BEAT

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION’S NATIONAL REFUGE LAND SWAP RANKLES CONSERVATIONISTS, SOME NATIVES

TWEET OF THE MONTH

F

ollowing his re-election as America’s soon-to-be 47th president, Donald Trump quickly began to announce potential cabinet picks for his newest administration, including his choice for Interior Secretary, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum. That pick would be of note for those who oppose new drilling in Alaska, given Burgum’s ties to the oil industry.

But even before Trump is inaugurated for a second time next month, the current administration has created another conservation/environmental controversy in Alaska.

In early November, President Joe Biden’s Interior Department announced in somewhat of a reversal that it would support a revised plan that would connect the isolated Alaska Peninsula community of King Cove to an airport in Cold Bay almost 19 miles away via a new road largely built within the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge.

In 2023, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland proposed to back out of a 2019 Trump Administration agreement to construct the road.

“The debate around approving the construction of a road to connect the people of King Cove to life-saving resources has created a false choice, seeded over many years, between valuing conservation and wildlife or upholding our commitments to Indigenous communities,” Haaland said at the time in a statement. “I reject that binary choice. I am a lifelong conservationist, and I believe deeply in the need to protect our lands and waters and honor our obligations to Tribal Nations. Respecting Tribal sovereignty means ensuring that we are listening – really listening – to Tribal communities.”

But while the new proposed swap would deliver 31,198 acres of land that would become part of the Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge in exchange for 490 acres of Izembek Lagoon NWR, the continued opposition to the project centers on how the road construction could affect migrating Pacific brant, waterfowl that local Yup’ik tribal interests depend on.

Edgar Tall, Yup’ik chief of the Native Village of Hooper Bay, made a strong statement against the proposed plan, of which the Interior Department will accept public comments on until December 30.

“As Secretary Haaland has noted, respecting tribal sovereignty requires really listening to tribal communities,” Tall said via the Alaska Beacon. “We hope to meet soon with the Secretary so she can hear from us about the importance of these birds and this critical habitat in the Izembek Refuge that so many of us in Alaska depend on for our continuing ways of life and our survival.”

51.31 MILLION

The U.S. Capitol Christmas tree’s journey began in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest.

Think it’s difficult for presidential candidates to travel between campaign stops? Try running for Alaska’s lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Candidates Mary Peltola and eventual winner Nick Begich traveled about 1,000 miles in the state for three debates in as many days (where fish and the state’s fishing industry was a hotbutton topic). It’s about 1,000 miles from the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C. to Little Rock, Arkansas.

Projected return of sockeye salmon expected in Bristol Bay in 2025, which according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is 38 percent more than the long-term average (37.07 million), but 16 percent smaller than the most recent 10-year average (61.32 million).

(KATRINA MUELLER/U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE)

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GOING SOLO T IN PETERSBURG FROM THE ASJ ARCHIVES – DECEMBER 2022

Brian Kelly found the fishing fantastic and the backdrop peaceful on a solo trip to Petersburg. (BRIAN KELLY)

“

he final morning saw clearing skies with cool temps and a river full of fresh silvers from the previous day’s rain and tide. One local was there ahead of me; he was walking out as I came down the trail and proclaimed that the fish had moved up with the high water. Huh? Well, I thought I better walk up to my usual haunt and find out for myself.

The air was still, the river surface was glass calm and as the sky began to brighten, the fish began to move around. They weren’t swirling and jumping like usual, but rather finning and holding, just casting little dimples as they came to life.

I had three fresh silvers on the bank in the first half hour, as twitching a float and jig combo fired up the bite. Then it dawned on me. Now was the time to try and fulfill a goal of mine – catch a silver on a surface presentation.

Since I am not much of a fly caster, I had brought along a surface plug on a few trips, hoping to make this dream come true. As I began to twitch the plug on the retrieve, a “V” wake made a beeline to the lure.

All I could think was, “Don’t stop the retrieve and let him eat it!”

The fish swirled on it once, then came around, opened his mouth above the water line and engulfed the plug! I waited for the tug, set the hook and was shaking like a leaf! “That just happened! Now focus and land this fish!”

When I got the fish to the bank and removed the hook, I tipped my hat to the sky and thanked my deceased mentors who were watching the show from above. Once the fish was on the rope and my nerves calmed, I shrugged my shoulders and said, “Let’s do that again.”

Next cast, the plug went a couple feet before an ocean-bright hen silver exploded on the plug and ripped line. I was in awe! Thirteen trips to Alaska, and now I had just landed back-to-back silvers on a surface plug! -Brian Kelly

THEY SAID IT

“The really tough decisions about balancing those two agendas will lie, to some extent, with Secretary Burgum, if he’s confirmed. Do we want more drilling at our national parks? Do we want it on our families’ ranches? Do we want it where you want your kids to hunt? Do we want fracking near the best trout streams? Those are going to be very difficult questions for both him and the American public.”

”

-Lisa Frank, executive director of Environment America, to the Alaska Beacon regarding President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed appointee for Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, and the likelihood this administration will pursue more drilling opportunities in Alaska.

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Dec. 1 Resident antlered bull moose season opens in Game Management Unit 9C (Alaska Peninsula; Naknek River drainage) Dec. 1 Resident antlered bull moose season opens in GMU 9E (Alaska Peninsula) Dec. 1 Caribou season opens in GMUs 14A and 14B (Mat-Su Valley) Dec. 1 Resident antlerless moose season opens in GMU 14A (Mat-Su Valley) Dec. 1 Moose season opens in GMU 14C (Joint Base ElmendorfRichardson Management Area and Birchwood Management Area) Dec. 1 Moose season opens in GMU 18 (Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta) Dec. 1 Resident moose season opens in GMU 20F (Fairbanks-Central Tanana, Yukon River drainage downstream from but not including Hess Creek drainage and excluding Tanana River drainage) Dec. 15 Moose hunting season opens in GMUs 9B and 9D (Alaska Peninsula) Dec. 15 Wolf trapping season ends in GMU 2 (Prince of Wales Island) Dec. 16 Last day to apply for 2025 draw hunt tags (deadline 5 p.m. Alaska Standard Time) Dec. 31 Black and brown bear hunting seasons end in multiple units

OUTDOOR CALENDAR

2025 ALASKA SPORTSMEN’S SHOWS March 7-9 Great Alaska Sportsman Show, Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center, Anchorage (greatalaskasportsmanshow.com) April 11-13 Mat-Su Outdoorsman Show, Menard Center, Wasilla (matsuoutdoorsmanshow.com) April 25-27 Fairbanks Outdoor Show, Carlson Center (fairbanksevents.com/fairbanksoutdoorshow) For more information and season dates for Alaska hunts, go to adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=hunting.main.

Prince of Wales Island wolf trapping season is scheduled to end on December 15. (U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE)

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THE

The dream of taking a 10-foot brown bear had long eluded hunter Scott Haugen, but in the space of just over 12 hours on the Alaska Peninsula, it would all come together as he and a guide spotted and twice stalked a monster bruin before a shot opportunity came at 325 yards. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

BEAR

OF A

LIFETIME A HUNTER PURSUES A MASSIVE ALASKA PENINSULA BROWN BEAR (SECOND OF A TWO-PART PREDATOR HUNTING SERIES)

BY SCOTT HAUGEN

Y

ou guys unpack; I’ll head up to the crow’s nest and start glassing,” said renowned Alaskan brown bear guide Bruce Hallingstad. His ace guide George Joy and I were barely nose-deep into our first bag when Hallingstad erupted.

“Big bear! Really big bear!” Hallingstad shouted from the platform, the best vantage point for miles and part of the dilapidated two-story cabin that would serve as our base camp for the next 10 days. We’d been in bear camp for seven minutes, having just arrived from a boat ride across Egegik Lagoon.

I rushed up the narrow stairway and peeked out the window that led to the crow’s nest that Bruce built specifically for spotting bears over 20 years ago. I could see the brown form well over a mile away with my naked eye. Looking

at the bear through binoculars, it was obvious it was a giant. “It’s over 10 feet!”

Hallingstad exclaimed as he looked through his spotting scope. “Get your gear on; I’ll keep watching the bear.”

Joy pumped up a two-man raft and I got ready. Then I switched places with Bruce while he suited up.

LOOKING AT THAT BEAR through the spotting scope for the first time was an image I’ll never forget. The initial feature to catch my eye was its blocky head. The bear’s hindquarters were massive and gyrated independently from the front half of its body with every step. The front legs were thick, all the way to the feet. It was a beast and roamed the tundra as it had done for decades.

Quickly, Hallingstad was ready and we were both sitting in the crow’s nest

while continuing to glass. “It’s getting dark about midnight, so we have plenty of time,” Hallingstad said. It was only 10 a.m. on this sunny day in May. For more than 30 minutes we watched the bear, anticipating where it might go.

It was in no rush as it grazed on grass and slowly moved our way.

“I’ve seen a lot of bears travel this line over the years, and I can just about promise you it’s going to that bench behind those willows,” Hallingstad pointed out.

Two hours later Hallingstad and I were in position. But just as we prepared to slip the raft into a 60-foot-wide creek and paddle across, the wind changed.

“Let’s get out of here, fast!” Hallingstad said. The bear was still over a mile away, but Hallingstad made the right call.

“I’ve seen this bear several times

over the past few seasons, and I guarantee, if it smells us, we’ll never see it again,” he whispered. I agreed, and we headed back to the crow’s nest where Joy awaited.

I USED TO LIVE in Alaska, and as a

resident I took grizzly bears and even a polar bear that killed and devoured a man in 1990 when we lived in Point Lay. I’d taken black bears and a brown bear too. But the 10-foot brown bear that I’d always dreamed of eluded me.

Now a nonresident, I hired the services of Bruce Hallingstad, owner of Becharof Outfitters (becharof.com), situated on the Egegik River south of King Salmon.

Hallingstad is one of the best-known outfitters when it comes to big brown bears on the Alaska Peninsula.

Back atop the crow’s nest for the next several hours, we never took our eyes off where we’d last seen the giant brown bear. We alternated between spotting scopes and binoculars.

“It’s bedded down and when it gets up, it’ll either start working that ridge or pop out where we had to abort the stalk,” Hallingstad said.

It was almost 9 p.m. when I found myself seated alone in the crow’s nest.

While glassing the same ground we’d been watching all day, I was struck when the big bear suddenly materialized in the spotting scope. Its slow gait and massive size left no doubt it was our bear, and it popped out on the end of the ridge, just as Hallingstad predicted.

We wasted no time and grabbed our gear. Traveling along the graveled beach allowed us to swiftly cover ground. A small, elevated seawall separated the beach from the tundra where the bear was walking; it was perfect.

Hallingstad and I moved across a grassy flat and reached the edge of a stream. I ranged the bear at just over 700 yards. We crossed a creek in the tiny raft we’d been pulling behind us and closed to within 600 yards. The tide was out and two hours of daylight remained.

An inch of thick, pasty black mud covered the rocky creek bank, which made for slippery going. I crawled up to the edge of the bank and parted the tall, yellow grass. The brute of a bear was just over 400 yards away, and for the first time it felt like we had a chance at closing the deal.

Then the bear suddenly turned 90 degrees and kept walking. “If it goes

Bruce Hallingstad loves to guide for big brown bears, something he’s been doing for over 30 years in the Last Frontier. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

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out there we’ll never catch up to it,” Hallingstad said as he grabbed his pack.

The chase was on.

Even walking as quickly as we could, the bear was now over 800 yards away.

My heart sank as I felt the reality of a shot opportunity slipping away.

AFTER STOPPING TO CATCH our breath,

Hallingstad whispered, “It just laid down.” With less than an hour of daylight remaining, we stuck to the edge of a creek bed. Soon we were 600 yards from the bear; then 500; then 400.

I was shooting a .338-378 Weatherby Magnum topped with a Trijicon 3x9 AccuPoint scope. The bullet of choice was a 225-grain Triple Shock. With this setup, combined with a three-legged Bog Pod shooting stick, I felt comfortable shooting out to 400 yards, but on a bear of this stature, I really wanted to get within 300 yards.

We finally caught a break. A sharp bend in the creek funneled us to where we needed to be. Belly crawling into position, I struggled to get a range on the bear, which was still bedded amid tall grass. When its giant head slowly lifted, it took my breath away. Twice the range

Haugen couldn’t have been happier with this brown bear of a lifetime. This was his most memorable hunt ever, and he’s been on many over the decades. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

reading came back at 290 yards.

The bear was laying broadside, its head facing to the right toward the ocean. All it had to do was stand to clear the tall grass; then I’d have a shot.

For 15 minutes we sat and waited. I was solid in the sticks, but my heart continued beating faster. Finally, the bear rolled on its side, pivoted on its hindquarters, lethargically gained footing, and started walking directly away. My heart sank, and the emotional roller coaster continued. I

had no shot.

Soon the bear was 400 yards out.

“We’re running out of time,” Hallingstad said with a groan. “We have to walk right at that bear as fast as we can and just hope we can catch up.”

When the bruin sauntered into a creek bed and dipped out of sight, we ran as fast as we could; that wasn’t easy to do in waders on the tundra. Then we hit a meandering creek. It was too wide and deep to cross, and we’d ditched our

The tundra of the Alaska Peninsula is vast and not easily negotiated. Spotting a bear here is one thing; getting close enough for a shot is another. (SCOTT HAUGEN) 22

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raft in order to quickly cover ground. If the bear came out where we last saw it, I might get a shot, but beyond that I wouldn’t have a chance.

I set up the shooting sticks and hoped.

Right then the massive bear sauntered out of the creek bottom and quartered away. It was the perfect shot angle, but the grass was too tall to thread a bullet through. The giant was 295 yards away; it was the closest we’d been yet.

“As soon as it turns, I’ll shoot,” I whispered to Hallingstad. But the bear didn’t turn. It kept slowly walking straight away; not a shot I wanted to take on this enormous creature. My dreams of tagging the true bear of a lifetime were fading, and there was nothing more I could do.

But then, at 325 yards the bear sat on its hind end. At that angle, the bullet would hit the bear’s spine and continue into the left lung. When the rifle roared the bruin dropped, and though it wasn’t necessary, I let go with two more insurance shots.

More than 12 hours after spotting the bear, our hunt was over.

I APPROACHED THIS GRAND bear, and it

was one of the most moving moments of my more than 40 years of big game hunting, something I can’t even begin to describe with words.

When Hallingstad reached down and lifted the bear’s upper lip to inspect the teeth, we were speechless.

The animal’s incisors were worn flush to the gum line, and every canine was busted. Each molar was cracked and abscessed. The claws were worn, some barely 2 inches long. The hide

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hung loose, covering what was less than 1,000 pounds of flesh. In its prime, this boar would have likely tipped the scales to 1,500 pounds.

The following day, while fleshing and preparing the hide for a life-size mount, we took measurements. The hide of the old bear squared a mind-boggling 10 feet, 9 inches. When dried, the skull measured an astounding 29 5/16 inches, the third largest bear Hallingstad had taken in his camp. The bear was aged at 23 years, one of the oldest that’s ever been recorded on Alaska’s Upper Peninsula.

I’ve been fortunate to experience some incredible hunts in my life, but this brown bear hunt with Bruce Hallingstad was extra special. If, for some reason, my hunting career ended today, I’d be content. ASJ Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen’s best-selling book, Hunting The Alaskan High Arctic, send a check for $38 (free shipping and handling), to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489, or order online at scotthaugen.com.

The teeth of the author’s 23-year-old brown bear tells the story. Between teeth split, broken or worn to the gums and an emaciated body, it’s likely this boar would not have survived another winter. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

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‘TIS THE SPORTING SEASON GREAT HUNTING GIFT IDEAS

With the holidays here, now is the time to shop for the sportsman or -woman in your life.

If you’ve not checked out the complete line of 5.11 Tactical clothing, do it, as much of it is made for Alaska and beyond. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

BY SCOTT HAUGEN

W

hen my wife Tiffany and I lived on the North Slope, where we worked as school teachers for most of the 1990s, we loved Christmas time.

Though the internet was yet to be developed in our early years up there, we still anticipated the joy of mail order catalogs delivering gifts via bush planes to help alleviate those long, dark winter days. With only a handful of shopping days left, here are some pieces of gear to consider this holiday season.

ORVIS MEMORY FOAM DELUXE DOG BED

I wish we’d had this dog bed when we

lived in Hyder, Alaska, a few years back.

Our dogs would have loved it in the cold, wet winter months. I’d heard many great reports about Orvis’s Deluxe Dog Beds, so I got one. The moment I opened it my dogs wanted to nuzzle into the comfy bed. Kona, my 65-pound male, immediately burrowed in. When he got up to further inspect it, Echo, our 11-year-old, 43-pound female, dove in.

She didn’t move for three hours. When she did, Kona hopped right back into it and stayed put for two hours. That’s how it went for days.

Whenever they came in from an outside break, it was a race to the bed. When done eating breakfast

and dinner, whoever got the bed first claimed it. Then, one day Echo was curled up in the bed next to my office desk. Minutes later Kona joined her.

They both slept in it all afternoon. Mind you, they had three other beds in the house to choose from, along with two couches and chairs, but both wanted the Orvis bed.

I have a long way to go before giving a full report on this bed, but let’s just say first impressions are everything. I can tell the orthopedic memory foam feels good on my dogs after a long day of hunting, especially when it’s cold out.

Aging Echo simply loves it. The zip-off cover is simple to remove, clean and

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FIELD

WHEN SETTLING FOR THE THAI IS A WIN Leave it to chef Tiffany Haugen to combine Alaska big game meat and spices from Thai cuisine to create a spicy and delicious dish. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)

BY TIFFANY HAUGEN

A

favorite Thai dish that spices up virtually any game meat can be prepared quickly and easily using the packaged seasoning mix known as laab-namtok.

This is easily found in Asian grocery stores or online. Feel free to make it from scratch, which will give you the ability to vary the spice level. Either way, if you’re a fan of Southeast Asian cuisine, this dish may soon become a favorite. I’ve cooked it with moose, elk and deer, and everyone in our family loves it.

1 pound ground game meat 2 tablespoons coconut oil

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Two green onions, chopped ¼ cup shallots, finely chopped 1 to 3 teaspoons red chili flakes 1 to 2 tablespoons fish sauce 2 tablespoons lime juice ¼ cup cilantro, chopped ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped ¼ cup fresh Thai basil leaves, chopped Additional cilantro, mint and basil for garnish In a large skillet, sauté shallots and green onions over medium-high heat in coconut oil for one to two minutes.

Push shallots and onions aside and add ground game to the pan. Spread meat

DECEMBER 2024 | aksportingjournal.com

out in a single layer to begin browning.

Add chili flakes and fish sauce and continue to brown, three to five minutes.

Mix everything in the skillet together, add cilantro, mint and basil and stir.

Serve as is or over lettuce leaves or rice, garnishing with additional herbs as desired.

Editor’s note: To order signed copies of Tiffany Haugen’s popular book, Cooking Big Game, visit scotthaugen.com for this and other titles.

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I was impressed.

Even when hiking in mountains chasing chukars, the Baselayer never overheated and always moved moisture.

When sitting in a duck blind or coyote stand, it retained body heat to the point it was self-regulating and comfortable.

That’s what the 100-percent natural, nontoxic materials of this garment do.

I’ll be getting a set of these for my wife, as I know she’ll love the soft, natural fit.

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

is saying something given Alaska’s extreme conditions.

I picked one up and have worn it in driving rain while chasing deer in the timber, and also on cold, windy days in sagebrush country, on various elk hunts and on rainy days pursuing fall turkeys in a river bottom.

The AllClima jacket is quiet, comfortable and always keeps me dry and shielded in high winds. Their ThermoNeutral Down Jacket is also worth checking out. They dub it “the best down hunting jacket on the market,” and I know why. I’ve tried several brands. It’s waterproof, comfortable as a midlayer or even outerwear; the ThermoNeutral Down Jacket keeps you dry on the inside and outside. It’s breathable and allows air to circulate, meaning you won’t overheat or get cold when hiking through mountains or sitting at a stand.

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What do flying on a plane halfway around the world, going to church, elk hunting and spending a week on a fishing boat in Alaska have in common?

You can wear the same 5.11 Tactical clothing on all of them. And that’s exactly what I did.

DECEMBER 2024 | aksportingjournal.com

If you’ve not checked out 5.11’s clothing, do it. From base layers to casual wear, hunting, fishing, camping and anything outdoors – or indoors – it’s comfortable, durable and performs. Tiffany relies on their clothing for biking and hiking trips around the world. And their travel bags and packs have accompanied us around the globe on trips to four continents and over a dozen states, including Alaska. It’s tough, built to maximize organization and is easy to handle.

The 5.11 brand’s attention to quality is what led me to also try their Response XR1 Headlamp. I’ve used a lot of headlamps over the years, and this has become my go-to choice. It casts 1,000 lumens in peak spot mode and is simple to switch to flood mode when needed. The lamp is easy to rotate and is removable.

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Garmin’s Xero C1 Pro Chronograph is simple to set up; it’s also versatile, accurate and logs every shooting session. Despite being technologically challenged, I had it out of the box and recorded shots in less than 10 minutes.

When I opened the box, the C1 Pro was already charged, so I downloaded

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the app and paired it to my smartphone.

Just press “pair” on the device, then add it and follow the prompts. Grab your rifle, hit the “start session” button, select the bullet speed and enter the bullet weight, then set the unit to the side of and behind your barrel. I used it on a .223 with a suppressor and a Browning 6.8 Western to have a Leupold Custom Dial System built for it. I even used it on my .22 to test various solid and hollowpoint bullet speeds.

When finished with each session, hit the “end session” button, wait a couple minutes for it to sync to your phone, and then bam – all the data is at your fingertips. The data is also stored on the C1, so you don’t need your phone in the field when testing it; just sync it once home. The C1 works with arrows, paintballs, air rifles, pistols and shotguns. ASJ Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen’s popular books, visit scotthaugen.com.

Follow Scott’s adventures on Instagram.

Garmin’s Xero C1 Pro Chronograph is simple to set up, precise and logs every shooting session. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

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DECEMBER 2024 | aksportingjournal.com

BREAK THE ICE FOR SHEEFISH NORTHWEST ALASKA IS A HOTBED OF FISHING FOR THIS UNIQUE SPECIES, BUT ITS STRONGHOLD IS ALSO THREATENED BY WHAT THE PROPOSED AMBLER ROAD WOULD BRING (FIRST OF TWO PARTS)

BY BJORN DIHLE

E

ach spring in Northwest Alaska, hardy anglers prowl the sea ice in search of sheefish. Weighing up to 60 pounds, with some fish measuring more than 50 inches, sheefish are the largest species of whitefish and, according to MeatEater, the “greatest sportfish you’ve never heard of.”

The Iñupiat call them sii, but another name for them is inconnu, which means an unknown person or thing. Among anglers, sheefish are commonly referred to as the “tarpon of the north.”

They can be found in just a handful of watersheds in Alaska, Canada and Asia. In Alaska, sheefish are known to spawn from the Yukon River to the Kobuk River in the southern Brooks Range. Outside of locals and a handful of diehard anglers, few have ever caught sheefish. Even for Alaskans in much of the state, chasing sheefish amounts to a dream as wild as a quest for something like a blue marlin – maybe even wilder.

The area around Kotzebue offers some of the best sheefish ice fishing opportunities anywhere in Alaska and beyond.

Lewis Pagel (inset and this image) is a veteran of targeting these large, hard-fighting “tarpon of the north.” (LEWIS PAGEL)

Kotzebue Sound is one of the capitals of North American sheefish angling, thanks to spawning runs up the fish-filled Kobuk River. “The mouth of the Kobuk, which, besides being the known northern limit to the range of sheefish, has the biggest of the best run in North America,” author Bjorn Dihle writes. (LEWIS PAGEL)

all winter, but most folks fish March and April. You’re a lot less likely to freeze to death or get snuck up on by a polar bear at that time than you are in the long winter darkness. During winter and spring, sheefish travel in large schools chasing herring and smelt in brackish water. Some sheefish overwinter in freshwater, eating nothing and living off their body’s reserves.

Three big rivers – the Kobuk, Noatak and Selawik – drain into the Chukchi Sea near Kotzebue. Sometimes Pagel will travel as far as 15 miles to the mouths of the Noatak and Kobuk Rivers to fish, but the fishing is often good just a few hundred yards out from town on the thick sea ice. Pagel uses a 10-inch propane ice auger to drill through it.

Pagel has caught sheefish over 50 inches long and he’s hooked giant fish that were too big to get through the 10-inch hole. Sheefish can live 20 to 30 years, and don’t spawn until later in life. They’re known to be voracious, aggressive feeders. Finding them isn’t always easy, but when Pagel does, the fishing is hot.

“It’s feast or famine fishing,” Pagel says. “When they’re biting you can catch 100 in an hour. We fish spoons. When they’re hitting, they’ll take anything shiny.”

THREAT TO SPECIES’ SPAWNING GROUNDS

‘BUCKET-LIST FISH’ Kotzebue, a community of 3,000 mostly Iñupiat folks situated at the tip of a peninsula jutting into the Chukchi Sea, offers some of the best sheefish ice fishing opportunities. To many, Kotzebue might seem like the end of the Earth and then some. For Lewis Pagel, it’s home.

Originally from the Midwest, Pagel moved to Northwest Alaska in 2007 to live out his hunting and fishing dreams.

He loves chasing grizzlies, musk ox and all the other game this wild country has to offer. But when it comes to fish, Pagel’s focus rarely wavers from sheefish.

His home in Kotzebue is around 15 miles from the mouth of the Kobuk River, which, besides being the known northern limit to the range of sheefish, has the biggest of the best run in North America.

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Outside his work as a chiropractor, Pagel runs an ice fishing guiding business, Arctic Fishing Adventures (arcticfishingadventures.com). He offers all-inclusive guiding and do-it-yourself sheefish ice fishing packages. He is also the Alaska state chairman of Ducks Unlimited. He laughed when I asked him what gets people so excited about sheefish.

“They’re a bucket-list fish,” he says.

“There’s hardly anywhere in the world to catch them. Plus, they’re a lot of fun to catch. When they hit, they rip your arm right into the ice hole. One client lost two rods in a day from having fish pull them out of her hands.”

WHEN, WHERE, HOW? Pagel says you can ice fish for sheefish

DECEMBER 2024 | aksportingjournal.com

In August and September, these sheefish will migrate to the upper reaches of the Kobuk and Selawik Rivers to spawn. Fisheries ecologist Kevin Fraley points out that sheefish are very picky, concentrated spawners. Many of their spawning areas are near the route of the proposed Ambler Industrial Road, which, if built, would be a private 211-mile corridor through the southern flanks of the Brooks Range that would be used to develop an unknown number of foreign-owned mines.

Fraley has worked on a study funded by the Bureau of Land Management to get baseline contaminants data in fish from the sections of the rivers that the Ambler Road would cross. He is concerned about potential impacts to sheefish and the overall aquatic ecosystems if the Ambler Road were to be built.

“The populations of fish in the

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region, such as Kobuk River chum salmon and sheefish that are incredibly important subsistence resources and also represent world-class angling opportunities, could be threatened by contamination, siltation, increased harvest, and chemical spills resulting from the industrial developments,” says Fraley. “To me, the risks to these special fish populations from the Ambler Road are not worth the supposed benefits, which would mostly be the enrichment of foreign mining companies.”

Like many locals, Lewis Pagel shares Fraley’s concerns over what the Ambler Road or similar projects would mean for sheefish, other species of wildlife and

the hunting and fishing lifestyle. The potential harm to sheefish populations is one of a lot of reasons he opposes the Ambler Road. Pagel points out how most of the road would go through wetlands and why that’s a big issue for fish populations.

“It’s a huge threat,” he says. ”Wetlands are the environment’s filtration system, and in addition to hosting all the wildlife in this region, wetlands help prevent erosion of the land, keep the water and air clean, and provide food for the people and other animals of this region.

Mining activities could be detrimental to the waterways near the mine sites, and the roadway itself will alter hundreds

of streams and rivers. Anything that ends up in that water will make its way through the Kobuk River system and into Kotzebue Sound.”

In June, the Biden Administration’s BLM made steps toward blocking the Ambler Road project for now.

A REGION WORTH FIGHTING FOR Toward the end of my conversation with Pagel, we strayed from sheefish to a discussion about the incredible wild country of the Brooks Range. Pagel travels a lot, often to see what the rest of the world has to offer in terms of hunting and fishing opportunities. But nothing compares to his backyard.

Fisheries ecologist Kevin Fraley is among those who object to the proposed Ambler Road, which could potentially affect sheefish spawning waters along the Brooks Range. “The populations of fish in the region, such as Kobuk River chum salmon and sheefish that are incredibly important subsistence resources and also represent world-class angling opportunities, could be threatened by contamination, siltation, increased harvest, and chemical spills resulting from the industrial developments,” he says. (KEVIN FRALEY) 38

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“Often, I’ll go sit on a ridge and look out on the land, and I’m like, ‘Damn!

There isn’t another place like this,’” Pagel says. “I really hope it stays this way.”

The unique and very limited opportunity to fish for sheefish – whether it be through the ice on the frozen Chukchi Sea or fly fishing during spawning season in the upper reaches of the wildest rivers that remain on Earth – is one of many reasons to oppose Ambler Road projects and similar ideas. ASJ Editor’s note: Sign the petition to defend sheefish, their habitat and the unrivaled backcountry fishing experiences these fish provide at huntfishbrooksrange.com/ theres-still-time-to-sign-the-petition. This article was originally published as a blog for Hunters & Anglers for the Brooks Range (huntfishbrooksrange.com). It is the first of a two-part series on Northwest Alaska’s sheefish and how the proposed Ambler Road might affect their population. Part two will take an in-depth look at sheefish and fly fishing opportunities for “the tarpon of the north” on the Kobuk River.

Pagel, who lives in Kotzebue and runs his own guide service for sheefish, calls this species a “bucket-list fish” to target. “When they hit, they rip your arm right into the ice hole,” he says. (LEWIS PAGEL)

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FATHER, SON SAVOR

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DECEMBER 2024 | aksportingjournal.com

, SOUTHEAST ALASKA TRIPS PHOTOS COURTESY OF CAM BOHAN

C

am Bohan is in the process of starting his own guide service, and if the Kirkland, Washington, resident’s experiences fishing and hunting in Alaska are any indication, it should be a successful endeavor.

“I’m extremely fortunate and have been to multiple places around Southeast Alaska with my father, Rob Bohan,” Cam says. “Yakutat is our favorite and keeps us coming back.”

In all, this father-son duo has enjoyed roughly 50 Panhandle adventures, including salmon fishing and moose hunting.

“The Situk Inn (yaksitukinn.com) has the best lodging and hospitality in town that makes the trip that much more enjoyable,” Cam says of the Yakutat accommodation.

“You leave feeling like family!”

Their latest trip produced lots of coho action on local streams.

“We fished the Situk and Tawah Creek and did very well on Nw Custom Jigs!” Cam says. ASJ aksportingjournal.com | DECEMBER 2024

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HELPING FISH BRIDGE THE GAP TO ADULTHOOD SOUTHEAST ALASKA FISH PASSAGE PROJECT ASSISTS JUVENILE, RETURNING SALMONIDS

A before and after comparison of Southeast Alaska’s Jon’s Creek, where a fish-friendly bridge replaced an old undersized culvert, smoothing passage for fish. The creek is a vital spawning tributary for coho and pink salmon, steelhead and Dolly Varden. (ANDY STEVENS/USFWS)

BY ANDY STEVENS AND KATRINA LIEBICH

I

n September 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sealaska Corporation and Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition completed the replacement of a fish passage barrier with a fishfriendly bridge on Jon’s Creek. This project is one of several funded with Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to be completed in Alaska in 2024.

THE SETTING The headwaters of Jon’s Creek are steep and cold. From there, it quickly transitions into a flat, slow-moving stream that zigzags around remnant oldgrowth logs that fell into it long ago as it passes through a much younger, secondgrowth forest.

Before meeting the ocean near Klawock (Tlingit: Lawáak) on the west

coast of Prince of Wales Island, it flows through small pockets of remnant uncut old-growth forest, where fish love the myriad overhanging structure and pools.

Jon’s Creek is an important fish nursery.

Its pools and undercut banks hide away juvenile coho salmon that move in from the adjacent mainstem system, steelhead trout and Dolly Varden char.

Adult pink salmon spawn in Jon’s Creek proper and coho may spawn in its lower reaches as well.

below, creating a small jump barrier for baby salmonids wanting to go upstream.

In addition to being fragmented at the road, the creek also lacks instream wood in some sections; woody debris makes it more attractive to fish. This is due to prior human removals and a younger surrounding forest that isn’t yet contributing new, large wood. And we know how much fish love trees!

THE PROBLEMS

To fix these problems, the team worked with Southeast Road Builders to remove the too-small culvert, construct a new stream channel through the crossing, and install a bridge to carry the road over the stream. The project utilized a bridge already owned by Sealaska that

Jon’s Creek previously had to tumble through an undersized metal culvert midway up its course that carried it through Big Salt Road. The size and placement of this culvert made Jon’s Creek waterfall into a pool

THE FIX

was shipped from Hoonah and retrofitted for this crossing using a design by the Menzies Engineering Group with input from USFWS’s Alaska engineering design team.

A goal of the project was to reconstruct the stream in a way that mimics the natural channel. This technique, called stream simulation, helps maximize fish passage, improves wildlife crossing potential, promotes natural sediment transport, and allows for improved passage of downed trees, which create habitat for fish. This approach focuses on keeping the stream seamless through the crossing, including its natural channel shape and slope. Because the old culvert had been set at the wrong gradient, the team had to dig the channel down to tie it into the natural slope extending above and below the crossing. Not only is the channel back to its natural slope, but there are now natural banks on either side of the creek underneath the new bridge.

The bridge construction project was completed quickly and just in time for

A juvenile coho salmon captured in Jon’s Creek.

(ANDY STEVENS/USFWS)

dozens of adult pink salmon to be the first customers to swim under the new road-stream crossing.

LARGER PARTNERSHIP AT WORK This project began as part of a

The fish-friendly bridge on Big Salt Road where it intersects Jon’s Creek on Prince of Wales Island. It will be redecked in 2025. (ANDY STEVENS/USFWS) 46

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

DECEMBER 2024 | aksportingjournal.com

partnership between USFWS and Sealaska to improve fish passage on their lands in Southeast Alaska with funding support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In addition to fixing this

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culvert, Sealaska worked with Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition and the Klawock Indigenous Stewards Forest Partnership to improve fish habitat in Jon’s Creek below the crossing.

This 2023 effort involved a hand tool restoration project where SAWC and KISFP installed large woody habitat structures in the stream to improve fish habitat. In a watershed that was logged, this project helped jump-start the availability of wood in the stream for fish habitat while the trees along the banks are still maturing. The KISFP crew intends to do a similar hand tool restoration project upstream of the new bridge next summer to further improve fish habitat in this stream.

We hope to continue working with these great partners to improve fish passage, watershed and stream health across Alaska. ASJ Editor’s note: Andy Stevens is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Habitat Branch biologist and Katrina Liebich is a USFWS public affairs specialist in Alaska.

“A goal of the project was to reconstruct the stream in a way that mimics the natural channel,” USFWS says of the Jon’s Creek improvements. “This technique, called stream simulation, helps maximize fish passage, improves wildlife crossing potential, promotes natural sediment transport, and allows for improved passage of downed trees, which create habitat for fish.” (ANDY STEVENS/USFWS)

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TAPPING INTO

A passion for fishing and making good beer inspired the logo for owner Curtis Fincher’s (left, with Ryan Procaccini) Copper River Brewing. “We wanted the brewery to be more than just a place to get a beer,” says Curtis, who cofounded the brewery with his wife Christiana and head brewer Micah Renfeldt. “It’s about creating a space where people can connect, with each other and with the land.” (COPPER RIVER BREWING) 50

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WILD ALASKA SPIRIT CORDOVA’S COPPER RIVER BREWING PAYS HOMAGE TO FISHING, CONSERVATION

BY TIFFANY HERRINGTON

C

urtis Fincher’s love for both the outdoors and his Cordova, Alaska, community has shaped more than just his sense of adventure.

As a cofounder of Copper River Brewing, Curtis and his wife Christiana have transformed their deep connection to the rugged Alaskan landscape into a brewery that serves as a gathering place for the town’s close-knit residents.

Copper River Brewing isn’t just a spot to grab a drink; it’s a hub where locals share stories, enjoy locally crafted brews and reflect on the wild beauty surrounding them.

“We wanted the brewery to be more than just a place to get a beer,” Curtis says. “It’s about creating a space where people can connect, with each other and with the land.”

Copper River Brewing reflects the untamed spirit of Alaska and its adventurous residents. Its design intentionally mirrors the rugged beauty of its surroundings, incorporating elements from Cordova’s fishing heritage and natural landscape to create a warm, rustic atmosphere that feels inviting to everyone – longtime residents and newcomers alike.

A WESTERN MIGRATION Curtis and Christiana’s journey to Cordova wasn’t accidental. Originally from the East Coast, Curtis had spent time in Homer, Alaska, and parts of Montana before settling in Cordova, tucked away on the far eastern end of Prince William Sound. They were drawn by the combination of isolation and connection that defines the coastal town. With access only by plane or boat, Cordova’s remoteness creates a unique sense of community.

“There’s something special about coastal Alaska,” Curtis Fincher reflects.

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Christiana Fincher and her husband Curtis left the East Coast for the West’s wild lands, eventually settling in Cordova, where they craft beers the community enjoys. (COPPER RIVER BREWING)

“People come here intentionally, and that creates a tight-knit community where everyone looks out for each other.”

Copper River Brewing quickly became a part of that. Whether it’s neighbors catching up over a beer, local fishermen relaxing after a day at sea, or community events bringing everyone together, the brewery has become more than just a place to enjoy a brew; it’s a place where people belong.

BIRTH OF A BREWPUB This sense of community inspired 52

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Curtis and Christiana to open Copper River Brewing, along with their head brewer and cofounder Micah Renfeldt.

Their vision was simple: create a space where locals could gather, similar to the breweries they had enjoyed in Montana. Rather than starting with a grand business plan, they took small steps – first considering the space, then securing the necessary licenses – and soon, the brewery began to take shape.

“We didn’t plan to open a brewery at first,” Curtis explains. “It just grew naturally from our ideas and the

DECEMBER 2024 | aksportingjournal.com

community’s needs.”

Beyond the brewery’s role as a gathering spot, Copper River Brewing draws inspiration from its natural surroundings. The Finchers’ deep connection to the Alaskan wilderness is evident in both the brewery’s design and its locally sourced ingredients. The brewery’s fisherman logo pays homage to Cordova’s fishing history, with Curtis reimagining a 1900s-era cannery logo to feature a fisherman holding a beer.

“We wanted a logo that felt connected to Cordova’s history and its

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The Finchers – backpacking near Sheridan Glacier – live for these moments.

“Living here offers so many opportunities for adventure,” Curtis says. “We spend a lot of time on the water and in the wild, and it’s these experiences that make Cordova so special.” (COPPER RIVER BREWING)

flavor that echoes the nearby coastline.

Another favorite is the spruce tip wheat ale, made with locally foraged spruce tips that give the beer a distinct, bitter finish reminiscent of the wild forests around Cordova.

“We wanted our beers to be a taste of this region,” Curtis Fincher says. “When people drink our kelp beer or spruce tip ale, they’re experiencing the flavors of this place.”

A PASSION FOR THE OUTDOORS

people,” Curtis says. “It’s a nod to the town’s fishing heritage, but with a little modern twist.”

PINTS WITH LOCAL TIE-INS Copper River Brewing’s beers also capture the wild essence of the surrounding

landscape. Curtis is passionate about using local ingredients whenever possible, and the result is a lineup of beers that reflect the flavors of coastal Alaska. One standout is the Berliner Weisse brewed with locally harvested kelp, which adds a salty, astringent

The brewery’s connection to the outdoors extends beyond its beer menu. Curtis and Christiana are avid adventurers, spending much of their free time exploring the Alaskan wilderness.

Each Fourth of July, they gather with their staff for a weekend at a remote cabin on Hinchinbrook Island, not too far to the west of Cordova, where they hunt and fish. In the fall, they visit a glacial lake that freezes over and offers the unique experience of ice skating among towering icebergs.

“Living here offers so many opportunities for adventure,” Curtis says.

“We spend a lot of time on the water and in the wild, and it’s these experiences that make Cordova so special.”

GIVING BACK TO CORDOVA They are also committed to supporting local conservation efforts. The brewery

A zest for adventure leads Curtis Fincher to remote places. Here he paddles into the Arctic Ocean on a trip from Arctic Village to Kaktovik, during which he had to be “wary of polar bears.” (COPPER RIVER BREWING) 54

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collaborates with organizations like the Copper River Watershed Project to help protect the region’s natural resources.

In September, they partnered on a fundraiser to improve fish passage on the river’s delta, with proceeds supporting the health of the local watershed.

“Watershed health is critical to both the commercial and sportfishing industries here,” Curtis says. “We’re proud to support these efforts and help

preserve the environment that inspires our beers.”

Curtis’s dedication to the community doesn’t stop there. The brewery sponsors events like the annual Salmon Jam at the local ski hill, Mount Eyak, where Copper River Brewing provides a beer garden.

In Cordova, where residents often wear multiple hats – fisherman, skier, hiker – by day, the brewery has become a natural gathering place for people to

Christiana Fincher gets quite the workout and view while skiing on Mt. Eyak north of Cordova. The Finchers are also involved with conservation projects to protect local watersheds. (COPPER RIVER

BREWING)

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unwind and celebrate.

CHALLENGES APLENTY, BUT REWARDS TOO Running a brewery in a remote town like Cordova comes with its share of challenges. Shipping costs are one constant hurdle, with Curtis noting that the price of shipping grain often equals the cost of the grain itself. Utility expenses are also significantly higher than the national average.

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“One of the most gratifying things has been watching the community make this space their own,” Curtis says of what he, Christiana and Renfeldt have created for the people of Cordova.

“I want this place to be a lasting part of Cordova, a place where people always feel welcome.” (COPPER RIVER BREWING)

Despite these difficulties, Curtis feels the rewards of operating Copper River Brewing far outweigh the challenges.

“One of the most gratifying things has been watching the community make this space their own,” Curtis says. “We’ve hosted everything from union meetings to retirement parties here. Seeing how people have embraced the brewery makes all the hard work worth it.”

RAISING ONE TO THE FUTURE Looking down the road, the Finchers have ambitious plans for Copper River Brewing. Curtis hopes to secure a permanent building for the brewery and eventually transition to a co-op model, allowing employees to become owners.

His vision is to maintain Copper River Brewing as a welcoming space where 58

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

people from all walks of life come together, just as they do in the wilderness of Alaska.

“We’ve come a long way,” Curtis reflects.

“But there’s still so much more we can do. I want this place to be a lasting part of Cordova, a place where people always feel welcome.”

Copper River Brewing is more than just a business; it’s a reflection of Curtis and Christiana’s love for the Alaskan outdoors and their dedication to their community.

As they continue to grow, Curtis remains focused on keeping the brewery connected to the people and the land that inspires it.

He’s also committed to exploring more ways Copper River Brewing can support

DECEMBER 2024 | aksportingjournal.com

environmental causes, ensuring that the brewery continues to be a force for conservation in the region, helping to preserve the wilderness that defines Cordova. ASJ Editor’s note: For more on Copper River Brewing, check out the company’s website (copperriverbrewing.com) and follow them on Facebook and Instagram (@CopperRiverBrewing). Tiffany Herrington is a writer based in the Seattle area.

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2024

Holiday Gift Guide

Teeny, Inc. Fly Lines

jimteeny.com Teeny, Inc. Fly Lines is offering their $50 coffee table book for $25, which includes free shipping in the United States. This book is hardbound, full-color, and full of stories and photos. A great personal gift!

Alaska Butcher Equipment & Supply

alaskabutcherequip.com Hunting and fishing processing equipment. Alaska Butcher Equipment & Supply has all you need to process your own hunt or catch! Local and family-owned. Friendly and knowledgeable staff.

KatchKooler Deluxe

www.silverhorde.com The KatchKooler Deluxe “Keeps Your Catch Fresher.” The compact design makes it easy to stow. A high-density closed-cell foam layer will keep your fish extra cold. Made with durable waterproof outer fabric and equipped with a strong handle. Excellent for transporting fish. It’s the perfect gift for the angler in your family.

Liberty game calls

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Davis Tent

davistent.com The sleeping bag cover from Davis Tent is a great way to protect your sleeping bag and add a little warmth. You can even sleep under the stars on a starry night! Roll your sleeping bag, pillow and sleeping pad up and it’s a perfect bedroll to keep all your sleeping gear organized.

Liberty Game Calls are predominantly made of rubber, setting them apart from plastic game calls on the market. Rubber is soft and flexible and has exceptional sound transmission properties. Rubber’s high elasticity enables it to absorb and dissipate sound energy more effectively. This ensures that sound waves are not reflected or prematurely absorbed, allowing them to carry further and more efficiently.

Rubber’s low density and significant internal damping produce deeper, more resonant sounds. Rubber is the perfect material for calling game where the highest sound transmission and quality are essential for attracting game. aksportingjournal.com | DECEMBER 2024

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Black Hills Ammunition

black-hills.com The Black Hills 6mm ARC 90-grain Dual Performance load is designed to shoot flatter to 600 yards compared to the 103-grain ELD-X introduced last year, plus open immediately upon impact to create a large, 7-inch-diameter wound channel. Velocity is 2,650 feet per second with over 1,400 foot-pounds of energy.

2024

Holiday Gift Guide

Exquisiteknives.com

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Uncle Norm’s Marine Products youtube.com/@UncleNormsMarine Uncle Norm’s Performance Fins cut through the water, decreasing turn radius and boat wander for better slow-speed control and docking ability. The horizontal fluke area across the top blocks the prop from drawing water from the surface, effectively eliminating ventilation. You’ll get on plane faster and gain a smoother ride.

McOmie’s Custom Lures

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Fisherman’s Gold fishermansgold.com Flounder Pounder Cinnamon Twist three-pack for $11.99. Best soft bait for bottomfishing.

These high-quality baits won’t degrade over multiple uses and are made specifically for West Coast fisheries.

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info@safejacks.com

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Westview Marina

2024

westviewmarina.com Epic British Columbia, Canada, fishing/ catching adventure. Drive or fly-in, four nights’ lodging, three full days of guided fishing/catching salmon, halibut, lingcod and much more, with all your meals off a large restaurant menu. Price is $2,100 USD each for a crew of four to six people. 1-250-287-1394

Holiday Gift Guide

Salmoncrazy Adventures

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Stonefly Nets

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GoDark Faraday Bags

godarkbags.com Safeguard your satellite phone with the GoDark Faraday Bag, designed to be highly water- and puncture-resistant. This innovative bag effectively blocks satellite signals, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, 5G and EMP interference. It features MOLLE straps on the back for convenient attachment to belts or bags, along with a secure magnetic buckle that allows for easy one-handed access.

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Northern Rockies Adventures nradventures.com Join Northern Rockies Adventures’ signature fly-in fishing trips and enjoy the gold standard of Canadian trips! The secret to their great fishing lies in over 70 remote fly-in fishing destinations. Catch all wild native freshwater fish: trophy rainbow, bull and lake trout, northern pike, Arctic grayling and walleye.

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BOBBER WITH A BRAIN JR. ★ New patented EASY to use Bobber With A Brain Jr., ONLY automatic slip bobber in the world that requires no line stopper! You can fish 1 & 2 feet off the bottom automatically any depth, even 50 feet deep and it will not drift in 30 mph wind or jet ski waves! ★ Works in combination with any slip sinker and allows you to fish on and off the bottom at the same time on the same crappie or perch type rig!

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The “ORIGINAL WEST COAST ELECTRIC POT HAULER” 25 YEARS BUILDING/TESTING OUR OWN DESIGN OF HANDBUILT COMMERCIAL QUALITY 12V & 24V ELECTRIC PULLERS

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Buktek

2024

Holiday Gift Guide

thetacbox.com Need a simple and consistent way of accessing your pistol? The Tacbox Holster Box is the perfect gift for anyone looking for fast access and secure storage. Available in full-size and subcompact models, the Tacbox mounts almost anywhere to holster your handgun safely and consistently in the same orientation for easy access. Great for vehicles, gun safes, bedside, or even for display. Tacboxes can also be linked together to create your very own custom setup.

Pocket Ox

Safe Jack

safejacks.com Safe Jack solves century-old stability and safety issues related to farm jacks and the classic bottle jack. The most common failure is not linked to the jack itself but to stability, too much ground loading in one spot, and the lift point.

Check out these kits!

PocketOx.com The stocking-stuffer-size Half Calf is the tiniest mini hoist offered by Pocket Ox. A cut-down version of their 1,000-pound 8:1 Calf hoist, hence the name, the Half Calf is truly a block and tackle that will fit in a pocket. Standard 50 feet of “rope” has a block-toblock reach of 12 feet. May be ordered with 100 feet, doubling that distance while adding less than an ounce of carry weight.

Pacific Calls Michlitch Company

spokanespice.com Michlitch Company offers a wide variety of jerky and sausage-making seasonings and supplies. For the holiday season, they have gift boxes available for $30 each. Each box includes three seasoning blends and one sauce. Visit the website to see their variety of products and gift boxes.

pacificcustomcalls.com The Deuces Double Reed Duck Call is Pacific Calls’ number-one-selling duck call. It has a great range, is easy to blow and is user-friendly, creating the perfect tool for any duck hunter.

Coastal Marine Engine

coastalmarineengine.com Get 10 percent off labor on any scheduled maintenance between January 2 and February 28. Please use discount code NWSM2025 when booking your service.

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