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ALASKA

SPORTING JOURNAL

Volume 7 • Issue 9 www.aksportingjournal.com PUBLISHER James R. Baker ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Dick Openshaw GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott EDITOR Chris Cocoles ASSOCIATE EDITOR Tom Reale

WRITERS Paul D. Atkins, Christine Cunningham, Eddie Grasser, Jeff Lund, Bixler McClure, Krystin McClure, Dave Mellum, Steve Meyer, Dennis Musgraves, Ray Ordorica SALES MANAGER Katie Higgins ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mamie Griffin, Steve Joseph, Garn Kennedy, Mike Smith, Paul Yarnold PRODUCTION MANAGER Sonjia Kells DESIGNERS Ciara Pickering, Sam Rockwell, Liz Weickum

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ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Sauro INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@nwsportsmanmag.com ON THE COVER Homer sweet Homer is the battlecry for anglers who will take on king salmon in the waters near the port town for its annual derby next month. Prize money for 2015 totaled $100,000, including a winning purse of more than $27,000 for the biggest Chinook, which weighed 30.4 pounds.

(DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

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CORRESPONDENCE Twitter @AKSportJourn Facebook.com/alaskasportingjournal Email ccocoles@media-inc.com

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CONTENTS

VOLUME 7 • ISSUE 9

Aptly named Jesse Knock took a hard knock from what could have been a fatal fall off a mountainside near Ketchikan during a blacktail hunt. Don’t miss Jeff Lund’s conversation with Knock, who shared his remarkable story of near tragedy and his return to the field to continue doing what he loves.

BACK FROM 37 CLIMBING THE FALL

(JESSE KNOCK)

FEATURES 17

49

SITKA ON FILM Graham Morton grew up in Florida fishing and dreaming of documenting the sport he loves on film. His Pursuit Channel show, Sport Fishing Television, took a detour from its more traditional Southeastern U.S. fishing focus and enjoyed a Last Frontier adventure, challenging the salmon, halibut and yelloweye of the waters near Sitka.

Morton compared the landscape to something out of a J.R.R. Tolkien novel, and the fish themselves turned out to be camera-ready as well.

HOME IN THE WILD In the late 1970s, Ray Ordorica left a comfortable job in Denver and fulfilled his dream of escaping to Alaska near Lake Louise, where he spent his days and nights in a 12-foot-by-16-foot cabin fending for himself and waiting out winter. Ordorica brought his cat and befriended a local fox named Cookie that became one of the inspirations

for his book, The Alaskan Retreaters Notebook. Check out an excerpt and our conversation with the author.

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THE ROAD LESS TAKEN Krystin and Bixler McClure’s Nelchina Herd caribou tag remained unfilled as they followed the Denali Highway to no avail. They faced a dilemma: stay the current course or head towards Glennallen on the Richardson Highway?

On the advice of a local biologist, the McClures took a new route to try and change their luck. Find out if they were successful.

CASH IN ON KING$ Our Dennis Musgraves is a good sport.

His 2015 appearance at the Homer King Salmon Derby was a bust (he came back to port fishless), but it was still quite a thrill to be amongst the big fleet of boats heading out of Land’s End onto Kachemak Bay to catch the largest Chinook and win handsome

cash prizes. As the next Homer derby looms in March, Dennis provides some play-by-play to his trip.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 27

Alaska Safari Club International’s mission 66 Life on a winter trapline, part I of II 81 Cat and the Hare: The relationship between lynx and snowshoes 104 Ice fishing on the frigid Kenai Peninsula 115 The Panhandle’s “Steelhead Steve” 124 Last Frontier couple’s escape to tropical – and fishy – Costa Rica

DEPARTMENTS/COLUMNS 13

The Editor’s Note: RIP, “Grizzly Adams” 35 Protecting Wild Alaska: Respected ADFG wildlife biologist retires 35 Outdoor Calendar 134 Loose Ends: A dictionary guide to dog commands

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 $29.95 (12 issues) or $39.95 (24 issues). Send check or money order to Media Inc. Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Ave South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168 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 © 2015 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. 10

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EDITOR’S NOTE

M

y coworkers and I were huddling around an office computer watching a grainy YouTube video. The older ones among us were thrilled to see footage of a 1970s pop culture icon and at least me singing along with the theme (“Maybe … There’s a world where we don’t have to run”). Our younger colleagues wondered what the hell we were so happy about (or maybe mocking my singing voice?).

When I was a kid I never missed The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, which originally hit the big screen in 1974 before having a short-lived, two-season run on TV. The show’s title role was played perfectly by burly, bearded gentle giant Dan Haggerty, a wrongly accused fugitive who fled into the wilderness. He befriended an old-timer (Denver Pyle of similarly cult classic Dukes of Hazzard fame), a Native American local and an adorable massive but loyal bruin named Ben. When you’re 9 or 10 years old, such adventure was all you needed to forget about your boring childhood in suburbia. And it was fun to fantasize about living that way and having my own personal Ben the Bear to bond with.

Author Don Ordorica lived Actor Dan Haggerty’s death from somewhat of his own Grizzly cancer hit close to home for this fan of his role as Grizzly Adams Adams existence (without and this month’s book excerpt of the whole innocent fugitive Ray Ordorica’s book on time living thing). In the late 1970s, Or- in a cabin in the bush of Southcentral Alaska. (CHRIS COCOLES) dorica left his hometown of Denver for a tiny, isolated log dwelling he called Red Cabin near Lake Louise in Southcentral Alaska, a place he chronicled in his book, The Alaskan Retreater’s Notebook: One Man’s Journey into the Alaskan Wilderness. Don shared an excerpt from his work (see page 49) and some of his other memories with us in this issue.

“Although it took a while for me to realize it, it was a joy to be back in the woods away from the bustle and madness that I had experienced in Anchorage,” Ordorica wrote in his book. “Here, my time was mine. I didn’t have to share a dwelling with anyone, and didn’t have any chores other than attempting, the best way I could, to provide for myself.”

Maintaining his innocence forced Grizzly Adams to live that way, and it saddened me that we were searching for clips of Haggerty’s claim to fame when we found out the actor had passed away that January morning from cancer at 74. He was a small part of my childhood but his character was also a big presence for all of us who dreamed of living free. –Chris Cocoles Note: Actor Dan Haggerty’s family established a Giveforward page to help his medical bills before he died on Jan. 15. To donate go to https://www. giveforward.com/fundraiser/dxw9/help-dan-haggerty-fight-his-battle-with-cancer?utm_source=giveforward&utm_medium=email&utm_ campaign=donation_notify_oganizer&email=twbomar%40aol.com. aksportingjournal.com | FEBRUARY 2016

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ALASKA A AL ALA LA LASKA ASSKA SK KA SPORTING KA SSP PO ORT OR RT R TIN IN ING NG G JJO JOURNAL OU URN UR RN R NA NAL AL L

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CAMERAS ROLLING IN SITKA FLORIDA-BASED TV CREW LANDS HALIBUT, SALMON IN ALASKA

BY CHRIS COCOLES

of this three-day trip to catch halibut, salmon, yelloweye and other bottomfish amid a spectacular backdrop.

“The conditions are finicky and unpredictable,” Morton V filmmaker Graham Morton is reeling up something big narrates, with the notion that some rough seas and weathfrom deep below the surface off Sitka. He and his guide, er can’t deprive a Floridian of enjoying an Alaskan adventure.

Capt. Klinton Chambers, share theories about what ex“Ear-to-ear grins when the drag screams and the fish come in. actly is on the other end of the line.

And the spectacular sights make you forget when they don’t.

“I think there’s a boot on the end.”

Maybe that’s why nature keeps the lights on all summer long “A concrete block? Jimmy Hoffa?” in this part of the world.”

Morton had evolved into Graham Morton’s experiences filming fishing scenes around his a respected filmmaker when home base in Florida weren’t quite like the setting he and his crew enjoyed in the waters around and off Sitka, the site for an episode of last year he drew the attention his show, Sport Fishing Television. (SPORT FISHING TELEVISION, BOTH) of Bonnier Corporation, which publishes Sport Fishing magazine and recruited Morton to reshape its television brand.

“It took four to five months of prep work, and our first show that we tried it on was our Alaska show,” Morton says. “So it was a pretty exciting time up there.”

Some of the early episodes for the show’s season included outings for snook and redfish off Florida’s Treasure Coast (on the Atlantic side around Port St. Lucie) and the Gulf of Mexico waters off Venice, La. But it was the Sitka trip last September that Morton says was the defining moment so far in this project.

We spent a little time chatting with Morton about his passion for saltwater fishing and some of the play-byplay of his Southeast Alaska adventure.

T

Chris Cocoles What was your

Nothing that dramatic – just another of these waters’ monster halibut that Morton and his Sport Fishing Television crew pulled up during a three-day trip to Sitka that’s airing this month on the Pursuit Channel and Destination America series.

This wasn’t Morton’s first trip to Alaska, and he’s also fished and hunted throughout the Rockies and Pacific Northwest, but there was something about documenting every step

introduction to fishing down in Florida?

Graham Morton My grandfather is probably the easiest answer.

We primary did light-tackle inshore stuff, lots of speckled perch and bass and down here. That was mainly when I was a young kid. And then I started watching fishing TV shows and didn’t think they were very good, except for a handful, which were Flip Pallot’s show (outdoorchannel.com/flip-pallot-master-fishing-guide) and Jose Wejebe [a Florida legend who was aksportingjournal.com | FEBRUARY 2016

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a Cuban immigrant and hosted a show named Spanish Fly before he died in a plane crash in 2012]. I figured I wanted to do that – not so much to be a host, but more or less build a show of that caliber. And I just kind of taught myself that, and that correlated with me learning about fishing and traveling around when I was younger.

CC What part of Florida did you grow up? Gulf of Mexico side?

Atlantic side?

GM Right smack in the middle of downtown Orlando [laughs].

CC Lots of great bass fishing in the lakes of interior Florida. But were you much more into saltwater fishing still?

GM I think (saltwater fishing) had more mystery and was more exotic. Bass fishing around Orlando is kind of the easiest thing

it’s not like you can go out and charter a boat, and it’s not like you can pay for fuel for a boat. But [inshore fishing provided] an easy access point for me to enjoy it and be able to do it within a couple hours’ drive. As a young man you don’t get to access a lot of stuff, but you learn a lot and have some neat places that you can travel to by vehicle. But once you get older, the whole world opens up when it comes to why Florida is one of the few places in the states that has tropical-style fishing.

That was definitely a location-based opportunity.

CC It does look like you’ve spent some time out here in the West, though. Did you do lots of fishing?

GM Believe it or not I mainly hunted. I fished a little bit up there [in Idaho and Colorado] with some trout stuff, but mostly in mountainous areas, really, all I did was hunting [mostly elk] until I was about 25 or 30. I started doing a lot of filming out there with random people. But for fishing, you kind of grow up in saltwater and don’t want to leave it.

CC So tell us about the Alaska trip and what is was like for you.

GM It was the best episode from a personal standpoint that we’ve had all year. Everything was provided for us in terms of the accommodation; all we had to do “This was almost like being in something that (Lord of the Rings author J.R.R.) Tolkien would have writwas provide the tackle. ten,” host Graham Morton says of the area around Sitka he chronicled for the show.

They had their 30-foot (SPORT FISHING TELEVISION) aluminum boat and we ended up with a young guide who’s been doing this for about eight years. Coincidentalin the world and it was just something I didn’t really considly enough, (Chambers of Kingfisher Charters and Lodge) lives in er was anything special. I definitely always liked saltwater, Idaho, and since I’ve hunted up there we got along really well. though I didn’t really get into the bigger waters and offshore stuff until later on. But the inshore fishing was something I had been doing since I was a kid. And pretty much all my friends CC How was Sitka? weren’t people who I went to high school with, but people I GM Just the experience of being in town there is pretty unique. met through fishing or through videoing fishing or something It’s the third time that I’ve been to Alaska, the first that I’ve of that nature. It’s kind of what draws us. But it wasn’t somebeen down to the Panhandle. I’m not saying it was better or thing that I was raised into. It was just something that I hapworse than the mainland. I fished in the Kenai area before, but pened to like and got into on my own. And once I got a car of this was almost like being in something that (Lord of the Rings my own, you turn 16 and it’s off the races. author J.R.R.) Tolkien would have written – just between the mountains and the dormant volcano (Mount Edgecumbe) there. It’s a pretty big industry town for the short time their CC Where were some of your earliest fishing memories? season is open. Everybody there was just a nice human being GM A lot of it was in Mosquito Lagoon [east of Orlando], and it seems like a happy place to live. It’s a big area, don’t which is a big body of shallow water that you actually walk in get me wrong, but in a small, one-day trip in a boat you can and wade, so I did a lot of that. I also did some trips to the west see whales, sea lions and otters, bald eagles and bears. For us coast of Florida to Boca Grande, and that was all in my teen flat guys, it’s overwhelming almost. It’s just a really easy trip years. When you’re young, you also don’t have any money, so 18

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to enjoy.

CC Can you compare and contrast fishing in Alaska to your home base in Florida?

GM The kind of biomass (in Alaska), it’s almost like you’re guaranteed to catch something for the amount of fish and everything that’s going on. Something’s going to happen. In places like Venice (La.) that really don’t do proper offshore fishing, it’s a pretty big run to get out into the deep water – about 70 miles.

The grind out is part of the adventure there. In Alaska, it was more along the lines of me being almost allergic to cold weather. As long as I was warm, I was happy. The stuff that we do in Florida is not so much easier or harder in any way, shape or form; it’s more intimate, and maybe that’s the way to think about it. You’re more focused on what’s in front of you and what’s going on with your line than being distracted by the amazing beauty around you in Alaska or by this structured monolith oil rig that’s off Venice.

CC How was being

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CC What was the fishing like? Lots of salmon?

GM We caught kings and silvers, though we didn’t catch any monster kings that

“It was the best episode from a personal standpoint that we’ve had all year,” Morton, with a salmon here, says. “I can’t think of a bad memory or a bad time that we had.” (SPORT

in front of the camera and not behind?

That had to be a treat to be actually fishing.

GM It’s hard for me personally – which is different than FISHING TV) most anglers – because I spent the past 10 years without a rod in my hand. I spent more time on the water than most people because I was doing nothing but filming. So to make that transition was a little difficult.

Not that I hadn’t done that stuff before, but if you have to relearn everything you had spent years of fishing, I’m just trying to translate that back onto film.

All my friends who I’ve known for all these years, they laugh, because they 20

know that I have the knowledge to do this stuff. It’s just that I’ve turned down opportunities to go fishing so much just so I can get that one last spot. It’s not an ego-based thing to have a checklist of catching this species or this big of a fish. It’s more about translating this for the younger generation and showing what’s possible out there. The normal fishing shows just don’t do it for me.

They never have. I’m trying to show the reality and share the story of why you should love this stuff. I feel like fishing has gotten a bum rap lately and I want to show the truth of it.

you guys are probably familiar with. But we got maybe one 30-pound fish, and there was the transition from that to bottom-dropping on some shallow-water stuff to like 50 feet. It was one after another on black rockfish and the yelloweyes and lingcod. We did a little bit of flyfishing in the creeks because the pinks were running and we could have something tugging on the lines. My wife loves salmon. But I love really fresh hal-

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ibut and it’s really hard to get that.

almost like giant gut piles.

CC You had plenty of those to catch as well. What was it like

CC Is fighting an Alaskan halibut comparable to fighting something like a tarpon in Florida waters?

GM I’m trying to think of the best way to say it with the halibut versus the tarpon: The tarpon is aerial and you see it from start to finish right in front of you.

It’s not a big muscle exertion and not something that will wear you out, but it’s extremely tricky, especially on a fly because you have to watch your fingers so you don’t get line wrapped. Plus, once you get the fish up there, they’re super green when they get to the boat.

To me, with halibut the hardest thing is in the beginning, trying to get them off the bottom and out of the rocks. You’re trying to get that fish up, and then once you get them boat-side, they came alive again and went back down [laughs]. It was like a bottle rocket versus a diesel motor. For a tarpon fight (compared to a halibut), the only way I can equate it is one is really fast, strong and violent. And the other one you really have to put the work in even to get (a halibut) up, and then you have to do it all over again.

pulling in a big halibut?

Morton (left) and guide Klinton Chambers of Kingfisher Charters and Lodge measure a large halibut caught during taping of the show. (SPORT FISHING TELEVISION)

GM We didn’t catch any of the giant ones, but we caught one over 100 pounds, and (to hook one) is really fun … for about 30 seconds [laughs]. Then you start appreciating how to work it and everything that goes into it. It was a big thing for me to see the rigs that they’re using to catch them, because they’re

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CC Was there an excitement factor in fishing water that deep with the anticipation of not knowing what was coming up?

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GM That was probably the best part of not knowing what you have. Down here we can guess what we have when bottom fishing, for the most part. But over in Alaska, it could have been a giant lingcod for all we knew. When you’re 400 to 600 feet (down), that’s a lot of line to pick up when it’s straight down on a giant fish. You’re exhausted by the time you bring it back up top and you don’t know if it ends up being a chicken or barndoor (halibut). That level of excitement right there is probably equal to when a tarpon is coming and charging on a fly.

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CC What kind of film crew did you bring for this episode?

GM I had the opposite of what you might think, where you’d have a professional video team. I wanted people who have fished their entire lives and know what to look for, know the excitement of it and know the terminology. And I trained them how to run cameras; our entire crew has more experience fishing than I ever will have. These guys want to help fishing grow … And it’s not really work when you have the passion for it.

CC Do you find when you go Alaska it feels like the trip of a lifetime?

GM It really is, and I can’t think of a bad memory or a bad time that we had.

You go out to some places and get bad weather; it kind of ruins the trip. The weather varies so often (in Alaska), but that’s just part of a great experience.

CC Can you share one last memory from the trip?

GM My favorite thing was catching a yelloweye rockfish. Just to find out how old they are and what their range is, and also their color. It’s a fish that you would think you’d see in the tropics somewhere on a reef. And seeing the whales and sea otters (was memorable), how close they would get within the boat. They were all around you constantly. ASJ Editor’s note: Check your local listings for air times of Sport Fishing Television.

Go to sportfishingmag.com/sport-fishing-television for more information.

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PRESERVING HUNTING IN THE LAST FRONTIER ALASKA SAFARI CLUB INTERNATIONAL CHAPTER’S 40TH BANQUET THIS MONTH

BY EDDIE GRASSER AND DAVE MELLUM

A

laska became a state just over 50 years ago, and the Last Frontier remains the last great mecca for America’s anglers and hunters. However, there are storm clouds on the horizon.

It’s true that while outdoor traditions remain strong here in Alaska, there are those who would deny us our cultural traditions that date back thousands of years. Those of us who were here at statehood in 1959 could have nev-

er imagined that our way of life would be subjected to determined attacks to end those ancient traditions. Fortunately, for much of our existence as a state we’ve had effective organizations that have held the line in the battle to preserve the freedom to hunt.

One of those organizations is Safari Club International (SCI) and its Alaska Chapter (AKSCI), which has been standing up for hunters for much of Alaska’s existence as a state. SCI is the world’s largest hunter-conservationist nonprofit, and, as its motto so clearly

states, is “First for Hunters.”

PRESERVING TRADITIONS SCI has four mission areas, with the three most important being preserving the freedom to hunt, conservation of wildlife and education of the general public and future hunters. The fourth mission area is humanitarian services.

In Alaska, AKSCI led the fight to defeat anti-hunters at the ballot box twice in the last decade.

We’ve successfully worked with SCI National to take on the feds, where they

An event like Youth Day at the Range is one of many programs the Alaska chapter of Safari Club International sponsors locally. (SAFARI CLUB ALASKA) aksportingjournal.com | FEBRUARY 2016

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have misinterpreted the law, and we are currently the only hunting conservation group to file an amicus brief on the very important Sturgeon Case, which is now before the U.S. Supreme Court (SCI member John Sturgeon has challenged the National Park Service’s regulations on waters in Alaska’s national preserves).

We maintain full-time lobbyists in Juneau and in Washington, D.C., and SCI is the leading champion of political candidates who support hunting through our political action committee, SCI-PAC. AKSCI is a major supporter of conservation in Alaska and abroad. Perhaps the best example of our commitment to wildlife was our leadership role in reintroducing wood bison to the Alaskan landscape. We’ve also funded several wildlife management projects such as the chronic wasting disease study on Kodiak Island for Sitka blacktail deer.

Our efforts for education and humanitarian services are also well established. Every year we sponsor youth outdoor education programs, the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program, National Archery in the Schools program and the Youth Education Leader-

SCI Alaska board member and banquet hunt coordinator Mike Odin shows off a Dall sheep, the kind of big game the organization works to allow hunters to harvest in the state. (SAFARI CLUB ALASKA)

ship Program. Along with the numerous outdoor and conservation education programs, AKSCI is heavily involved in providing outdoor adventures to dis-

abled veterans and our Friday evening banquet at our annual Hunting Expo is fully dedicated to America’s heroes.

As a leading chapter within SCI, ours

Reintroducing wood bison to the Alaska landscape is among the many projects the state’s SCI chapter has supported.

(DOUG LINSTRAND) 28

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has been recognized as the premier chapter worldwide four times in the last decade, winning four Top Gun Awards and one Diamond Conservation Award. We were excited this past fall to learn we just won our fifth Top Gun Award for 2014 and also our second Diamond Conservation Award, to be presented at the national convention in Las Vegas. Each of these prestigious awards is given to only one chapter from nearly 200 in the world.

The SCI Alaskan Hunting Expo and Sportsman’s Banquet is scheduled for Feb. 26 and 27 in Anchorage. (SAFARI CLUB ALASKA)

A CELEBRATION OF SUCCESS This month will mark the 40th anniversary of AKSCI’s annual Hunting Expo and Sportsman’s Banquet. From its humble beginning to its current status as the world’s “Top Gun” chapter, AK SCI continues its fight to protect Alaskan hunter-conservationists. This year’s

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event will be held Friday and Saturday, Feb. 26 and 27, at the Dena’ina Center in Anchorage.

The event will consist of banquets, silent auctions, raffles, taxidermy competition, photo contest, gun drawings,

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hunting seminars, visiting outfitters from throughout the world, and perhaps the most incredible live auction you will ever witness.

This two-day live auction event is unparalleled in both size and offerings,

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and will feature over 80 hunting and fishing trips valued at over $500,000.

There will be trips from North America (Alaska Governor’s Dall sheep tag, muskox, moose, whitetail deer, mountain lion, elk, antelope, aoudad sheep, wild hog, javelina, pheasant, plus many

more); Africa (both plains game and dangerous game, including elephant, Cape buffalo and darted rhino); New Zealand (red stag, chamois, tahr); South America; Europe; Belize; Australia and more.

If you have ever wanted to be a par-

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ticipant in what can only be described as the ultimate sportsman’s “bucket list” auction, you simply must attend this event.

FOR THE NEXT GENERATION As Alaska’s sportsmen and -women living here, we are able to experience the finest hunting and fishing the world has to offer. The Alaska Chapter of Safari Club International is working hard, as evidenced by the Top Gun and Diamond Conservation Awards mentioned above, to preserve the freedom to hunt for us and for future generations.

Our annual fundraiser allows us to give all hunters the opportunity to continue their heritage. We would ask you to please help us in our effort by becoming a member of AKSCI and by joining us at our upcoming banquet. ASJ Editor’s note: For more information on available hunts and other adventures, or to purchase tickets, please visit aksafariclub.org. You can purchase tickets or full tables online or by calling (907) 9809018 or email admin@aksafariclub.org.

For sponsor tables call (907) 841-0358 or email eddie@aksafariclub.org.

JOIN SCI Safari Club International and The Alaska Chapter of Safari Club are the world’s foremost supporters and defenders of hunting rights and we invite you to please join us by becoming a member. In joining SCI and AKSCI, you show your support for hunting and conservation.

For just $45 a year (that’s less than the price of one tank of gas, or two pizzas and a pitcher of beer!) you can join this dedicated organization. Please contact Susan Grasser at (907) 980-9018 or email us at admin@aksafariclub.org to join. -ASJ

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PROTECTING

DEDICATED WILDLIFE WILD ALASKA BIOLOGIST STEPS ASIDE

BY CHRIS COCOLES

T

he way Alaskans feel about preserving their lands, flora and fauna makes the Jim Dau’s of the state difficult to replace and impossible to forget.

Dau recently retired from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Kotzebue bureau after serving 28 years as a wildlife biologist, focusing mostly on the state’s famed and largest Western Arctic Caribou Herd in Game Management Unit 23.

As our Paul Atkins wrote in the October 2015 issue of Alaska Sporting Journal, “The Western Arctic herd is getting smaller and no one really knows the reason.” Dau dedicated much of his professional career to find the answer to that and other issues in the Alaska tundra. Jim Dau (middle in boat and inset image) spent almost 30 years as a biologist in the Alaska Department of Fish and “His steadfast determination to acquire information about caribou Game before recently retiring. (ADFG) has led to one of the most coveted datasets on caribou in existence,” former biologist and colleague Charlotte Westing told the ADFG’s Alaska Fish and Wildlife News.

Dau’s days with ADFG’s Kotzebue office began in 1988, where he was the area biologist before being named Region V’s lead caribou biologist in 2007.

“He has conducted research on caribou migration, calving, seasonal range use, and techniques for aging caribou through the use of caribou jaws,” wrote Carmen Daggett of Alaska Fish and Wildlife News.

Added Westing of Dau, who also worked with the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ reindeer program, “Jim really values the input of the local people and sees the information they provide as being a valuable complement to the science he produces.”

Dau’s contributions to Alaska’s natural resources spread far beyond GMU 23, where he was based. He was a quintessential part of the Last Frontier’s reliance on having a healthy population of caribou, other game and fish. Alaskans embrace the doit-yourself and tough-as-sandpaper mentality that makes the Last Frontier wonderfully unique way of life.

So now is the time to thank Dau for his hard work and research findings and wish him the best of luck as he takes a well-earned breather in retirement.

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SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS A KETCHIKAN DEER HUNTER’S HARROWING FALL FROM A CLIFF

Jesse Knock, an experienced hunter, was tracking down a blacktail deer in this rugged terrain near Ketchikan when he lost his footing on a ledge. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever see his family again. (JESSE KNOCK)

BY JEFF LUND

O

nce a tooth fragment falls out of the hole in his gums, doctors can take the next step. But it will take some time until oral surgeons are able to drill the posts in Jesse Knock’s maxilla to secure three new front teeth – maybe six months. In the meantime he’s getting to know his dentist, oral surgeon and facial anatomy pretty well.

The novocaine is wearing off, so his face is back to symmetrical and he’s easy to understand, even with the gaping hole in his smile. He’s told the story about his opening day mishap more than he’d like in the six months since it happened, which makes sense. Who likes telling a story about how he or she almost died during a solo hunt?

He’s to the point now that when asked, “What happened?”

he says something about an accident while grocery shopping.

OPENING DAY Ketchikan is a thin strip of humanity that lines the western shore of Revillagigedo Island in Southeast Alaska. Mountains rise from the sea almost immediately, not in a menacing way aksportingjournal.com | FEBRUARY 2016

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like a fjord, but treeless alpine and sheer rock cliffs are visible from the grocery store.

Knock was up there before the season opened; he scouted, filmed and photographed blacktail deer.

“I saw three deer the week before and one really nice fourby-four. I went back up to the same spot on opening day, but they weren’t there.”

The mountain was wet and slick and fog made visibility poor, but it relented intermittently and provided Knock the opportunity to continue the search.

He put on his crampons, grabbed his walking poles and started toward the deer.

“I just had a weird feeling – just a cold, ‘this ain’t right’ feeling. I was going to give up and go around, but I took three more steps …”

GETTING TO ALASKA Knock grew up in the town of Toutle, Wash., in the southwestern part of the state. He shot his first deer, a Columbian blacktail spike, with his father when he was 13.

Despite crampons and walking poles, Knock’s footing was no match for slick Alaskan mountainside. (JESSE KNOCK)

“I went to the top of the spine where I thought they were at and was cooking breakfast under a tarp and a silhouette popped out below me. I worked my way down the ridge. The fog kept moving in and out, but when it cleared I saw them right below me.”

He had an easy shot, but no way to retrieve the deer.

“I watched them for probably half an hour, filmed them and decided I wasn’t going to shoot because I didn’t want to just foam at the mouth and do something stupid.”

As the fog continued to lift, he searched for a safe passage.

“I found a gully and a ledge and it looked doable. I thought, ‘If the 3-point stands up, I’m going to shoot it,’ and then he stands up like I asked him to; it was weird. He gave me a perfect broadside shot and I dropped him right there.”

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He moved to Alaska in 2010 after one of those Alaskan epiphanies people from the Lower 48 have when the Last Frontier gets ahold of them for the first time.

“I thought, ‘How can I move up here?’”

He went to school for fish culture and ended up getting a job at a fish hatchery on Etolin Island, north of Ketchikan.

“I talked to the boss on Tuesday and moved up on Friday.”

It’s safe to say he’s never going back.

“I like how everything is slow-paced. Down south everything is so fast; it’s a race. People take their time here; it’s meaningful. Where I grew up, you’d hike back in 13 miles and you’d still hear people bugling for elk.”

His first kill in Alaska was a black bear on Etolin Island and since then he and his bow (and rifle on occasion) have put

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down enough game to fill a wall in a Cabela’s. But his favorite is hunting deer in the remote alpine.

“I could just hunt August blacktail. There’s nothing like waking up above the timberline. It’s just so crisp and clear. You look forward to that the whole time; you have such high hopes, and when you get what you came for, you’re sad it’s over. Killing is just one small part of it.”

“I started to come to grips with death. Thoughts of family, my daughter and my girlfriend popped in my head and I thought, ‘Man, I need to get out of here.’”

Knock started up toward the trail on a severely sprained ankle that wouldn’t require surgery, but put him in a walking boot for over a month. (His deer was later recovered by a friend.)

“I wanted to get to the trailhead to where I could bleed out or pass out and someone would find me.”

THE FALL He made it to a vacant U.S. Forest Service cabin, so he “I broke free and I slid down about 20 feet on my stomach. I continued down the mountain toward Ketchikan, where he ended up coming off a small ledge and onto another slope.” encountered a pair of hikers.

Knock broke fingernails clawing against the side of the “They looked at me and were terrified.”

Incredibly – not to mention irrationally – Knock convinced the couple to continue their hike and help him on their way down.

“I was embarrassed. I didn’t want to burn their time with my accident. I told them, ‘You guys do your hike and on the way back down, let me use your shoulder.’”

They continued, and Knock made it another 200 yards. The adrenaline leaving, he started to feel the damage done to his ankle from the fall, and the subsequent hike.

Two nurses from Washington on a summer internship were next to encounter Knock.

The nurses immediately provided care.

“It’s weird that that’s who I (saw),” he said. “They were awesome.”

Jesse grew up in southwest Washington and had an early passion for hunting blacktail deer.

Knock used a cell phone to When an opportunity knocked (pun intended) to move and be a part of Alaska’s unlimited hunting possibilities, he jumped at it. (JESSE KNOCK) call Ryan McCue, a friend and owner of RDM – a local business mountain, but it was of no use. that does flightseeing and floatplane charters. The rest of the “Once I got to a certain speed, I knew I wasn’t going to stop fog burned off and McCue was landing his tiny tourist helicopunless I hit a rock or a tree.” ter on the mountain within an hour.

He went off another ledge, a real one.

Knock spent the day in the hospital and was released.

“I had a couple seconds while I was free-falling and thought, “Everything worked out – how I fell on my backpack and ‘Wow, this is it, you’re falling.’ When I hit, I hit on my back with the chute that I went down – that I only went down the 10-foot my pack on, and the force was so great it rolled me and I hit my one. I still can’t believe it. It’s weird to me. I’m not that lucky.” face on a rock. I woke up just being wet, wondering why I was GETTING BACK wet, not knowing what was happening.”

The proximity to Ketchikan makes the DG006 mountain goat His front teeth were shattered and his face was “pumping permit highly sought after – one could literally walk from the blood.” He pulled a shirt from his pack and tied it around his cruise ship docks to the hunting grounds – but only 15 are ishead to staunch the flow of blood from his mouth. With no cell sued annually. Knock was one of them. phone, he was on his own.

He was probably not mentally ready to get back into the He breaks from the story. mountains for deer, but sitting on such a coveted tag was “It’s hard.” more than he could take. So two months after his fall, he was He pauses again, then continues.

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after mountain goat – an animal notorious for finding the most ridiculous of places to live – within a few miles of that slope that almost claimed his life.

“I was limited on mobility, and I honestly wouldn’t have gone hunting this quick if I hadn’t drawn that tag. Once I get something set in my mind, I have a hard time getting it out.”

Knock knew he couldn’t go full tilt to fill the tag, but mixed in with dramatic monoliths and steep chutes of the island are flat bedding areas relatively close to the trail, and plenty of goats.

Knock, his girlfriend Ashley Butler and his buddy Beau Dale spent three days chasing a big goat that was eventually shot by someone else. Butler shot a buck and packed it out with Dale.

Knock stayed behind and ended up seeing a friend hunting the same mountain.

The weather was warm and clear – rare for early October – but he was short on time. If he didn’t fill the tag on this trip, he would have to wait until the end of the month when the weather was sure to have deteriorated.

FEBRUARY 2016 | aksportingjournal.com

“I had one more day to hunt and I was definitely not mentally ready to do the end of October hunt in the snow,” he said.

They hiked along the finger of a ridge and walked up on a sleeping goat at 30 yards.

Dale had taken Knock’s bow when he hiked out, but Knock had his .270.

He hesitated.

“I wasn’t sure if I wanted to shoot him, then he winded me. He looked at me and the entire year flashed before me and I decided, ‘Yeah, I want him.’”

The goat was on the edge of a cliff.

Knock fired. The goat rose, but rather than rolling, jumping or falling down off the ledge, it ran uphill – rare for a wounded animal – and died on the trail.

Redemption.

It took 11 hours to pack out.

“I couldn’t walk for two days after that,” Knock said.

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Somehow after the fall, Jesse managed to hobble back to the main trail and did his best to move forward until two off-duty nurses appeared and helped treat his injuries. (JESSE KNOCK)

cy. But you can’t think about it. Plan for it, sure, but when you’re side-hilling alpine, you can’t assume you’re going to fall. You hold on, get tough and make it work. There is inherent risk in some of the most rewarding activities.

In a society that is increasingly encouraging lives with training wheels and bubble wrap, there are those who continue to pursue what makes them feel alive.

Knock’s passion for alpine hunts hasn’t waned in the least. After the successful goat hunt, he and his family filled five blacktail buck tags during the rut.

“They are already asking me, ‘When can we go hunting again?’ My girlfriend is so supportive,” he said. “She lets me do everything I want to do. She feeds the alpine obsession all year round.”

As Knock puts more months between him and the accident, he moves forward with fresh perspective.

“I’ve hiked in steeper stuff (than where I fell). It’s made me think about more than just filling the tag and actually coming home. It knocked some sense into me. This place is no joke.” ASJ Editor’s note: Jeff Lund is the author of Going Home, a memoir about fishing and hunting in Alaska and California. For details, visit JeffLundBooks.com.

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FINDING FOOD

A LOWER 48ER FINDS HIS MUSE IN ISOLATED ALASKAN CABIN

IN THE BUSH

Editor’s note: Like many thrillseekers before and after him, Ray Ordorica’s compass pointed north, and in 1978 off he went to challenge himself in the Last Frontier. He spent three years living in a isolated wilderness log structure near Lake Louise in Southcentral Alaska (near Glenallen) that measured all of 12 feet by 16 feet. He learned a lot about Alaska and himself during his chronicling of “one man’s journey into the Alaska wilderness.”

The following is excerpted from The Alaskan Retreater’s Notebook, by Ray Odorica, published by Skyhorse Publishing, 2016.

BY RAY ORDORICA

Y

ou can’t live off your rifles in Alaska.

Alaska still has lots of game but it’s spread out all over the place. You have to get to it before you can shoot it. If you’re lucky and get a moose in the fall, you’ll be well set for meat for yourself and your family during the coming winter. If you are luckier still and get a caribou along with the moose, you should have enough meat to eat for about a year.

A moose may be too much for a single person, but you can perhaps trade for something else, or dry the meat for summer use. In the hunting area where I lived at Lake Louise, Game Management Unit 13, the caribou are doled out by permit. In the same area you can only take a moose if it is above a certain size.

Cross the road and your moose has to be below a certain size. Regulations change from year to year, and sometimes change during the season itself. Get a copy of the current regulations each and every season to find out what and where you can hunt. Regulations are available from the Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G).

You might qualify as a “subsistence” hunter, and you are then permitted to take game that nonsubsistence persons can’t take. The subsistence issue is

The deep powder required snowshoes to hunt for small game during Ray Ordorica’s three-year odyssey living in an isolated Alaska cabin. (RAY ORDORICA)

Starting in 1978, Ray spent three years at his cabin overlooking Lake Louise, and winter brought the expected bonechilling temperatures and ice on the lake. (RAY ORDORICA)

constantly changing, and may be nonexistent or strictly regulated in some areas. As of this writing subsistence hunting had been declared unconstitutional, but that might change. Make sure to check all game regulations with the ADF&G before you settle in for the winter to avoid confrontations with the game-law enforcement people, which is the Department of Public Safety/Division of Fish aksportingjournal.com | FEBRUARY 2016

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and Wildlife Protection (called “Protection officers”).

In areas where there are no subsistence laws don’t think you can bump off a moose or caribou whenever you want a change of diet. If there is no “dire emergency” at hand and you kill something not on the eligible game list, you’ll go directly to jail. The Protection officers are well-trained and tenacious, and they have a knack of showing up when you least expect them. It’s poor business at best to attempt to cheat on your hunting. Cooperate with the Division of Fish and Wildlife Protection and you will discover them to be most helpful people.

They’ll go out of their way to help you if you are in need. You can get on one of their meat lists and can get some good meat in the form of roadkilled moose or caribou.

If you are in dire need, which means that serious physical Ray spends time in his cabin during late fall. The reality of winter wasn’t too far off. (RAY ORDORICA)

harm might come to you if you don’t eat something right now, you can take game animals (or anything that happens along that you think might be edible) anytime and no one will complain. Be sure you really are in dire need. You are also entitled to defend yourself and your property against unwanted intrusion from wild animals, whether or not any season is open, or exists.

HERE’S AN EXAMPLE of the Division of Fish and Wildlife Protection in action, which illustrates the uncanny knack of at least one of them being where he was least expected, to the surprise and consternation of an out-of-state poacher: I was camped with master guide Andy Runyan at his old cabin on Clarence Lake in the hilly country above the headwaters of the Susitna River. One morning I heard shots coming from the hillside above the cabin, so I set up the spotting scope to see what was going on. It was caribou season, and I was visiting with friend Runyan to rest and relax with him and a couple other friends. I got the 20-power scope set up and, peering through the glass, clearly saw what was going on.

The shots I heard came from a group of out-of-state hunters as they fired into a herd of caribou. I watched one of their 50

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TALKING ALASKA We recently spoke with author Ray Ordorica about his life and book, The Alaskan Retreater’s Notebook: Chris Cocoles Did you have a love for the outdoors at an early age?

Ray Ordorica Not really.

As a kid I lived in Toledo (Ohio), and the only outdoors experience I had was uncomfortable camping in the Boy Scouts. Dad took me to many Western movies – Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, etc. When, as a child on a family trip to Yellowstone I first saw the real wide-open West, with mountains, wild animals and open spaces, I knew I’d have to live in that kind of wild country some day. I could never live in a city. But Alaska? It never entered my young mind.

CC Was there something specific that prompted your pilgrimage to Alaska?

RO After I moved to Denver for a job I did a lot of solo camping in the mountains on my weekends. I always hated it when I had to return to the city to my job, so my love of solitude was gradually growing. I wanted to live somewhere really remote, planned it for a long time, and when events came together – i.e., no job and unable to continue living where I was – I went to Alaska. My ideal remote locations had always been either Africa or Alaska, but I could not drive to Africa.

CC What was your first impression of The Last Frontier?

RO I arrived in Alaska via the Alcan. When I crossed the border my first impression was that I had come home.

Alaska was heavenly. It was vast beyond belief. Nothing prepares one for the immense open spaces, the towering mountains and the total absence of the trappings of man.

I was somewhat taken aback because I had no idea where to go, and determining that was my first priority. It was, “Well, pilgrim, here ya are. Whatcha gonna do now?!”

CC From Denver to a tiny cabin in the middle of nowhere had to be a bit of culture shock.

RO Again, not really. I have never been overly social. I had dated a lot in Ann Arbor (Mich.), but not very much in Denver. My job there – working on the Viking Mission to Mars between Denver and Las Cruces, N.M. – didn’t leave me much time for socializing. I came to crave getting away from people when I rarely got time off. In New Mexico I’d go out and wander in the desert, and in Colorado go solo camping the mountains. So going to Alaska

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party shoot two caribou, then walk up to them and watch as they thrashed their last. He made no effort to put them out of their misery, just stood there watching them die. Then, to my utter amazement and considerable anger, he turned and walked away! He was leaving them to rot!

About that time Andy Runyan walked into camp from his morning hunt, took a look at the scene, and sympathized with my anger. If the guy had been in range I might have taken a shot at him, I was that upset.

Andy has a knack for accurate predictions. He predicted that our friend Mike M____, an officer with the Division of Fish and Wildlife Protection, would be into camp that day and we could tell him our story. Sure enough, that afternoon Mike dropped in on us with his Super Cub. I told him my tale, and said I could pick out the guy from the clothes he wore, and that I was sure I could find the caribou. Mike said, “Let’s go!” We got into his Cub and he flew us up toward the kill site to look things over. We spotted the dead animals from the air, and Mike was able to land the plane in a pothole lake near the scene of the caribou murders. We walked over to take a look.

Mike gutted them to save the meat and also tried to find a bullet, and I walked up the hill to see if I could find any cartridge cases where I had seen the man standing when he shot.

I found three of his spent rifle cases and apologized to Mike, because I knew he had fired five shots. Mike was extremely happy and said we had a pretty good case against the fellow.

As luck would have it, about this time the party of outof-staters came over the hill above us. As they approached I pointed out the murderer to Mike. Mike was in plain clothes.

The cabin measured all of 12 feet by 16 feet and created a frozen paradise throughout the coldest part of the year. (RAY ORDORICA)

was not painful to my schedule. I didn’t miss going to the opera all that much, if you get my drift.

CC Is there something about the mystery, allure and wild side of Alaska that draws people to go north?

RO I think it’s mostly ignorance. If they really understood how cold it gets, how huge the state is, the total lack of roads and the like, I think most of them would stay home.

There’s certainly a great amount of mystery to Alaska. It is incredibly vast. In my book I put a map of Alaska superimposed on the Lower 48 states to show Alaska’s vastness.

Until you go to Alaska you can’t comprehend what it is you’re letting yourself in for. I’ve driven Alaskan visitors from Anchorage toward Glennallen on the Glenn Highway. Way off to the right is the beautiful Chugach Mountain range. Everyone asks how you get over there, and can’t understand, can’t really comprehend, that there are absolutely no roads.

CC You spent a lot of time in that cabin. Did you literally get cabin fever at all along the way?

RO Cabin fever? You can’t comprehend the misery of the endless winter, if you have nothing to do except wait. And wait. An activity such as trapping helps immensely. Without that, I think one can easily go stark-staring mad.

CC You share some great stories about your experience in the book. Do you have another good one not in the book?

RO There are plenty of stories untold about the time I spent with Andy and Ruthie Runyan, both at Lake Louise and in Andy’s bear camp on Kodiak Island. There are my experiences as a Fish & Wildlife Protection Aide (basically a cop). There are also my experiences as a photographer and also with radio-controlled model aircraft and the people involved with them. There were many interesting hikes with friends, along the way. So yes, I still have a few more Alaskan stories.

CC You have a chapter devoted to your fox friend, Cookie.

You have cats now and brought your cat, Tiger, with you .

Did you also consider Cookie a pet?

RO Cookie was by no means a pet. In fact, the book is dedicated to him. I always treated him as an equal, and that’s pretty much how he treated me on our walks through the woods together. A few people I knew had as much intelligence as my fox friend, but not many. I mean, think of your own best friend. Would you go up to him/her and scratch his ears, pat him on the back and treat him like a pet? I’ve had a dog, ferrets, and numerous cats. There is simply no comparison between the sharpest of those, with what lay behind the eyes of my fox friend. I seldom touched him, though we used to sit together long periods, with him well within my reach.

CC You must have either been or became a good cook.

What was your best meal ever while in Alaska?

RO I am not a great cook. My best self-cooked meal was tomatoes and rice with a lot of grease. The best meal I

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This fox was a constant visitor to Ray’s compound. He named him Cookie. Ray also brought along his cat, Tiger, to share the experience.

Mike did his incomparable number on the caribou murderer and got him to admit to what he had done, and I was extremely pleased to see the growing fear on the face of that jerk as he realized there had been a witness to his crime. It did my heart good to hear the quaver in his voice when he realized he was in the hands of the law.

Sad to say, the judge could only give him a fine and confiscate his rifle. If the judge had seen what I saw, the guy would still be in jail.

FISH AND WILDLIFE Protection officers deserve our greatest respect and all our help if there is to remain any semblance of legal hunting in the state for future generations. The state is vast and the number of officers limited. Each officer has a very big job to do and lots of territory to cover. Help them and you are helping yourself.

recall in all my time in Alaska was a delight put together

by Ruthie Runyan. For a time I lived with Andy and Ruthie Runyan on their land at Lake Louise. One day Ruthie, who was formerly a professional cook, made beaver tail and beans for her husband and I. It’s one of the finest dinners I’ve had in my life.

CC Overall, what was your experience like and how often do you go back?

RO I spent 14 years in Alaska. I’m very happy I made my pilgrimage to that state and I’m thankful for all the things I experienced there.

Looking back, several times I could easily have been killed. It’s not a gentle state by any stretch, and it’s most certainly not for everyone.

Since I left Alaska I have not been back to visit. A few years ago I was lucky enough to find a remote dwelling here in Idaho that provides me with enough of a wilderness experience to keep me happy. And it’s not a 200mile drive to town. -CC

(RAY ORDORICA)

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Their job is to ensure that there will always be plenty of game to hunt, and for our children to hunt as well.

Editor’s note: The Alaskan Retreaters Notebook is available for purchase at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com and indiebound.org.

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Was the sun setting on another failed caribou hunt for the McClures? Two previous outings had proven futile, and things weren’t going well on this winter hunt either. (BIXLER MCCLURE)

THIRD TIME’S

A CHARM? AFTER TWO CARIBOU-LESS HUNTS, A TIP PUTS TWO SPORTSMEN ON THE RIGHT TRACK

BY KRYSTIN AND BIXLER MCCLURE

I

listened as a light dusting of snow pelted our tent. I could hear the howling of wolves in the distance and woke up Bixler as I tried to grab the wool blanket off the floor of the tent.

I was cold, tired, a bit scared and frustrated as I struggled to fall back to sleep. We were once again attempting to hunt the Nelchina caribou herd – this time, in the winter.

Back in February I drew a caribou tag for the western side of the Denali Highway. Usually I am excited by drawing any sort of tag, but it was a bittersweet moment when I drew this hunt. A few years earlier I had drawn one for the eastern side of the Denali Highway and found the hunt frustrating. The Game Management Unit 13 Nelchina caribou hunt is a favorite among Alaskans, offering both a guaranteed tag under the Tier I system or a draw tag, which I had.

Scores of hunters line the Denali Highway, a 120-mile stretch of gravel through the wilderness, looking for caribou.

This can be frustratingly competitive for a road-and-foot hunter like myself.

In August we headed up to the Denali Highway and came

back empty-handed. Like before, we were competing for road space with hundreds of other hopeful hunters. I had some 12 unsuccessful caribou stalks and lost my shots due to road traffic or other hunters nearby. I lost hope after seeing truck after truck with a caribou in the bed pass us on the highway. I was beginning to think that caribou hunting just was not for me.

That October I happened to call the Nelchina hotline that updates the hunt status for the Unit 13 caribou hunt. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game makes the crucial decision every year whether to reopen the hunt for the winter. This year they reopened the hunt and expanded the range for all Tier I and draw tag holders to all of Unit 13. It was like I was given a second (or rather third) chance at bagging my first caribou.

BIXLER AND I loaded up the truck and contemplated the route: Do we head back to the Denali Highway – now closed this time of year – and risk driving the same stretches looking for caribou, or do we try to go towards Glennallen, where the herd is supposedly passing along the Richardson Highway in the thick boreal forests? I had to pick up my bison tag at the Glennallen Fish and Game office, so we opted to head that direction. aksportingjournal.com | FEBRUARY 2016

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An Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologist suggested that our husband-and-wife adventurers detour from the popular Denali Highway and find a spot off the Richardson Highway instead for their caribou. (BIXLER MCCLURE)

As we climbed elevation out of Palmer we started to see a familiar sight: whole caribou strapped to the backs of cars and in the beds of trucks. Bixler said he had a good feeling about this hunt, but I was more skeptical.

Unlike the open swaths of tundra on the Denali Highway, the Glenn and Richardson Highways cut through thick spruce forests.

The ground was frozen and our hunting hours were cut short by diminishing daylight. Snow was in the forecast, making this a true winter hunt. I would step out of the truck to scan for caribou, then quickly return and blast the heater.

After scanning a few back roads around Glennallen, we pulled into the local Alaska Department of Fish and Game office. I picked up my bison tag, while Bixler happened to strike up a conversation about the caribou hunt with a local biologist.

“Oh, all the caribou are crossing this one section of the Richardson Highway on their way east,” he said, pointing to 60

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a wall-sized map of Unit 13. “You’ll know where they are at because you’ll see other people sitting along the highway in lawn chairs waiting for them to cross.”

We thanked the biologist and headed north along the Richardson. As soon as we passed the posted private property, we saw the exact picture the biologist had painted. There were literally camo-clad hunters sitting in lawn chairs with binoculars and a rifle across their laps.

The biologist gave us exact landmarks and mileposts where the majority of the herd was crossing, so we stuck to that hunt area. We still contemplated heading north to the Paxson end of the Denali Highway and then I spotted a big bull in a bog.

Bixler parked the truck and I carefully approached the bull, which had already dropped his antlers, while I navigated a half-frozen bog. I was looking at the edge of the bog to figure out an approach when a shot fired from the distance dropped that bull. Someone had been parked in the woods all day waiting for that caribou.

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When we returned to the truck I was beginning to think this was becoming another competitive road hunt, but in even worse terrain. Bixler and I had the idea of camping out in a bog waiting for a caribou to pass. Each bog seemed to be occupied and we ended up following a bear trail into an empty bog and waiting. Nothing happened. We watched the hoar frost grow and daylight diminish.

At dusk we pulled into a trail and walked in a few yards. I saw a large bull with a string of cows behind him for a fraction of a second before disappearing into the thick forest. The ground was frozen and the caribou were impossible to track.

We walked out of the trail and decided to camp for the night. Our plan was to wake up early and start combing the highway for caribou in the same area. Denali Highway was still on our minds, but we opted to trust the ADFG biologist instead. He had said that the satellite photos showed almost no caribou left on the Denali Highway, where we had hunted in August.

That night we pulled into a local campground and set up camp. The temperature dropped rapidly, causing our 7-gallon

A BITE OF ITALY What do you do with all the odds and ends when done butchering a caribou? Grind them up! Caribou burgers are great, and if you like ground meats, try out this delicious twist on an old pasta favorite.

Bixler McClure takes a break during the hunt. (BIXLER MCCLURE)

water jug to freeze overnight.

Despite having a sleeping bag rated to 20 below zero, my poor feet kept me up all night and I worried about the wolves howling in the distance and possibly feeding on gut piles of harvested caribou. A dusting of snow fell and bonded with the ice. We awoke to clear, dark skies and broke camp, deciding to give this hunt a last chance.

BIXLER PULLED OUT of the campground and onto the highway.

We both spotted something off the highway just a few hundred yards north in our hunting territory: a large, fat caribou cow eating dead grass.

Bixler parked the truck and I nervously stepped out with the gun and tripod. I was shaking so bad from excitement that I had a difficult time setting up the tripod. Once I wrestled it in 62

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Ingredients 1 pound ground caribou 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, diced 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce 6 dried lasagna noodles 1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese 1 cup grated Asiago cheese 1 to 2 cups grated mozzarella 1 egg Salt, pepper, herbs de Provence, fennel Directions 1. In a skillet, heat olive oil. Add garlic, onion, caribou and seasonings. Cook until caribou is browned. Add both cans of tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Boil dried lasagna noodles per box instructions, drain, and rinse with cold water. Combine ricotta, Asiago and egg and stir until blended.

3. In a 2-quart baking dish, combine ingredients as follows: Spread a bit of the meat/sauce mixture on the bottom of the dish. Lay noodles over the sauce and trim to ďŹ t into the dish. Spread the ricotta mixture over the noodles and cover with more sauce. Sprinkle grated mozzarella over the meat.

Repeat with another layer of noodles, ricotta mixture, meat and mozzarella.

4. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Serve with homemade sourdough garlic bread! –BM

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place, I peered through the scope, which was now fogged up from the sudden burst of morning cold. The sun was just rising when the caribou turned broadside and I fired my first shot. It leaped back into the spruce.

Stunned, I stood there while Bixler ran forward and pointed to the caribou, now standing in place next to a spruce tree. I fired a second shot and the caribou dropped.

It was such a relief to finally get my caribou. As we butch-

Krystin McClure missed a shot on her first caribou cow, but she took advantage of another opportunity when it moved over to a nearby spruce tree. (BIXLER MCCLURE)

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A freezer full of meat made the first two unsuccessful hunts that much more of a learning experience when trip three paid off handsomely. (BIXLER MCCLURE)

ered the animal (rather than putting the entire thing in the truck bed), we saw dozens of hopeful hunters slow down as they approached our truck parked off the highway.

As we were finishing up the butchering, a set of hunting couples parked and approached us. They were brand new to caribou hunting and were excited to see us carefully butchering up the caribou within eyeshot of the highway. They asked me about my hunt and a few tips to which I replied, “Good luck, and the third time’s the charm.” ASJ

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SECRETS OF TRAPPING WORKING A TRAPLINE IN THE HEART OF THE ALASKAN WINTER IS SERIOUS BUSINESS | PART I OF II

Many consider the lynx to be one of the biggest challenges for trappers. Cunning, wary and having a sixth sense, these incredible predators are hard to come by some years. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

BY PAUL D. ATKINS

“W

hat time does it get daylight?” I asked Lew Pagel. “Around noon, I think,” he replied.

“What time does it get dark?” I asked next. “About 3:30,” he answered.

“Doesn’t give us much time to get camp set up and maybe set a few traps, does it?”

“No,” he said, “but we have nothing else to do, and besides, we need to get out, check the snow and look for an area to camp.”

“Sounds like a plan to me; I’ll see you tomorrow,” I replied as I left his office.

As I cruised in on my machine the next day, the lone willow bushes – cut, taped and stabbed into the ice by search-and-rescue

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Daily Fishing Report – http://www.reelaffair.com/fishingreport/ salmon species you choose to target. Your ground fish, halibut, yellow eye, lingcod and other rockfish are available all season long.

For detailed information on current limits and specifics on your targeted species, please visit www.reelaffair.com.

Because Sitka area water is inundated with islands, there is literally not a day we don’t fish. Location, location, location!

Why Sitka, Alaska?

Know your location: Don’t just take our word for it. Visit www.adfg.alaska.gov/index. cfm.

Do your research: The water surrounding Sitka, Alaska boasts the highest salmon catch rate per angler hour of any saltwater destination for sport fisherman and fisherwomen in the entire state of Alaska.

That is huge!

The salmon species which are most commonly targeted in Sitka waters are king salmon (Chinook) and silver salmon (Coho), although all five species, including pink, chum and sockeye are present.

Salmon are drawn to Sitka simply because of the amount of baitfish in the waters here.

It’s the food that brings them in and the food availability that keep them here in their course of their annual migratory run. Simple!

Sitka is located on the west side of Baranof Island. Why is this important? If you have fished anywhere off the mainland of Alaska, then you are very familiar with the tides and the fact that halibut fishing is a tidal fishery in those areas. You will fish an hour or so prior to slack tide through slack tide and an hour or so after before it becomes difficult to keep your bait on bottom any longer.

Sitka’s water will impress you with minimal tides. This alone allows our halibut fisherman and women to fish straight up and down 24 hours a day with no need to schedule a fishing vacation around the tides!

Choosing your dates: What dictates the beginning of our charter season in Sitka, Alaska as well as its end is simply this: water and weather conditions.

Whether you’re targeting salmon, halibut, yellow eye, lingcod or other rockfish and the fish are here. We are not date sensitive as lakes or rivers may be.

Our charter fishing season is from midMay through early September. You choose the time of year that you prefer to fish by the 68

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

About the owners: Opening in 1995, Alaskan Reel Affair Charters is owned and operated by Tim and Octobre Twaddle, year-round residents of Sitka. “We feel our longevity speaks volumes.” Tim, having a commercial fishing background, is an active guide along with other local captains and crew. Octobre oversees the land operations from “personally meeting our guests at the airport to our custom fish processing.” ...”We pay attention to your and to every detail. We’re there for you from before you step off the plane in Sitka, until we have you & your seafood securely checked through to your home airport on your day of departure”.

Flights: Alaska Airlines Boeing 738’s serves Sitka, Alaska – Flights are daily out of Seattle, Washington, www.alaskaairlines. com.

Delta Airlines, www.deltaairlines.com, also serves Sitka, AK. Why Alaskan Reel Affair Charters? The adjoining advertisement tells you briefly about our inclusive packages. For full details, www.reelaffair.com.

All-inclusive packages: We’ll meet you at our airport which is serviced by Alaska & Delta Airlines. Your lodging is at the Westmark Sitka, located in the heart of Sitka, the fifth largest city in Alaska. Breakfast is available at the Westmark.

On arrival Octobre is waiting for your flight & will have your fishing license, king salmon stamp & boots. Need to go to the store?

She’s prepared & ready to take you. The remainder of your arrival day, you are free to enjoy the sights and sounds of Sikta’s rich history & culture.

We’ll pick you up the next morning to take you to Sealing Cove Harbor, only a threeminute ride away, and introduce you to your deckhand & captain, where the boat is warm and ready to go.

You will fish the same crew the entirety of your trip, and we fish no more than four (4) anglers to a boat unless you have requested otherwise. (Generous lunches and more are provided on board.)

The boats: You will fish on one of our four U.S.C.G. inspected vessels, with state of the art electronics.

The fishing day: 10-hours dock-to-dock affords you seven to eight hours of “wet line

FEBRUARY 2016 | aksportingjournal.com

time”. You’ll fish a “combination” day, fishing for your salmon in the morning hours and later that morning heading out to fish our ground species: halibut, yellow eye, lingcod and other rockfish. Your catch will be bled, gutted and gilled onboard and put on ice.

Unlimited custom fish processing: After arrival back to the dock, Octobre, will take you to your lodging and, upon request will have made dinner reservations for you. While you’re enjoying a shower or a power nap, our processors take your catch back to our facility where your harvest will be prepared per your individual requests of steaks, fillets, and butterflies or even smoked. Choices daily! Your harvest is then labeled, vacuum sealed in portions for two, frozen to (minus) -28 degrees and boxed for your flight home as check-in baggage. We can also fully insulate! Remember, when fishing with us, bring carry-on luggage only, your fish is check-in baggage going home.

Questions?

Octobre or Tim – cell – 907-738-3322 Email – reel.affair@att.net Web – www.reelaffair.com

CHAR TER S,

LL C .

AS AL

N KA

Reel Affair

EST. 1995

SITKA, ALASKA

STEP ABOARD. Allow our crew to assist you in personally designing your Alaskan experience of a lifetime. Whether you are seeking the majestic salmon, delicious halibut or one of our trophy saltwater species, we are here to assist you in making that dream come true.

Your All-Inclusive Package Includes: • Guaranteed 10 hours a day (dock to dock) which affords you a minimum of 7 to 8 hours of wet line time.

• UNLIMITED “custom” fish processing, packaged in portions for two, vacuum sealing, freezing, labeling and boxing of your catch.

• All your required fishing licenses & salmon stamps.

• All fishing gear and tackle. We even supply rain gear & boots.

However for that custom fit, you may want to bring your own.

Our deckhand will wash down the decks often. Non-scuff footwear is preferred.

• A Full Lunch is provided aboard, to include something fresh, something salty & something sweet, snacks, soft drinks, water, & fresh water ice is also included for any personal beverages you may choose to bring along.

• Lodging while in Sitka is at the Westmark Sitka considered to be one of Sitka’s finest in lodging and amenities. All lodging is based on double occupancy. The Westmark Sitka features and outside deck with views of Sitka Sound & Crescent Harbor.

(907) 738-3322 or email reel.affair@att.net or visit www.reelaffair.com For reservations, please call

P.O. BOX 1825 • SITKA, ALASKA 99835 aksportingjournal.com | FEBRUARY 2016

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Once you cross 13 miles of thick ice, and in this case overflow, you must stop to check gear and make sure everything is still where it should be. Arctic traveling can be tough on equipment; if you don’t stop to check for breakage or loose parts, you could have problems.

(PAUL D. ATKINS)

teams – whipped by me like telephone poles on a highway somewhere further south. They’re there for a reason, marking the trail for travelers to and from Kotzebue and outlying villages – lifesavers, to say the least, especially in the dark. It was noon, however, and the sun was just starting to break from behind the hills, giving everything a “warmer” glow. Lew was in front of me.

His big yellow Skidoo kicked up chunks of snow, which hit the thin plastic windshield of my ma- Wolves have always been a touchy subject in the Lower 48, but here in Alaska they are not. Wolves are numerous and in ever growing numbers chine. It was a glorious day. throughout the Last Frontier, so much so in fact that the limit here in unit 23 As they always do, my thoughts began to drift is 20 per year. Wolves play havoc on big game species each year decimatthe further I got from town. With a hint of my fa- ing moose and caribou numbers. Trappers and hunters alike do their best to keep them in check. (PAUL D. ATKINS) ther’s voice mixed in there somewhere (“Watch what you’re doing, boy,” he would always say), I began wondering just how many times I’ve made this same ning snow gear for the last 20 years, going out in temperavoyage across this ocean of ice and snow. Has it been a huntures where a human should really be inside watching football, dred or maybe a thousand times? I don’t know. I’ve lost count the anticipation of every trip is why I love this place. over the past 20 years, but one thing is for sure: crossing 10I’m amazed at the beauty that only January and February plus miles of frozen ocean and another 20 miles of frozen can bring: beautiful mountains and hills to the north covered tundra to get to our hunting grounds seems to get longer and in oceans of snow, with spruce trees lining the valleys and longer every year. edges of what seems a forever frozen landscape.

It’s still exciting, though, and even though I’ve been donIt is not lacking adventure, however – there are occasional 70

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close calls. Deep snow or little to none at all can play havoc on your senses and emotions, just like the brutal wind can penetrate even the best Cabela’s has to offer.

I do know that you’ll warm up pretty fast when things get a little hairy, like now.

MY ADRENALINE HIT an all-time high when I saw Lew do a couple of 360s in front of me. Like riding a wild bronco, Lew

“There,” I said as I pulled up alongside Lew. “Right there below those low-lying hills. See the tops of those trees sticking out of the snow and that little crook that makes itself into that creek? Let’s check that out.”

The powder was deep in places and most of the treetops were all that could be seen sprouting up through the snow.

“Trees are always shorter in the wintertime,” I mentioned to Lew. We laughed until I saw movement in the trees. Now, you never know what you’ll see on any Alaskan adventure, but even more so here in the Arctic. Whether it’s a group of caribou that decided to stay for the winter or, as was this case, a lone moose hanging in the deep brush feeding on willows and avoiding danger, you just never know.

It was a decent moose and we had a subsistence tag for one, but with dwindling daylight and knowing we had to cross that ocean of overflow to get back home later in the day, we decided against it. Our goal was to check the creek and look for a place to set our camp. Goals are important!

This place was ideal; it teemed with tracks from all sorts of critters. Lynx, fox and wolf prints lined the timber and the frozen creek that flowed through the valley. It was a great place to set up and work a trap line for the next couple of months.

GRANTED, I’M A novice when it comes to trapping. Growing up in the Midwest we did very little of it. We used hounds, and each weekend you could find me hunting raccoons at night Tracks of any kind are always interesting, especially with such a wide variety of wildlife in Alaska. Whether it’s a big bear print along a muddy river in the fall or this big wolf track that Lew Pagel and Paul Atkins cut along the creek where they were looking for a place to trap, they all tell a story and leave hunters and trappers wondering. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

managed to stay aboard as he came to a standstill 100 yards ahead of me. I came to an abrupt stop myself, wondering if this was as bad as it looked.

The snow trail had been good, but looking ahead I could see trouble.

Sheer ice caused by overflow from the night before had formed in front of us, creating a lake of glare and illusion.

This was no-man’s land, and if it wasn’t for us knowing that the ice was at least 4 feet thick from an ice fishing trip the week before, we would have been in trouble.

Lew corrected his machine and we inched forward, struggling to keep the snowmobiles’ skis in a straight line. To our relief, the far coast finally came into view and we headed into the mountains to look for a place to camp and check out some adjacent creeks and spruce thickets.

The snow, deep and widespread, was ideal as we hit the throttle, cruising along on unmarked and undiscovered tundra.

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with my father or friends from high school and college.

Trapping was something we just didn’t do. But here in Alaska, and specifically here in the colder regions, it’s very popular, a birthright for many, and for some the only type of outdoor adventure they participate in. All kinds of trappers and trap lines, varying from local, behind-town stuff to the hardcore extreme, can be found across the state.

I’ve helped check trap lines over the years and have friends

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One of the most common species found in this part of the Arctic is the red fox. They are numerous and are probably one of the most common predators hunted and trapped. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

who are exceptional at it. Each year they make their living, or at least supplement their income, with some hefty numbers come the end of the season. The places they go are top secret and have been used for years. These areas are off the map and some of the harshest and heaviest cover the Arctic has to offer. They’re tough to get into, but usually produce.

With no chance of extinction, there are numerous animals available to the Alaskan trapper, and most, depending on what part of the state you live in, can be taken in pretty

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liberal numbers.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game lists all available species on its website, plus rules and regulations on what, where and how. Time frame is everything, and if you want prime pelts, then definitely the coldest months are best.

Besides information on species, the website details opportunities and provides a wide range of trapping tips and expertise. Most species we find up here run in cycles, and even though Lew and I didn’t expect to capture anything on this

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Our premier Alaska Fishing Lodge specializes in world-class fishing & lodging located on the beautiful Denise Lake, 3 miles from Soldotna and the Famous Kenai River for famous King Salmon fishing, Silver Salmon fishing and Sockeye Red Salmon fishing and Rainbow Trout. We fish Halibut in the Cook Inlet. We Fly in to fish Salmon and Bear Viewing.

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A warm fire at the end of the day and an Arctic Oven tent to sleep in make trapping the Alaskan Arctic in midwinter more bearable.

(PAUL D. ATKINS)

day, you never know what you might run into, even if it’s not in a trap. Red fox are very common, and to see several on any trip isn’t out of the question.

We didn’t see any on this trip, however, but we did find a place a few miles down the creek to set up our tent. The Arctic Oven – with its yellow fly nestled perfectly into the spruce trees – would provide us a home away from home for the next couple of months.

These incredible tents are pretty much bombproof and provide all the comforts that are allowed on an Arctic outing.

They come complete with a wood-burning stove and are easy to assemble. They are perfect for this trip.

The monster wolf track we cut as we were leaving our area was a welcome if not exciting sight. The track was huge and fresh, giving us an idea that this might be a prime time spot for laying a few traps.

Next month in part II of this series I will detail more on specifics and species, and how our Arctic adventure went. ASJ Editor’s note: Paul Atkins is an outdoor writer and author from Kotzebue, Alaska. He has written hundreds of articles on big game hunting and fishing throughout North America and Africa.

Paul’s also a member of Cabela’s Pro-Staff and will begin monthly seminars on hunting and surviving in the Arctic starting this month. For more information or to get in touch, find him on Facebook @paul.d.atkins.

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BEST OF ALASKA LODGES

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Clam Gulch Lodge is located on over 10 acres of bluff property overlooking Cook Inlet and is in the heart of the Kenai Peninsula’s outdoor recreational playground. Regardless of your favorite outdoor activities – river fishing, deep water fishing, clamming, hiking, canoeing/kayaking, photography, birding, bear watching, nature-based tours or snow machining – they can all be found within a short drive of the lodge.

The lodge has 5 rooms for group sizes between 1 and 20 with a full breakfast each morning. A 6-person fully equipped cabin is also available for rent.

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BEST OF ALASKA LODGES KENAI RIVER RED LODGE

Welcome to the perfect blend of nature and luxury, Kenai River Red Lodge, where first-class fishing meets luxurious accommodations!

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ST. THERESA’S LAKESIDE RESORT St. Theresa’s Lakeside Resort is the optimum destination for anyone in search of an Alaska fishing experience. Our resort is located upon 25 acres of the beautiful lakeshore, with views of nature that exceed the scenic surroundings of other Soldotna lodging choices. Our lodge is just minutes away from all the great salmon, halibut and trout fishing one could dream of. Our professional guides are highly experienced and have a full knowledge of the fish on the Kenai Peninsula.

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Whether your visit is an Alaska fishing trip, small honeymoon getaway, or a large wedding or corporate event, St. Theresa’s Lakeside Resort should be your destination. Our resort has the capacity to ensure an unforgettable adventure for group sizes ranging from 2 to 150 people. With our history of dozens of corporate events and successful weddings over the years, our resort is known to be the best choice for large events on the Kenai Peninsula.

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BEST OF ALASKA LODGES TRAIL LAKE LODGE MOOSE PASS, AK

When you’re here, you’re one of us! Trail Lake Lodge is the quintessential down-home, feel-good place that serves as the core of your experience in the heart of the Chugach mountains and the Chugach National Forest. Welcoming and good-natured, the lodge is like an old friend who tells a few tall tales and won’t mind hearing a few more.

It’s not white glove service, more like field gloves and warm mittens, but you’re family at Trail Lake Lodge and it’s our pleasure to make your stay exciting, comfortable and hassle-free.

Located within twenty miles of the Kenai and Russian Rivers, thirty miles from the Kenai Fjords National Park, Resurrection Bay and the Gulf of Alaska, we’re proud to deliver the best services in the most incredible setting Mother Nature has to offer. Find us in Moose Pass, Alaska at Mile marker 29.5 of the Seward Highway.

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BEAR PAW ADVENTURE LODGING

Located near the world-famous Anchor River on Alaska’s salmon-rich Kenai Peninsula, this unique homestead property features 4 hand-crafted log cabins with full kitchens, laundry, sat-TV, Wi-Fi, on-demand hot water, leather furniture, comfy beds, BBQ and Alaska big game mounts.

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BEST OF ALASKA LODGES GIGGLEWOOD LAKESIDE INN Gigglewood Lakeside Inn offers quiet vacation cabin rentals, midway between Anchorage and Denali National Park, located at mile 87.9 on the Parks Highway. Each rental is fully furnished with all the necessities for a perfect vacation getaway... including complimentary breakfast items!

Located in the center of world-class trout and salmon fishing and outstanding sightseeing adventures, the rentals are right on the edge of Alaska's wilderness! Only 20 minutes north of Willow and 35 minutes south of Talkeetna, the inn overlooks Upper Caswell Lake with an unforgettable backdrop of lake reflections.

Guests will experience the perfect retreat to nature while enjoying the many scenic hiking and fishing opportunities so popular in the summer, and cross-country skiing, snow shoeing and snowmobiling activities in the winter! Sit on the dock lounge chairs, read a book, take a paddle boat ride, try dog sledding or just soak in the sights and sounds of Alaska.

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THE CAT AND THE HARE IN GOOD TIMES AND BAD, LYNX AND SNOWSHOES ARE INEXTRICABLY LINKED

Two members of Alaska’s wildlife fraternity are linked: when the hare population increases, lynx numbers follow a similar pattern after a one- to two-year lag, then both species go downhill after a two- to four-year plateau. (TOM REALE)

BY TOM REALE

E

very 10 years or so, snowshoe hare populations in Alaska reach a peak, sometimes to the point where, as one observer said, “In some of the willow thickets with good browse, it was like the ground was moving there were so many hares.”

This is known in lynx country as party time. Considering that the hare is the number one item on the typical lynx menu, when your home range is overrun with food sources, good days are ahead.

Snowshoe hare populations follow a fairly predictable pattern of peaks and valleys over a nine- to 14-year period. The population builds up from a low point, thanks to the species’ well-deserved reputation for fertility – they reproduce like, well, rabbits. They start breeding at a year old and produce two or three litters of four to six young per litter per year. The females will breed again immediately after the birth of a litter.

With this impressive ability to reproduce when conditions are favorable, the hare population builds rapidly to a peak in three to five years, and everything seems hunky-dory in bunny land. However, there’s a complication. That complication is called the lynx.

YOU ARE MY OBSESSION Lynx love snowshoe hares the way high school kids love pizza – they could consume them around the clock and all year long.

The relationship between hares and lynx, their principal pred-

ator, seems simple at first. Hare population increases, lynx numbers follow a similar pattern after a one- to two-year lag, then both species go downhill after a two- to four-year plateau. Rinse and repeat ad infinitum. These patterns have been known at least since the 19th century, when the Hudson’s Bay Company was buying lynx pelts in Canada and documenting the cycles.

Statewide population numbers for lynx and hares are hard if not impossible to come by. Given the extreme differences between peaks and valleys in the cycle, any number given would only be a snapshot of one spot along the curve.

However, some available figures give a glimpse of the phenomenon.

For example, statewide lynx harvest numbers for the years 1979-2014 show the number of animals taken bottoming out at well under 1,000 in the 1995-96 season, then climbing to more than 4,000 in just five years, and to over 7,000 in 2009.

Hare abundance numbers are only given in estimates of minimum and maximum numbers of hares per hectare (hares/ha), a hectare being about 2½ acres, or about the size of two full football fields. For example, in three sample years on the Kenai Peninsula, those estimates ranged from a low of 0.13 hares/ha in 2011 to a peak of 3.55 in 1983. One number that stands out on the list of figures is for Denali National Park in the spring of 2009, with an eye-popping estimate of over 40 per hectare. Wouldn’t that be something to see? The previous high for Denali was a mere 8 per hectare. aksportingjournal.com | FEBRUARY 2016

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But like most things in nature that seem simple, complexities abound beneath the surface. It was once thought that the reason for the crash in hare numbers was their ability to lay waste to their food supply, outstripping the ability of willow browse to rebuild. Hares starved and died, numbers plummeted and subsequently the local lynx did the same.

Recent studies have cast some doubt on the supposedly

When lynx are hungry, it usually means nearby hare may become that day’s meal. Predation by the wild feline is the primary cause of death for hares, at a rate of between 81 and 95 percent. (TOM REALE)

The key to the puzzle turned out to be predation, primarily by lynx. But this factor turned out to have complexities too, since there are indirect results of lynx predation. For example, when you’re low mammal on the food totem pole and your neighborhood is overrun with furry predators, life can be stressful.

It turns out stress is just as bad for hares as it is for humans, leading to low reproductive rates, increased vulnerability to diseases and parasites, and a compromised immune system. Who knew life was so complicated for the lowly snowshoe?

It’s been shown that predation is the primary cause of death for hares, at a rate of between 81 and 95 percent. As if being chased by lynx weren’t enough of a problem, there are other dangers lurking in the woods when you’re a bunny. You’re also high on the daily menu for coyotes, goshawks, owls, kestrels, red-tailed hawks, and golden eagles; even ground and red squirrels will prey on young hares. Add to that the occasional human tromping through the woods with a dog and a 12-gauge, and it’s easy to see that it’s hard out there for a snowshoe.

The populations of predators besides lynx also follow a cyclical pattern related to the hare, but probably not as closely as the lynx. Golden eagles in Denali National Park rely heavily on hares, and researchers there have seen a correlation between hare abundance and the number of nesting eagles. Other studies have seen a similar effect in great horned owls, coyotes and even Dall sheep. When hare numbers are high, coyotes and eagles increase in number, and these predators also target Dall sheep lambs.

CLIMATE FACTORS

easy explanation. One study in the Yukon Territory supplied extra food to a small hare group and found that it “produced no detectable effect on the rate of population collapse … Such results imply that food shortage by itself is not the explanation for the hare cycle.”

Another possible explanation was the ability of willows and birch to produce chemical changes in their shoots when under stress, thus deterring hares from eating them. This also proved to be a dead end – the hares happily munched away on stressed willows with no apparent problems.

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Weather also influences the survival rates of animals, and the changing climate is a bit of a mixed bag for hares.

“Hares and lynx are well adapted to snowy climates; hares have big feet, which is where they get their name, and lynx have big feet and long legs and can ambush their prey,” says Howard Golden, a furbearer biologist for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. “But when the snow cover is low, coyotes have an advantage and can grab hares that lynx might otherwise get. Also, when the hares are white and the ground is brown, it makes them more vulnerable.”

Another problem with lower snow depths is that the hares can’t reach vegetation that’s higher up, and they’re restricted to whatever they can reach by standing upright. Deep snow gives them access to more browse material, and as the snowpack

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builds, they can eat higher and higher up on vegetation levels.

However, there’s another edge to the climate-change sword. As the climate warms in the upper latitudes, shrub expansion is marching north, providing new habitat for snowshoe hares, lynx and even moose. According to a study published in the journal Global Change Biology, there are now moose present on the North Slope of the Brooks Range that were first reported in the 1930s, and snowshoe hares where they hadn’t been observed prior to 1977. So climate change is one of those good news/bad news deals for hares – more available areas for food, but that means more lynx as well.

The cycle of hares and lynx is generally consistent across North America, but regional populations can drift out of phase.

When predation is high, hares aren’t equipped to travel long

ulations is fire. Mature spruce forests don’t provide much food for hares, and the willow and birch that hares depend on don’t grow well in densely wooded areas. Fire has the effect of clearing out the bigger timber and setting the stage for lots of growth of shrubs and small trees.

This tends to act like a reset button for snowshoe populations; new growth means better browsing for hares, meaning more reproduction and survival. And of course, more bunnies equaling more predator food, means the cycle is renewed. In the parts of Southcentral Alaska where fires aren’t common, such as the Matanuska Valley and the Anchorage area, hare and lynx numbers aren’t great but still follow a pattern of peaks and valleys.

In order to figure out these cycles and count the snowshoe

The populations of predators besides lynx also follow a cyclical pattern related to the hare, but probably not as closely as the lynx.

(TOM REALE)

distances to find new habitat. However, predators can move out when the pickings are slim, and this dispersal can affect the highs and lows of the cycle. The lynx, coyotes and owls just move to an area where the food is a bit more plentiful.

A chart of lynx harvest in Interior Alaska, Southcentral and statewide shows nearly parallel lines peaking in 1982, 1992, 2001 and again in 2009. Currently all three lines are trending downward, indicating the hare numbers are low but will probably be heading upwards again in the next two to four years.

FANNING THE FLAMES A final link in the chain of factors affecting hare and lynx pop84

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hares and the predators that dine on them, wildlife agencies have developed a number of strategies.

“We don’t have good ways to estimate snowshoe hare abundance,” ADFG’s Golden says. “The techniques are difficult and expensive and we can’t do flyovers to count them. We can do track count surveys for lynx and pellet count for hares, but we really need another measure.”

The system his agency has developed is based on tracking the lynx population. Golden wrote a report on this: “In 1987, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) and the Board of Game (BOG), which authorizes seasons and bag limits in Alaska, adopted a tracking harvest strategy (THS) to

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allow the dynamic management of lynx based on the ability of populations to support harvest.�

The idea behind the system is for the department to be able to monitor lynx populations and to adjust the opening and closing of trapping seasons in response to lynx numbers in different game management units. The system takes into account lynx abundance, food availability (hare populations), lynx reproduction and lynx survival. “We can see where the harvest is coming from, how much the numbers change annually, and when we can expect the peaks of hare and lynx populations to be,� Golden says of lynx pelts needing to be sealed by ADFG. “The system works pretty well; since we’ve been using the system, we’ve seen higher and higher lynx cycles compared to before.�

Snowshoe hares and lynx lead parallel waves of a boomand-bust cycle everywhere that their home ranges overlap.

This has been documented since the days of the Hudson’s Bay fur trappers and will likely continue as long as both species inhabit the North. Learning about the complexities of this predator/prey interaction gives a new appreciation of the idea of the so-called “balance of nature.�

Balance doesn’t mean that all animal populations are unchanging according to some ideal concept. But eventually, these things do tend to even out as life goes on. ASJ

Lynx aren’t the only fans of snowshoe meat – hunter Mike Wollan looks forward to making a meal of this one. But in Alaska and elsewhere in the north, hares and lynx are tied to parallel waves of a boom-and-bust cycle.

(TOM REALE)

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INSIDE HOMER’S ROYAL RUMBLE

ANGLERS TRY TO STRIKE IT RICH AT WINTER KING SALMON TOURNAMENT

BY DENNIS MUSGRAVES

D

eparting from the small boat harbor was surreal: literally hundreds of boats were leaving in a mass exit, merging out of the harbor’s narrow channel for the open ocean.

The armada of fishing vessels moved in unison, forming a staggered line that was stacked as far as one could see. Upon clearing the no-wake zone, boats immediately throttled up, zooming off in different directions towards their favorite fishing spots.

Earlier, all the boats in the harbor and the bustle of activity along the slips had been a bit surprising to me. I assumed fishing for a king salmon that potentially might bring home thousands of dollars would attract a decent turnout, but I wasn’t expecting a gathering of this scale.

Obviously, winter weather was no deterrent, as the contest drew in more than just a few hardy anglers. Judging from the number of boats, it appeared as if the competition was going to be fierce.

SALTWATER KING SALMON fishing during Alaska’s frigid winter can provide some extremely hot action for anglers. Seasonal timing at the southern end of the Kenai Peninsula around

Eric Kjelland, here battling a salmon last year, took home over $12,000 of prize money – plus another $20,000 in side bets – during the 2014 Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament. The popular event returns next month. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

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Kachemak Bay has migratory Chinook in a feeding frenzy. The productive water is difficult for even the most fair-weather fishermen to ignore. Anglers really get heated up in icy-cold March, when a special one-day competition takes place in the seaside city of Homer.

Hundreds of fishermen flock to Land’s End every March, launch a boat and attempt to catch the largest king salmon in an annual single-day event hosted by the Homer Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center (homeralaska.org). The Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament boasts plenty of incentives for anglers to participate, including a one-of-a-kind embroidered champion’s vest for the winner.

Trolling for a mighty Chinook in bone-chilling air can certainly be worthwhile, but you’re going to need to bundle up, and have some luck.

My inspiration to lay down the $100 entry fee and finally fish in the tournament came from a longtime friend, Eric Kjelland. He managed to hoist a 25.9-pound king in 2014, earning him a number two finish in the contest. His big catch rewarded him a handsome payout, a cash prize of just over $12,000 (which did not include boat side bets he made that increased his grand total of winnings to $32,000). Although Eric was ecstatic about winning the money, the real treasure was being presented a glorious red and gold trophy for second place, which is proudly displayed in his home.

His angling achievement had both my congratulations and admiration, plus some motivation.

After seeing Eric’s success, I decided I was not going to let the opportunity slip by me for another year. My incessant pleading to fish the tournament with him over the next couple months worked, and Eric was gracious enough to include me in his 2015 tournament plans.

I was thrilled for the chance to participate, especially since we would be fishing aboard the same charter boat that Eric caught his runner-up fish from the previous year.

I could have made my own plans to fish the tourney, but I figured fishing with Eric would bring me my best odds in catching king salmon. After all, Eric is a Homer veteran of 10 Being able to hook a king isn’t as easy as it sounds, considering how many other boats are out in the water looking to catch the biggest fish and the cash prizes that go with them. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

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The 2015 edition of the Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament was a record, according to organizers, who say 1,321 anglers aboard 386 boats landed 590 fish. A 30.4-pounder took first place. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

years’ experience fishing the event. Eight of those years have been spent fishing with Capt. Aaron Mahoney, with the last two aboard Aaron’s boat, Liberty.

Mahoney himself has over 30 years of experience as a charter boat captain fishing Alaska’s Gulf Coast region. Needless to say, I was confident with the combination of being under both Eric’s guidance and the skill of a knowledgeable skipper like Aaron.

He quickly maneuvered the Liberty through the crowd of boats in the harbor, pausing only to make a radio check with tournament headquarters and report our assigned boat number before accelerating the 32-foot Seamaster towards a prime location for king salmon. The assembled angling crew huddled in the warm confines of the boat’s heated cabin as we bounced across the water. Roberta Robb and Eric Pickens rounded out the group of four fishermen. Both had plenty of experience fishing the annual competition, which included Roberta’s 10th-place finish from a few years before.

Travel time in the powerful boat was short, lasting only about 30 minutes. Although we arrived on location ready to begin fishing, we still had to wait for the official 9 a.m. radio announcement before we could get our lines in the water.

Aaron used the period before kickoff to ready everything possible and enable the boat’s maximum fishing time by prepositioning rods, prepping bait, setting the downriggers, and

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HOMER’S WINTER SALMON TOURNAMENT For the past 22 years, the Homer Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center has held a sportfishing competition during the winter. Homer entices anglers from all over Alaska and even a few from the Lower 48. Fishermen every March flock to Homer’s small boat harbor, located on the southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula, for the one-day Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament that targets feeder Chinook, known in Washington as blackmouth.

The contest provides a chance at winning a big cash payout and bragging rights for a year for the person who catches the largest one. This year’s tournament is scheduled for Saturday, March 19; for more info, go to homeralaska.org/ visit-homer/events-homer/winter-king-salmon-tournament.

The annual event seems to get bigger and bigger every year, and so does the amount of money and merchandise available to the participants.

Last year’s awarded over $100,000 in cash and prizes, with winner Mike Olsen of Kodiak taking home $27,762 for his chrome-sided fish that weighed 30.4 pounds on the official scale.

In addition to the cash Olsen was awarded for his big catch, he also received a handsome first-place trophy and the coveted custom-embroidered tournament champion’s vest.

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Capt. Aaron Mahoney of the charter boat Liberty adjusts lines and downrigger depths while searching for a trophy king.

(DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

double checking coordinates for his trolling pattern. Then the countdown came over the radio, “three, two, and one.” …

Let the king salmon fishing begin.

OUR BAITED LURES sank quickly into the briny depths, assisted by the electric downriggers located on each side of the boat.

Capt. Aaron methodically positioned each of the four lines, and once satisfied, headed off to steer the boat forward at trolling speed. Each line behind the boat had a special hinged plug packed full of Eric’s secret blended bait concoction, and it did not take long for the stuff to work its magic.

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Organizers say that the 2015 edition also saw record numbers: 1,321 anglers entered and 386 boats were used to land 590 fish. Breaking all previous tournament numbers was due in large part to the mild weather, calm seas and great tides.

It was also the first year the tournament had a kayak division, which had seven entries. Rudy Tsukada of Anchorage took home honors for the kayakers with a very respectable king salmon that weighed 16 pounds, 2 ounces.

WINTER CHINOOK OPTIONS Winter fishing for feeder king salmon is becoming more popular every season. Anglers wanting a chance to get in on offseason saltwater fishing for Chinook don’t have to wait for the fishing tournament in Homer. Guided trips are offered by a few charter boats from September to April.

One of the best outfitters I have fished with for catching winter kings is Capt. Aaron Mahoney at Alaska Gulf Coast Expeditions (907-398-0259; 888-324-3518; alaskagulfcoastexpeditions.com). He has over 30 years of experience fishing in Alaska’s North Gulf Coast Region and has earned a reputation for successful adventures from many local Alaskans and visitors alike. Look him up if you want to put winter kings in the fish box. –DM As Aaron moved us along his planned route, the four of us stood focused on the stinging-cold open back deck (probably

looking more like we were ice fishing since we were all wearing our heavy parkas and insulated bibs). We watched and waited for even the slightest movement to indicate a signal of a strike.

As we continued to monitor the fishing rods, chatter over the radio started almost immediately. Every time a salmon The two Erics onboard the day of the author’s trip – Pickens (left) and Kjelland – were the only ones to catch any kings, these three. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

was hooked and netted to a boat by an entrant, a call over the radio was made to relay the catch to the officials. Listening to all the early action was encouraging as we fished, and all the radio traffic gave us hope that soon we would be reporting in

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r Our Var iety Fishing C har ter Op Of tions!

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Charter Spotlight

J&J SMART CHARTERS

J&J SMART CHARTERS

HALIBUT AND SALMON FISHING CHARTER

DEEP CREEK VIEW CAMPGROUND FAMILY-OWNED CAMPGROUND

J&J Smart Charters is a family-run business. John and Joan Smart have lived in Alaska since 1989 and started J&J Smart Charters in 1992 with Captain John as the main captain. 2012 was their 20th anniversary of chartering on Cook Inlet in Ninilchik, Alaska. They purchased Deep Creek View Campground in 1995 and have been providing unique camping experiences and enjoyment in Ninilchik for many years. The entire crew at J&J Smart Charters are great individuals who love what they do and it shows! We look forward to another incredible year! www.smartcharters.com

• Operating for over 20 years • Located off Sterling Highway (Mile 136.2) in Ninilchik on the bluff overlooking Cook Inlet • Incredible view of snow-covered volcanoes, soaring Eagles, and spectacular sunsets • U.S. Coast Guard licensed captains and deckhands • Family friendly campground with grassy tent camping areas, electrical hookups, dump station DQG ZDWHU ¿ OO XS VKRZHUV DQG EDWKURRPV DQG D variety of cabins to choose from Ninilchik, Alaska 1-888-HALIBUT • www.smartcharters.com • info@smartcharters.com

HOOKY CHARTERS Hooky Charters specializes in guided world-class king salmon, silver salmon, halibut and rainbow trout fishing trips in Kenai, Alaska! We have 38 years of experience fishing here on the “world famous” Kenai River and Cook Inlet. We work hard to turn your Alaskan guided fishing trip into not only a catching trip, but an enjoyable and exciting experience that will provide a lifetime of memories.

Want to experience more of Alaska? Besides our fishing charters, we offer several other activities to keep you busy during your stay in Alaska, including scenic fly out fishing/bear viewing trips, rafting trips, hiking and clam digging.

We want to make your Alaskan fishing trip as enjoyable as possible. Therefore, we want to help you with any other ideas for activities and reservations. Hooky Charters also offers lodging. Contact us today! We will customize the ultimate Alaskan trip for you!

907-283-9026 • www.hookycharters.com

a fish for ourselves.

It did not take long after we began trolling that the first bite came, an unmistakable jolt bouncing the tip on Eric’s rod. “That’s a fish,” was his instant reaction, and Eric quickly grabbed the pole handle from the holder, patiently waited for a second take and set the hook. “Fish on!”

Aaron sprang into action, bringing the boat to an idle and positioning himself alongside Eric with a landing net. Eric quickly and skillfully played and reeled the feisty king to the surface and into the net, which was being extended overboard with Aaron’s outstretched arms. In one swift motion, Aaron raised the net and scooped up the salmon.

The beautiful chrome king was a respectable fish – about 15 pounds – but probably nowhere near contention for the winner’s platform. Celebration was short-lived despite this being Eric’s first fish of the day. Since the tournament ended at 4 p.m., it was prudent to move on and get our fishing lines reset to try and troll up another fish – hopefully a bigger one.

UNFORTUNATELY FOR US, the bite seemed frustratingly slow after Eric’s initial success; we did manage five takedowns on the day and closed out with a final count of three king salmon in the fish box. The last fish came in dramatic fashion, when Eric Perkins got a surprise bite reeling up his fishing line just before the contest’s countdown finish. He was overjoyed in finding his moment of glory at day’s end to instantly rid himself of a

Tournament winner Mike Olsen shows off his Homer derby-winning 30.4-pound king salmon – a fish that netted the Kodiak resident a winning purse of $27,762 – and the coveted red vest awarded to the champion.

(DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

AFISHUNT CHARTERS If you want to enjoy the best of Alaska’s fishing with the finest of fishing outfitters, you have found the right place. Since 1992, Afishunt Charters has offered premium Alaska fishing charters for halibut and salmon and has become famous for our legendary customer service, outstanding equipment and reasonable prices. With seven boats, we span the entire Kenai Peninsula, the heart of Alaska’s prime fishing grounds. Choose giant halibut in Cook Inlet, arm-numbing king salmon in the Kasilof or Kenai Rivers, or acrobatic silvers in Seward – we do it all!

From single-day trips to multi-day packages with lodging, we offer the widest variety of fishing opportunities. If you need a place to stay, check out our cabins and RV sites at Alaskan Angler RV Resort.

We can provide the widest variety of fishing experience for you and your group. Whether you want a single day of ocean fishing for barn-door halibut or a week-long package including ocean, river and fly-in excursions, we “can do” for you.

We now have four ocean boats plying the waters of Cook Inlet from Deep Creek and Resurrection Bay from Seward, including the largest 10-person boats in Ninilchik. Enjoy a serene drift boat trip on the Kasilof River in one of our three drift boats, or take a powerboat trip on the world-famous Kenai River for lunker king salmon.

800-347-4114 • www.afishunt.com 98

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Charter Spotlight

ALASKAN 4 STAR CHARTERS Alaskan 4 Star Charters, owned

by Jody Mason, has been in business since 2000.

Jody started fishing in Whittier in 1977 and fell in love with both its fishing and the sightseeing of the Prince William Sound. Whittier is perched at the head of Passage Canal and only one hour south of Anchorage, making it the closest saltwater fishing grounds to Anchorage. Here, anglers will find all 5 types of salmon, 15 types of rockfish, 4 types of sole and flounder, and of course the mighty halibut.

Early season fishing starts May to midJune with some fish being caught in the upper reaches of 100 lbs. From mid-June to August the halibut start to come into the sound in larger numbers, and as the salmon start to enter the sound the fishing gets even better. On July 1, the lingcod season opens; these fish can reach some 70 lbs., and are some of the best eating of all Alaskan saltwater fish. Oh, and don’t forget the sea bass; these fish can reach 20+ lbs. This makes for a nice mix in the fish box on board the AK 4 Star. www.alaskan4starcharters.com

alaskan4starcharters.com

907-244-2847

j-cstorm@alaskan.com

NOW BOOKING FOR THE 2016 SEASON!

SALMON HERDER CHARTERS

Join the “Salmon Herder” (Dan L. France) on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula.

Alaska Sport Fishing Adventures on the World Famous Kenai River!

Join the “Salmon Herder” (Dan L. France) for some guided sport fishing during your visit to Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. We are located in Soldotna (the River City), just 150 miles south of Anchorage, and it is by far one of the most beautiful three-hour scenic drives you will ever take; there are plenty of car rental agencies in the Anchorage airport. Whether you are an expert or a novice fisherman, Dan will do his best to make your fishing trip one to remember! Come experience the Kenai Peninsula with a local professional fishing guide that has a vast knowledge of the area and the river. When you book a charter, know your guide and make sure you are fishing with him. Contact the Salmon Herder and prepare for a great day of sport fishing on the Kenai. Don’t forget your camera!

KING SALMON, COHO SALMON, RAINBOW TROUT 907-262-7987 907-252-1956 CELL EMAIL - herder@alaska.net www.salmonherdercharters.com

(907)262-7987 • www.salmonherdercharters.com

dreaded tournament skunk.

Roberta and I were not as fortunate and our day ended fishless. At least we were not alone in our angling disgrace – over half the 1,321 fishermen entrants in the contest did not catch a king salmon. Capt. Aaron and the Liberty certainly did above-average fishing on the day considering two people accounted for reeling up three kings onto the deck. Eric K. was naturally the fish magnet as he landed a deuce.

Although my winter king catching prowess was slightly bruised, my tournament experience wasn’t a loss. A festival atmosphere awaited us on the Homer Spit when we returned to the official weighing station. Hundreds of anglers gathered to get measurements for their fish. We swapped fish stories, enjoyed a fish-and-chips meal and attended the tourney awards ceremony. The celebration also presented a great opportunity to finally meet a couple fellow anglers I had only chatted with previously from my computer. I am always grateful to seize a moment meeting with other anglers face to face, sharing experiences and celebrating sport fishing in Alaska.

Returning to Anchorage with Eric and Roberta found me enjoying one final get together in their home following the tournament. The gathering was not about catching king salmon but rather eating king salmon. Eric’s tradition of celebrating his first Chinook catch of the year meant we were going to have a feast, and the entire fish needed to be eaten to prevent bad luck.

In addition to Eric’s great fishing skills, he is also a pretty good cook. He demonstrated his abilities by preparing the savory salmon using three different recipes, presenting a tasty variety for everyone to sample. Each salmon was deliciously prepared; my favorite of the trio was marinated with teriyaki.

Sharing the meal of scrumptious salmon made me realize that even though I went without a hook up – and none of the fish caught on the boat placed for a cash prize – we were all winners. ASJ Editor’s note: For more on Dennis Musgraves’ Last Frontier adventures, go to alaskansalmonslayers.com.

Even if author Dennis Musgraves wasn’t able to catch a king of his own to record into the official weigh-in, he still was a winner for getting to eat yummy salmon back on land.

(DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

PHANTOM TRI-RIVER CHARTER Phantom Tri-River Charters is your final destination for Alaskan fishing tours. Our goal is to ensure that you have an excellent fishing trip and we want to help you create memories that will last a lifetime.

A fishing tour with us is “where dreams become reality!”

Located between Anchorage and Denali National Park, Phantom Tri-River Charters is known for combining the peacefulness of the open water and the thrill of a destination fishing trip into one single package, where you’ll have the opportunity to cast your line like never before.

We fish a variety of different salmon types, including sockeye, silvers, chums, kings and pinks, as well as a number of other fish variations, which include rainbow trout, Dolly Varden, arctic grayling and more. We’ll provide all of the freshwater gear you need to get your line baited and in the water, making it easy to enjoy your trip while reaping the benefits of a bountiful habitat. The catch rate on our trips is superb and you’re sure to reel in a catch that you can be proud to show off!

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Charter Spotlight ALASKAN SUMMERTIME CHARTERS Come fishing with Alaskan Summertime Charters! We are a small, family-owned sport fishing company operating out of beautiful Resurrection Bay in Seward, Alaska. Jon Tippit, owner/operator, has been fishing these waters for the last 23 years. People often ask him if he'll ever get tired of running charters and the answer is a resounding “No! It's a different trip every day; I meet great people in a beautiful place.

I love what I'm doing!" Our boats are fast yet comfortable, accommodate six passengers each, and are operated by experienced USCG licensed captains. Each vessel has comfortable cabin seating with a private marine head/restroom. We offer halibut, salmon, rockfish or combo fishing trips, as well as sightseeing or whale watching. On any given day, a variety of wildlife can be seen alongside the spectacular scenery of Alaskan coastal waters. If you're considering a fishing trip in June, give us a call – we have a great early season special. The fishing is great and so are the rates! Our goal is to not only get our clients their fishing limit but to also leave them with a memorable experience that will bring them back again and again. See us on Yelp and Trip Advisor.

866-245-7650 • www.alaskansummer.com

Premiere Halibut Charter Fishing, On-site Fish Processing, Lodging and RV Park

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To Book Your Next Ninilchik Fishing Charter Call Reel’Em Inn At 1-800-447-7335 Visit Our Website At www.cookinletcharters.com

Call: 866-245-7650

Book Your Charter Today!

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REEL ‘EM INN COOK INLET CHARTERS Located in Ninilchik on the Kenai Peninsula, Reel’em Inn - Cook Inlet Charters offers a complete Alaskan fishing package for anglers looking to try their hand at world-class saltwater halibut and salmon fishing. We offer many services to plan the perfect Alaskan fishing vacation: Saltwater fishing, clean and comfortable lodging, full-service fish processing and packaging, and even a small RV park with full hook-ups.

At Reel’em Inn, our guides and deckhands have vast knowledge and experience when it comes to finding and catching fish. But most important is our level of customer satisfaction, making sure your fishing experience is fun, memorable and productive. We feel that your satisfaction is what has kept us in business for over 25 years.

You’ll be fishing from our newly updated fleet of custom designed 27-ft. and 28-ft. fishing vessels. These charter boats are fast, reliable, comfortable and safe. Each boat has fully enclosed cabins with clean restroom facilities, a large open fishing deck with custom designed rod holders, and is equipped with state-of-the-art electronics and all Coast Guard required safety equipment.

We have Ninilchik charters for serious anglers and beginners.

We also welcome families with children. If the child is big enough to hold a pole, we’ll show them a fishing adventure that will be remembered for a lifetime.

(800) 447-7335 • WWW.COOKINLETCHARTERS.COM

Charter Spotlight O’FISH’IAL CHARTERS OF ALASKA We fish all year long, catering to the full-day trophy fisherman, offering state-of-the-art gear and captains that know and love to fish. We launch daily out of Homer, Alaska, for halibut, king salmon, lingcod and more! We strive to give you a fishing experience that you will be talking about for years to come. Located on the Kenai Peninsula (Alaska’s Playground), we are where Alaskans vacation in state. The ocean and volcanic views are truly magical. The images here and memories you create will imprint themselves on you for a lifetime.

World Class Trophy Fishing BIGHALIBUT.COM C-VIEWCABINS.COM

We launch daily for Halibut, King Salmon, and more!

Our Lodging: Located 20 minutes from Homer in Anchor Point, our lodging is the place to begin your Alaskan adventure. Our vacation cabins are on the bluff and offer unobstructed views of the ocean, volcanoes and world-class sunsets over the Cook Inlet. From the private 5-acre retreat you can see Alaskan wildlife and we’re a mile to fishing on the Anchor River.

907-299-6991 www.bighalibut.com www.c-viewcabins.com

Call us now for 10% off early season specials!

Located at 4025 Homer Spit Rd. Homer, AK 99603 on the Homer Shores Boardwalk

J-DOCK SPORTSFISHING CHARTERS & TOURS

Where Alaskan hospitality, luxury accommodations and world-class fishing all come together. Whether you are looking for incredible catches of giant halibut, tackle-busting king salmon, record book lingcod, sizzling silver salmon, tasty rockfish or red snapper, we have it all here in Seward, Alaska! Quite simply, you just can’t find better fishing, nicer accommodations or a friendlier staff than at The Grande Seward Alaska Fishing Lodge!

Fishing excursions are available right here, with one of our three firstclass fishing vessels, four captains and crews. We also offer hunting trips and tours. Big game transporter services are available for the adventurous souls wishing to visit more remote hunting areas and islands.

We even process all catches through our sister company J-Dock Seafood, so you can take your catch with you.

There is plenty for everyone to see and do in Seward. Many exciting sea creatures gather at the Kenai Fjords and Resurrection Bay, from orca and humpback whales to sea lions and puffins and more. The scenery is outstanding in its beauty.

Call (907) 224-3300 to book your next Seward fishing charter.

www.sewardakfishing.com

Charter Spotlight KING’S RUN CHARTERS

King’s Run Charters is a locally owned and operated business in the rural town of Ninilchik, Alaska – home to some of the finest halibut and salmon fishing in the world. Owner/fishing guide Larry Cobb is one of the original charter operators in Deep Creek and with his experience and knowledge in sports and commercial fishing, he will make your trip as successful and memorable as ever.

At King’s Run Charters, we are here to help you in whatever endeavor you desire. We have lived in and enjoyed Alaska’s unique environment and are here for your convenience, comfort and to help customize your adventure. We’d be happy to suggest or refer you to the many differing options and offerings that make Alaska a memorable experience.

907-567-3373 or 406-942-0679 captaincobb52@gmail.com • www.kingsruncharters.net

BOTTOM LINE CHARTERS

Bottom Line Charters is a family owned and operated company that started 25 years ago. We are a one stop shop for all your fishing and clam digging excursions on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. Our company uses one 30 foot enclosed cab US Coast Guard inspected boats with state of the art electronics. We only use one boat because we want to make sure your trip is enjoyable and beyond your expectations, another feature is when you call us you usually talk directly with the captain.

www.bottomlinecharters.us

0

BELOW?

NO PROBLEM

AT FRIGID KENAI NWR, AN ICE FISHING TRIP PAYS DIVIDENDS

BY KRYSTIN AND BIXLER MCCLURE

“

S

o do you think the ice is thick enough?” I asked Bixler as we stared across Dolly Varden Lake.

We were standing on the boat ramp with a sled full of ice fishing gear, a chainsaw, a growler of beer, and two giant backpacking-style dry bags on our backs. Our destination: the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge public-use cabin at the other end of the lake,

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which was accessible only by boat or walking across the frozen lake.

Another couple hunting for coyotes on the lakeshore gave us conflicting reports. The husband claimed the ice was thin while the wife said it was plenty thick, with a bit of overflow.

ICE-UP CAMETH For a few weeks in November, the entire Kenai Peninsula was encapsulated in a

deep freeze, the type of cold where you

FEBRUARY 2016 | aksportingjournal.com

contemplate going outside for any reason. Seward remained balmy at about 10 degrees, while the western side of the peninsula dropped to 20 below zero at times. November seemed early for ice fishing, considering the warm winter we had last year, so we decided to wait.

But on one of those cold afternoons we were driving back from Soldotna and spotted an ice shanty on one of the roadside lakes. Game on.

We fished that same roadside lake

Sunset at Lake Dolly Varden on the Kenai NWR, even in the bitter cold, is a glorious sight. (BIXLER MCCLURE)

and I limited out on rainbows the first day. With the thrill of ice fishing returning after a summer of ocean fishing, we set out for a new adventure: ice fishing via a public-use cabin.

Dolly Varden Lake was the perfect choice. This roadside lake is some 15 miles north of Sterling – down Swanson River Road – and has a self-sustaining population of wild rainbows and char.

We booked the refuge cabin on a whim, but we found ourselves wondering if the

ice was thick enough. Dolly Varden Lake is much larger than the small roadside lake we had been fishing.

We took the risk and walked the perimeter of the lake to the cabin. There was a foot of fresh snow, which made pulling the sled nearly impossible.

Breaking trail with our snowshoes did little to help, but after an hour-and-half trek we reached the log cabin, nestled in the woods with its own private beach.

We were tired and we were pretty sure

our hiking treat, the beer, was frozen.

There was no time to rest, though; sunlight in the winter months is a precious commodity.

GETTING TO WORK I unloaded the cabin gear while Bixler drilled a test hole with the ice auger right near the cabin shore. The ice was nearly a foot thick, a welcome discovery for our overnight ice fishing adventure. I followed behind with the sled of

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Krystin McClure watches a pair of rods. She and husband Bixler describe themselves as “active at ice fishing,” meaning they’re not shy about moving till they find fish rather than just endlessly jigging one spot. (BIXLER MCCLURE)

rods, lures, bait and buckets while Bixler drilled a handful of holes along a point.

He was excited and he had every reason to be: the previous weekend he pulled an 18-inch rainbow out of a hole after complaining that I had limited out before him.

“There are no fish in this lake,” Bixler said while jigging one of his holes and watching the sunset. I looked around the lake and pondered where the fight might be. In a large lake, do they like certain areas or are they everywhere?

“Let’s try that shoreline,” I pointed randomly towards a downed birch frozen in the lake. It was along our path towards the cabin and it seemed like a good spot.

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Bixler drilled a series of holes towards the shoreline and I test-jigged.

We are active at ice fishing, preferring to find the fish rather than wait for them to come to us. Bixler continued to drill holes along the shoreline and jigged. A char followed his lure in one of his holes and I felt a nibble at one of my holes.

“Fish on!” Bixler shouted, breaking up the quiet, snowy scenery. I saw his rod shaking wildly as he pulled up a nice char.

“I think there is a school of them in here!”

I continued to jig and caught nothing as Bixler repeated the “fish on!” battle cry. His second char was slightly larger and it lay on the ice next to his hole.

The sun was beginning to set and Bixler quickly tested his theory of the

FEBRUARY 2016 | aksportingjournal.com

char being concentrated in one area. He drilled a series of holes back to the cabin that we jigged with no success. We formulated a plan for the next morning’s walk back to the car: we would drill holes along our path we plowed that morning and see if we could find pockets of fish.

We returned to the cabin in the quiet snowy wilderness. Bixler cut a few rounds for the wood stove and set up the inside of the cabin. Public-use cabins in Alaska are barebones, so we brought everything – from food and sleeping gear to books, lights, etc. My favorite form of entertainment in these cabins is reading the cabin logs. As Bixler tended to the stove, I read through

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This rainbow fell short of the magic 20inch mark Kenai trout anglers strive for to record it on their license, but it was big enough for the McClures to save it for New Year’s dinner. (BIXLER MCCLURE)

the log and relayed my discovery.

“Wow, no one catches fish in this lake!” I said while glossing over some of the entries. There were a lot of disappointed anglers in the summer who had stayed at the cabin. I was happy with Bixler’s average-sized char and unsure what would happen next.

CHASING THE BIG ONE After a long night in the cabin, we awoke at sunrise (about 9:30 am) and packed up our gear. The wood stove had kept us nice and warm, but we were ready to brave the cold for another round of fishing. We hauled all of our gear back to where Bixler had nabbed the two char before as Bixler drilled a few more holes.

“Fish on!” I yelled. “Fish off!” It was over like that; my char spit out the hook near the surface of the hole. I walked back over to the sled to grab more bait.

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As I was baiting my hook, I heard Bixler whoop with joy, then yell “Nooo!” shortly after. He had hooked up to a lunker char that had come up to the hole sideways. Its orange body had filled the hole and ripped the line as Bixler tried to straighten out the fish. We both experienced the thrill of victory, only to be let down by the agony of defeat.

“It was this big!” Bixler said, the dis-

tance between his gloved hands ever increasing with each rendition of the story. It was the char that got away and Bixler was determined to find it.

We started our prospecting of the lake back to the car by drilling a hole off a promising point. Bixler limited out on char in one hole, but I was still fishless. He was chasing that giant fish, but his average-sized char never

TIPS FOR AN ICE FISHING TRIP • Bring a variety of lures and baits. Each lake tends to have its preferred lures and baits.

• Don’t just try one spot. If you are unsuccessful at one hole, drill some more around the lake. It takes more walking and work, but the results can be amazing.

• Dress warm! Weather conditions change quickly, and even if you are using a shanty, bring warm clothes!

• Watch out for ice thickness, especially in early season. While these lakes were frozen, most were still open.

• Try different techniques: soaking gear, jigging the bottom, reeling slowly up, etc. –KM

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The Kenai NWR public-use cabin the McClures stayed in is along the shores of Lake Dolly Varden, and is accessible only by boat (in the summer) or by walking across the frozen lake in winter, as on this trip. (BIXLER MCCLURE)

After drilling a number of dry holes, per se, Bixler finally found a couple.

(KRYSTIN MCCLURE)

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came close.

We spent the rest of the day drilling holes at promising spots, but most were empty. The lake changed depth dramatically, with a shallow spot in the center and random deep dropoffs.

I finally caught two char in a small bay while Bixler continued to drill holes. He stopped to jig a hole he drilled in the center of a small bay.

“Honey? I need your help!” He yelled across the bay. I ran over with my snowshoes in the deep snow. He had hooked up to something giant again and it was coming up sideways. Running with snowshoes is difficult, so I did not make it in time.

Instead, Bixler dropped his glove and reached his hand in the hole to straight-

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en out the fish. I expected to see the orange of a giant char but instead Bixler threw the fattest rainbow I had ever seen on the ice. He was grinning from ear to ear.

The final measurement came out to 18¾ inches. On the Kenai Peninsula, a 20-inch rainbow has to be recorded on the back of your license. We’ve never reached that point to make the notation, but this was definitely the closest we’ve come.

We were so impressed by the size of this fish, we decided to save it for New Year’s dinner. This proved our theory that if you drill a lot of holes, you will find the fish.

Though on those below-zero days, a shanty would be really nice. ASJ

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BILL FEELEY’S EXTREME HAGGLUNDS

Bill Feeley’s company, Roscoe, Montana-based Extreme Hagglunds (406-3286726; extremehagglunds.com), is an Alaskan’s best friend. Given the brutal winter and watery conditions that The Last Frontier is known for, you need vehicles that can traverse roads that get buried in snow and can slosh through wetlands and swampy marshes on the way to hunting destinations. That’s where the various rebuilt trucks Extreme Hagglunds produces can come in so handy in the unforgiving Alaskan landscape.

Feeley himself knows all about how difficult it can be to get around in Alaska. He told the Billings Gazette that he spent 29 years in Alaska as an equipment operator for oil companies. He’s been buying and rebuilding Hagglunds for more than a decade now, and his

vehicles are in high demand, including from hunters who must overcome the Alaskan landscape to fill the freezer with meat.

“Just because you’re moose hunting doesn’t mean you have to be miserable,” he

told the Billings newspaper. “I learned that a long time ago.”

With winter just around in the corner in Alaska, Feeley provided a how-to lesson on the facelift his vehicles get. The finished prod-

uct is a transformation from junkyard to a badass piece of all-terrain machinery that can get through Mother Nature’s most challenging paths: “When these machines come to us we strip them completely out; the whole insides are gutted before we start putting them back together. They get all new wire harnesses, engines, transmissions. The interiors are completely gone through, right down to the last nut and bolt … We take all the fuel tanks off; we sandblast the outside and put them in the parts washer at 190 degrees and boil everything out.”

“All the machines have new exhaust systems and all the grates are made out of stainless steel. We put rear fans on the back of them to help cool them. We put dual batteries

in all our machines for extra cranking power in the Arctic.”

“The engine that we put in these units are 3.3 Cummings. These are new motors; they’re not rebuilt. The (dashboards), we rebuild; they’re brand new. They have the fuseboxes on the side where you can get to them. All the switches for your bilge pump, your LED lights and your heaters – all the components are new in these dashes.”

“The front grill guards on our machines are custom-built. They have halogen lights at the top. With the LED lighting, when you’re meet-

ing somebody you have to shut him or her off because they’re so bright. Our springs we have made are made of T-1 steel; you won’t break them.”

Sounds like some Alaska-tough rigs!

406-328-6726 • EXTREMEHAGGLUNDS.COM 112

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He’s known as “Steelhead Steve,” so there’s no confusion as to what Alaskan fish this guy loves to catch. And as fellow steelie junkie Jeff Lund found out, he catches lots of them.

(JEFF LUND)

Meet

‘STEELHEAD STEVE’

A DAY OF FISHING WITH ALASKA’S ANADROMOUS FISH SAVANT

BY JEFF LUND

“I

expect you to have one by the time I get rigged up.”

That’s the last thing I need: pressure. Though steelhead are probably here, my buddy is more likely to hook them. The first time I ever put my boots in this water was the previous week and I had no luck at that particular spot. That’s why I wanted to fish it with a guy who knew what he was doing.

“Steelhead Steve” is the ambassador of anadromous fish. He has been doing this for over a decade, so it makes sense that

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Steelhead don’t have a chance when Steve is on his game. (JEFF LUND)

he knows all about these fish. He knew their great-great-great grandparents.

He knows where they’re supposed to be and what they will eat. If they aren’t eating what they should, he’ll switch to what their second choice should be. He sees individual fish and catches them all as if he’s a master salesman – able to convince them all to take a ride on a mouth rollercoaster.

So if he expects me to catch one, I feel pressure, but I’m comforted by the fact I’m in the right spot at least.

HE KNOWS STEELIES Steelhead Steve lives in Alaska. If you head southeast from Barrow and hit Seattle, you’ve gone too far. That’s as much as I can say, partly because he is protective of his waters, but mostly I want to be invited to watch him work.

We met at a boat launch in town just before dawn and were off into the cold winter air. I own an open-air skiff.

Steelhead Steve has a small aluminum boat with a cabin. I immediately wanted to upgrade. Then we started talking cost and maintenance and I was OK 116

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The secret to Steelhead Steve’s success? Knots – lots of knots. That means, switching things up when fish are turning their noses from his offerings. (JEFF LUND)

with my skiff, even if it takes hours to feel my face after a trip.

Steve carries two rods but will only use one. He takes care of his gear because that’s what you do when you’ve invested a couple thousand dollars.

My rod is almost always assembled at least partway. I’ll break it down so it’s easier to transport, but never put it fully away.

I get excited and I’m also lazy. It takes all those seconds to take it from the protective case, put it together and string it. It’s going to take me breaking my favorite one to learn. I’m an idiot for knowing that will eventually happen and still not doing anything about it.

CATCH HIM IF YOU CAN It was a slow day. I kept throwing where I saw a steelhead roll, but it didn’t bite.

Upriver, Steelhead Steve had rigged up and was fighting a trout. Then another.

Then a steelhead. Then another. We traded spots; he caught one where I had just stood. He caught close to 10

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steelies. For some people that would take close to ten thousand casts.

But it was a slow day for Steelhead Steve. Slow.

If Steelhead Steve keeps this up, he’ll need a bionic arm. But he’s a chill dude.

He doesn’t get too excited, yet he doesn’t rush the fish. He likes it. He plays the 10 pounds of bright, scaly weight, brings it to his hand, lets it go and casts again. He releases 14-inch rainbows without batting an eye. He likes them, appreciates them, but it’s hard to blame a guy for not getting excited about what he catches without really trying.

He doesn’t brag about his ability, or his water. He’s secretive about where he goes, and what he uses.

The thing is, there are probably other people out there who fish the water as well. It’s not like he is the only person on earth who knows how to catch steelhead from that river, or rivers in general. There’s just something

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Ho-hum: another day on the river means more grip-and-grip shots with Steelhead Steve. Some guys have all the luck? Steve’s skills do the talking on the water. (JEFF LUND)

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about the level that some people have obtained when it comes to their home river. They, like Steve, are a cut above the rest of us.

LESSON LEARNED A soft rain fell but the wind never picked up, so it was cold but far from miserable. I never asked Mr. Ambassador what he was using, which may have been a mistake, but I did want to figure things out for myself.

What I learned at the end was that it wasn’t what he was using that was all that dissimilar; it was that he wasn’t afraid to tie knots.

There are two logical, but opposite, ideas here. One is that if you spend the entire day fishing the same wrong fly, it might become the right fly and, (1A) if you’re spending your entire day changing flies, then you’re spending your entire day changing flies. You can’t hook a fish with the fly out of the water.

The second idea is that it’s probably worth the time to tie on something new after a bunch of refusals. Honestly, how many times do you let a girl say no to a date before you move on?

So Steve switches up. Bead, streamer, different colors, different weights. It makes sense – and makes you really good at tying knots.

At some point it’s those subtle differences that help anglers achieve better proficiency. You know where the fish are and some general ways to get at them, but it’s how you approach each hole that makes the difference.

It’s the principles involved. Steve is not afraid to fish each fly at each hole, if that’s what’s needed.

I’m too lazy to take apart my fly rod, which is probably why I am too lazy at times to change flies. Just because I think a steelhead should take my fly, doesn’t mean it will.

Next time I fish with Steelhead Steve, I’ll probably still have my gear ready to go once we hit the water, but the difference is I will have my head ready too. That way I can catch one while he’s rigging up. ASJ

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PARADISE, ESCAPING ALASKA’S WINTER CHILL FOR COSTA RICA’S TROPICAL HEAT, BILLFISH

FOUND

BY STEVE MEYER

F

orty miles offshore from the Los Suenos harbor on the Pacific shore of Herradura, Costa Rica, the diesel engines of the Dream Raiser pushed the big boat to 9 mph as it trolled in pursuit of big game fish.

The midmorning equatorial sun was relentless, sending most on board into the comfortably shaded cabin area to drift off in catnaps. As we stood in the stern and watched the six lines let out in choreographed design, they covered a wide swath behind the boat, a process that was simplified by the calm seas. The wait was brief before a whistle and a point from the captain high above in the flying bridge prompted deckhand, Mikey, to grab one of the rods, strip the line from the outrigger and let out some slack that was soon followed by a hard set of the rod.

“Fish on!” he shouted.

CHRISTINE CUNNINGHAM ARRIVED home one day in March 2014, and announced that we would be going fishing in Costa Rica the following winter. She was quick to add that it wouldn’t be like Hawaii, where we went deep sea fishing for two full days in 2013 and caught one dorado. Christine likes to get out of Alaska to a sunny place for a winter break, while my preference for trips out of Alaska involve hunting in the fall and not much sun.

She softened the blow by announcing we would be going with two other couple friends, Ron and Crissy Aldredge and Bob and Sam Barnes, who had already been there.

I was also told we would be fishing with Mel Erickson, who operates a charter business in Soldotna and also skippers his boat, the Dream Raiser, in Costa Rica. To clinch it Christine told me the typical offshore day for the Dream Raiser in Costa Rica produces eight to 10 sailfish and often over 20 fish landed.

So around this time last year, we found ourselves boarding a plane in Anchorage in 20-degrees of chill, and 17 hours later – after a five-hour stop in Phoenix – deplaning into an early-evening 95-degree tropical heat of San Jose, Costa Rica.

After an easy pass through customs, we were met by Mel’s driver, who would take us the 100 odd miles to our condo for the six-day stay in Jaco, just south of Los Suenos.

As we left the airport our driver asked if we would like to get something cold to drink for the drive. Sure.

Having traveled extensively and experienced a myriad of driving oddities, nothing quite prepared me for Costa Rica road travel: impossibly narrow streets crammed with people and cars. We learned that red lights and sirens don’t demand one pull over; instead, they garner absolutely no attention. There were markets and small stores lining the streets, and evidently seeing one suitable for our stop for refreshments, our driver stopped in the middle of the street, jumped out and beckoned us inside.

Upon our return a few minutes later with our drinks, the car was still there and traffic was just working its way around the obstacle. Obviously this was not bizarre behavior in Costa Rica, an observation that would 124

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Christine Cunningham gets a good view of jumping sailfish she fought off the coast of Costa Rica last winter. She and Steve Meyer fled their frigid Kenai Peninsula home for the warm sun of Central America. (STEVE MEYER)

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be reinforced daily during our stay. To say we were glad that we had elected to use Mel’s driver instead of a rental car would be a gross understatement.

It was 11 p.m. when we arrived at our condo and a security person opened the gate to lush surroundings of the compound.

We weren’t scheduled to fish for two days and had time to walk around the area, which revealed gated compounds for the

Like the moose and caribou so ubiquitous in Alaska, it wasn’t uncommon to see an iguana at Meyer’s and Cunningham’s condo in this tropical paradise. (STEVE MEYER)

hotels and condos servicing the tourist trade.

Daylight revealed concrete walls with either razor ribbon running the top or broken bottles glued in place. We learned that Costa Rica has little in the way of violent crime, but it is a very poor country and thievery is common place. We found the people to be very happy and friendly folks and had no problems during our stay. There is Internet/cell phone service, but it is very expensive if you don’t have an international plan. The restaurants, markets and shops all catered to English speakers and most of the folks we had contact with spoke English, even though it is not the language of the country. And we were about to discover why this is a popular destination for adventure seekers and anglers.

CHRISTINE FOUGHT THE big fish to the boat in a battle that was fierce but short. The colors exhibited by these beautiful fish are not found in the typical box of crayons, and they almost defy description.

The charter operators fishing for billfish out of Costa Rica have adopted a strict catch-and-release policy. More specifically, the policy ensures survival after release. When a fish comes to hand fairly quickly, the charter operators will bring it aboard briefly for a photo. If the fight is prolonged, the fish stays in the water and the angler can get in and hold the fish while it regains the strength needed to survive after release.

Mikey quickly brought the big fish up for photos and then Mel, Christine and Crissy got in the water with it while he revived and in short order swam off with purpose.

With the ice now broken, the day continued to produce sailfish strikes, some caught, some not. Throughout the day the surface of the water was never more disturbed than a slight 126

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chop, which was a pleasant change from a typical day on Cook Inlet waters.

Charter fishing in Costa Rica is done by the boat. In other words, you buy the boat for the day and it is up to you how many anglers share it. Six people is about perfect, and at $1,600 per day for offshore fishing, it is commensurate with Alaska rates per person with six people paying.

Our group booked two days of offshore fishing and a day of inshore fishing between to add a bit of variety. Inshore fishing is less expensive and is much more angler-interactive than trolling deeper waters for billfish, and, as we would learn, perhaps even more exciting.

Early the next morning we took a scenic 50-mile drive along the coast, then stood high on a rocky piece of coastline and watched our boat crew casting a net for the day’s bait in the lagoon below. After securing the mullet for bait, the small wooden/fiberglass skiff motored over and waited for us to clamber down the rocks to board.

There are few things more endearing to Alaskans than a lack of pomp and circumstance. There were no life jackets aboard and no safety briefing. Bait, tackle and a cooler full of fruit and cold drinks made up the cargo. Our crew, two big Costa Rican men, were laughing and greeted us as if we were long-lost friends, and we were off.

The skiff had three bench seats running across – one in the The Dream Raiser takes anglers well offshore to try and catch billfish and other pelagic species.

(STEVE MEYER)

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COSTA RICA THIS AND THAT

Who needs a livewell? These mullet found a watery spot in the boat deck as they waited to be baited in the attempt to lure in a roosterfish. (STEVE MEYER)

Call them dorado, dolphin or mahi-mahi, these gorgeous fish are hard fighters and great tablefare. (STEVE MEYER)

bow for the deckhand, one in the middle for the clients and one in the stern for the captain. The bow section seat ran all the way to the boat floor and sealed off a “livewell,” where the baitfish swam; the deckhand’s bare feet in the water were with them. On the trip out and throughout the day the water would 128

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Our fishing schedule left little time to see much of the gorgeous rainforest Costa Rica is known for, but we did take a four-hour river tour to see some of the birdlife and saltwater crocodiles.

The crocs were everywhere and clearly conditioned to humans. The river guide would pull over to the bank and slap the water with a raw chicken and one or more crocodiles would appear as if showing up for dinner. Brief as the tour was, each turn of the river revealed colorful tropical birds and a variety of lizards – certainly worth the $60 per person fee.

Closing out a vacation seems to always bring the mixed emotions of wanting to get home and having so many more things you would like to do. Costa Rica was no exception, and in retrospect, we would allow for more time and see more of the country.

Costa Rica is a very “green” country that takes pride in trying to care for the environment. The people are gregarious, and even though many are poverty stricken, very happy and quick with a smile.

The times we live in lend a sinister aspect to potential problems when leaving the U.S., but Costa Rica is one country that has managed to steer clear of most of that kind of trouble.

They mind their own business, and this seems to work out rather well for them in the global scheme of things. The answer to the question, “Would you go back?” pretty well tells all; in our case, that would be a resounding yes!

A final thought: If you go, eventually you’ll have to come back home, and when you go to the airport, don’t go to the check-in line. Instead, turn right and go to the line of cashiers who process the departure fee of $29 that allows you to leave. Gotta hand it to the Costa Ricans for thinking of that one. –SM

be scooped out and replaced to keep the mullet lively.

Twenty minutes out of the lagoon, we rigged our medium-duty spinning rods with the 8-to-12-inch mullet – much like you would a live minnow – and dropped them over, where they danced along the surface and enticed the roosterfish that make their living in the surf line.

There is a bit of a learning curve to this type of fishing. With the hooks placed in the snout of the baitfish, setting the hook at first strike doesn’t work. The roosters have to eat their way up to the hook before the set will take.

No worries, as there were plenty of strikes to learn on.

The first solid hook-up followed by a charging run that spooled line without heed to a tight drag revealed the beautiful silver-and-blue fish with their long individual dorsal fins that give them their name. The fight from a 10-pound rooster is easily equivalent to any 25-pound king salmon that ever lived in Alaskan waters.

As we concentrated on bringing the fish to hand, we bare-

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ly noticed being engulfed by walls of water from the 20-foot waves of the surf one minute and then riding high on the crest of the next wave the next. Our crew was accomplished at running these waves that could easily flip a small boat if negotiated incorrectly. It was a roller coaster ride on the water that was nearly as exciting as fighting the fish.

Catching numerous fish in the 10- to 15-pound class over a few hours was as good a fishing as we had ever experienced.

And then a big one nailed Christine’s mullet.

In seconds the fish had taken line down to the bare spool and the captain reluctantly used the motor to gain back some

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Costa Rica’s weather, water, cuisine and rain forests are a major draw for many U.S. travelers, but the country also provides some of the best fishing in the Pacific Ocean. (STEVE MEYER)

line. The big fish would run the surface, jump and shake his head, sound and then run right at the boat. Twenty minutes into the fight Christine’s arms were going numb, her brow soaked in beads of sweat, but the fish gave no sign of slowing.

The captain would just grin and eat chunks of cold watermelon as Christine struggled to best the magnificent old warrior of the surf. Huge frigate birds were circling the scene and seemed to think that one way or another, something was going to die and they didn’t care if it was the fish or Christine; they were going to eat.

It took 37 minutes, but the big fish finally gave up and came to hand. A beautiful 40-plus-pound roosterfish was soon released but forever etched in Christine’s mind.

THE DAWN GREETING us as we left the harbor for our last day of fishing in Costa Rica was exactly the same as every other day: bright sun, a mild offshore breeze and mild seas. I’m not sure the weather could have been any better.

Two hours out the captain throttled back and Mikey dropped the lines with prerigged mullet baits attached. A few minutes later we had the first hook-up, with Bob bringing the big fish to hand.

The typical sailfish of the many our group brought in would tip the scales at around 125 to 150 pounds. Their appearance is a bit deceiving and makes them appear much larger. There are also opportunities to hook blue maraksportingjournal.com | FEBRUARY 2016

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lin, dorado and various small tuna on these trips.

Bob brought in a nice dorado, a delicious-eating fish and one of the few species that are kept. Transporting fish back to the U.S is problematic and most don’t bother.

Keep what you can eat on the trip and let the rest go.

The action on our last day was steady, with multiple hookups and five sailfish brought in and released. Around midday, a pod of dolphins appeared and ran with us as we trolled. They would dart back and forth across the bow and stern.

It might not have been the hunting trip Steve Meyer prefers to take in the fall and winter when Alaska begins to freeze, but a trip to Costa Rica was a combination of sun, fun and fishing he can Christine Cunningham will never forget. (STEVE MEYER)

Christine was able to lie down across the bow and they would surface and allow her to pet their snouts,

a wonderful way for two Alaskans to finish out a trip in the warmth of the blue Pacific. ASJ

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A DICTIONARY

FOR DOGS

BY CHRISTINE CUNNINGHAM

B

ird dogs are very sophisticated in the way they understand words.

Just as the ancient Greeks recognized six different varieties of the word “love,” a bird dog recognizes many different meanings for a number of simple commands.

They will sometimes cock their heads when the word “No!” is yelled because they are not sure which of the word’s 126 meanings is intended.

How, they will muse, are we supposed to know how to satisfy a command when humans have not moved beyond their limited vocabulary? Trans-species communication can transcend many barriers, but the biggest hurdle identified by eight out of 10 bird dogs is “multiple-word meanings.”

The other two dogs identify “overuse of exclamation point in basic dog commands.” This survey was performed using homemade ginger treats and may not reflect the views of all dogs.

Sit, the first command taught to

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many dogs, comes from the Old English “sittan,” meaning “to occupy a seat, be seated, sit down, seat oneself; remain, continue; settle, encamp, occupy; lie in wait; besiege.”

It can also mean to be inactive, withhold applause, to do nothing or to sit pretty. It’s no wonder the word causes confusion. Many dogs will lay down and fall asleep in order to demonstrate the word’s proto-Germanic origins. The word can be frightening as it involves a lack of action. It would stress me out to be commanded to “do nothing!” while my back end was pushed down and I was offered a treat. Given the word’s etymology, I wouldn’t know if I was supposed to put my butt on the floor or run for office.

Come! This word is so complex that Middle English scribal habits have transformed the spelling, and the word’s frequent use in combination with other words have rendered it frightening in some cases. A well-educated dog may not know if he or she should come, go or be born in the archaic Lithuanian sense of the word.

Many trainers use a leash to lead a dog toward the trainer. An astute dog will ask itself how much of this comradely word is meant to elicit an attack (come at!) or a show of seriousness (come on!). A reward for being dragged into close proximity evokes a frightening loss of control, resulting in a comeback, which is a return to the former position. This is often done after the treat has been dispensed.

The nautical use of the word “Stay!” insinuated the order to “secure by stays and supports” and had nothing to do with “sit down next to me.” Water dogs

FEBRUARY 2016 | aksportingjournal.com

may find the word particularly troublesome if it is yelled in proximity to the ocean, and they may attempt to fasten ropes to stabilize a mast-like object. If, after commanding the dog to stay, you then back away, a seafaring dog may well imagine that you are the captain going down with the ship. These dogs are not strangers to the ultimate experiences had at sea and to do nothing in a time of crisis goes against the norms of maritime tradition. No treat can overcome their valor.

Heel! has been the most difficult command for any of the dogs I’ve known to master. It isn’t because it refers to a shoe or a contemptible person.

I am not calling names or demanding to be medically treated. It’s just a difficult word for many reasons. One of my favorite canines thinks the word means “walk ahead of me about 3 feet and sneak further ahead as time elapses.”

There is no history of this use of “heel” in the literature. However, it is possibly a figurative usage from the Old English hweol, meaning “wheel.”

It’s no surprise to me that dogs seek out expansive meanings in order to fulfill their own needs. Just as the human art of love has its own sophisticated vocabulary, the art of basic dog commands has a dynamic component that transcends a narrowly defined word. What I’ve learned is that spending more time with the dog in order to understand what possible extension of meaning he is deriving from my intentions hasn’t really helped the training.

But there’s not one right way to do any kind of relationship. The trick is to look up a lot of words in the dictionary and then not trust them. ASJ

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