Goals for Our 2023 Alaskan Fishing Trip
When we head up to Alaska in late July, it will be my fourth trip to the 49th State, and Hanna’s second. None of the four other people who will accompany us for all our part of our nine days up there have visited the Last Frontier previously, so I’m anxious to see it through their eyes. At the same time, I always find that my trips are more satisfying if I set up some attainable goals ahead of time, while leaving my mind open to the possibility of being wowed by something completely unexpected. That’s highly likely on this trip, where the extraordinary could happen every day.
I’m certain that we’ll see bears – probably lots of ‘em – and ride in a couple of float planes (possibly the storied De Havilland Beaver), but there are quite a few other things on my wish list. Here are five of them:
Watch Others Catch Halibut
I’m the only one of the six who has previously fished for and caught halibut (along with rockfish, lingcod and other deep dwellers that live up there. I went on a day trip with two traveling partners back in August of 1995, and then on an overnight journey with Keith Combs in 2019. One of the couples traveling with us are primarily bass anglers. As far as I know, the other couple hasn’t fished at all. I’d love to see any or all of them struggle under the pull of a 100-plus-pound barn door.
See a Moose
On my 1995 trip, my friends and I came pretty close to hitting a moose late at night with our rental Chrysler Concorde. We were arguing over which cassette tape (remember those?) to play, looked up, and there was a behemoth in front of us. We swerved, missed it, and shortly thereafter resumed our musical dispute. I’ve seen moose in New Hampshire since then, but not in my returns to Alaska. I need that to change.
Have a Beer at the Salty Dawg Saloon
In ’95 we camped on the beach in Homer and sat for hours in the famous Salty Dawg on the Homer Spit. Twenty eight years later, I’m hoping they’ve saved me a seat and a beer or three. Four of us will be there for two nights and parts of three days and I will not leave without a visit.
Catch Some Trout With a “Mouse”
Last time we were there, Hanna spent nearly a full day on one of our flyouts catching rainbows, grayling and Dolly Vardens with a topwater fly rod “mouse,” the salmonid equivalent of the Dean Rojas frog. I never switched from what I was using, and I regretted it after the fact. If that bite is at all happening this time I’ll push all of my chips to the center of the table.
Bring Home a Reasonable Amount of Silver Salmon
When Hanna and I went to Bear Trail Lodge in 2020, we brought home 96 pounds of sockeye and king salmon fillets. You can check an insulated 50 pound box through as luggage, so we each took one. We gave some away and stocked our freezer. Unfortunately, that same freezer crapped out while we were in Mexico a few months later and we came home to the stench of rotting fish. We need to restock, and this time we’ll be there for the silver run.
Mostly, the goal is to remain present and grateful and to appreciate my opportunity to go back again. While Alaska will never be completely spoiled or developed for obvious reasons, I urge everyone to get there as soon and as often as you can. Email Hanna if you want help making that happen.
