07-15-2016, 02:39 AM
It was a long time coming but I finally made it back to Alaska after a long “break”. After a few hour drive from Anchorage we got to our final destination, Soldotna. Our group of six stayed at a great place on the Kenai. We thought we were staying in two cabins, but ended up in the owner’s house. Great accommodations and outstanding views. Wasn’t long before we started fishing for reds right in front of where we were staying. Unfortunately it didn’t take long (less than an hour) before I took a fall and broke my finger. Ended up smashing it against a step, broke it in two places, dislocated the finger, hyperextended it resulting in my skin getting lacerated from the bone. Unfortunate mishap, but after spending the evening in the ER, 10 stitches, and a splint later, I was back at the lodge. The ER made an appointment for me to see the hand surgeon that morning, but they weren’t sure what specific time he could see me that day. So I made the decision to go king fishing and hope to be back in time. I had a keeper 36 pound king by 9am so the guide dropped me off at the house and I made it in time for a 10:45 am appointment. Luckily I avoided surgery.
For three days we would go fishing for kings in the morning out on the boat, and then spend the afternoons fishing for reds, often catching our limit of three. Only two of us kept our limit of two kings, the rest of us kept one and released the rest. We saw a lot of moose on the trip, but no bears. We even had a moose swim by our boat. The reds came in early, but it wasn’t until the end of the trip that they really started to show up.
We spent another day halibut fishing, we all caught our limit, one under 28 inches and one over 28. Nothing huge the largest was 40 pounds. The halibut fishing was fast as we only fished a couple of hours total. Even with the broken finger, I was able to fish for the kings and reds relatively ok. But reeling in halibut from 200 ft, sure put a hurting on my finger. Luckily the girl deckhand was able to help me out. We also caught some huge skates and those things are a pain to reel in from deep water as they are like dead weight, but use the water against you.
Overall a good trip and I felt lucky that I was even able to fish at all. I attached some photos, don’t look at the first one if you are squeamish… Also some not so shy girls in Alaska, check out the last photo...
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For three days we would go fishing for kings in the morning out on the boat, and then spend the afternoons fishing for reds, often catching our limit of three. Only two of us kept our limit of two kings, the rest of us kept one and released the rest. We saw a lot of moose on the trip, but no bears. We even had a moose swim by our boat. The reds came in early, but it wasn’t until the end of the trip that they really started to show up.
We spent another day halibut fishing, we all caught our limit, one under 28 inches and one over 28. Nothing huge the largest was 40 pounds. The halibut fishing was fast as we only fished a couple of hours total. Even with the broken finger, I was able to fish for the kings and reds relatively ok. But reeling in halibut from 200 ft, sure put a hurting on my finger. Luckily the girl deckhand was able to help me out. We also caught some huge skates and those things are a pain to reel in from deep water as they are like dead weight, but use the water against you.
Overall a good trip and I felt lucky that I was even able to fish at all. I attached some photos, don’t look at the first one if you are squeamish… Also some not so shy girls in Alaska, check out the last photo...
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a campfire tale.The only time I ever went to Alaska was for my 50th birthday 12yrs ago. I've had the hankering to go back ever since and hope to one day. I wouldn't mind driving the Alcan highway just to do once. 
