Alaska......

[CTobias]

Over 90k sockeye ran up the Kenai yesterday. That's a lot of fish!!

Fish Counts - Sport Fish - ADF&G, Alaska Department of Fish and Game

[browntrout27]

CTobias -

I enjoy the updates to this post - thanks for that. Completely jealous, but keep em coming.

I noticed you have a dip packed in one of the pictures. Just curious as to what a can of dip costs in Alaska....

[CTobias]

Just curious as to what a can of dip costs in Alaska....

Too much!!! I was paying $3.50 a can for Skoal straight in NC. I now pay almost $7 a can. I have been getting the half logs from Costco. Saves me a couple bucks. Beer and dip seem to be comparable to NY price wise. The nice part is there is no sales tax in Anchorage.

[Rusty Spinner]

Over 90k sockeye ran up the Kenai yesterday. That's a lot of fish!!

Fish Counts - Sport Fish - ADF&G, Alaska Department of Fish and Game

My father spent two summers during his college years up there taking salmon run surveys for US Fish & Wildlife Service. Kenai Peninsula both years. I'm enjoying your reports.

[iflifish]

Over 90k sockeye ran up the Kenai yesterday. That's a lot of fish!!

Fish Counts - Sport Fish - ADF&G, Alaska Department of Fish and Game

That is a lot of fish for sure, especially when you consider how many are caught by the commercial fleet before they even hit the river. One September I was fishing rainbows on the Naknek River and surrounding area near King Salmon, and while talking with the camp owner, he said they had a few days where 250-300,000 sockeyes passed the counting station each day. This happened when storms kept the commercial fleet at the docks for a while during the peak of the run, allowing a huge escapement upstream.

I'm also enjoying your reports and will be looking forward to seeing what happens in the next few months, it's getting to be prime time soon!

[browntrout27]

Too much!!! I was paying $3.50 a can for Skoal straight in NC. I now pay almost $7 a can. I have been getting the half logs from Costco. Saves me a couple bucks. Beer and dip seem to be comparable to NY price wise. The nice part is there is no sales tax in Anchorage.

Damn. $2.50 for Skoal in Pa - $1.50 if I go bargain basement and dip Grizzly.

Then again, I am sitting in 100 degree heat with my fly rods collecting dust. I'd trade fishing for cheaply packing my face with dirt.

[CTobias]

Damn. $2.50 for Skoal in Pa - $1.50 if I go bargain basement and dip Grizzly.

Then again, I am sitting in 100 degree heat with my fly rods collecting dust. I'd trade fishing for cheaply packing my face with dirt.

I want to go fishing this evening, but I need to tie flies for this weekend. I guess I could always just tie some tomorrow.

[CTobias]

Over 400k sockeye in the past two days!!!!!

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/sf/FishCo...&SpeciesID=420

[CTobias]

A few from tonight for this weekend.

[CTobias]

[CTobias]

With Anchorage in my rear view mirror I was headed down the Seward Highway and off to meet up with a buddy to fish the Kenai.



Unfortunately, this isn't my boat, but I wish it was!


We fished the lower Kenai and launched at Centennial park located in the city of Soldotna. Luckily the majority of the reds were up near the Russian River, so the crowds and boat traffic was minimal. That, and kings went to catch and release and the season officially closed Saturday night on the Kenai. A whole four days early!






The fishing was steady through out the day and I couldn't even tell you how many dollies we caught. We got into some bows, but it seemed the dollies were being rather greedy on Saturday.


A few of the better bows from Saturday.




My buddy hit a silver swinging a flesh fly, but I didn't get a picture. I didn't hit any fish swinging, but hopefully more silvers roll in and my luck on the swing changes.

After a solid 12 hours on the water it was time to head back to the big city after a decent meal.

Headed back on the Seward Highway at 11pm


The view at midnight just before getting into Anchorage.

[lightenup]

Looks a bit like opening day on the east coast.......