Ketchikan Alaska Aug 26-Sept 3

[Holy Mackerel]

Got to Ketchikan around noon......

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegallery/data/526/alaska_chris.jpg

We rented a car, as our lodge was about 3 miles from town. drove through town, stopped at the first "crick" we saw....
salmon going up stream...

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/IMG_1464.jpg

Met up with Howard, the kayak fishing guide www.yakfishalaska.com (http://www.yakfishalaska.com) ... reports had been slow lately for Salmon, a few weeks prior it was "hot,"
of course slows down, when I got there...
Still Beautfil country... so many trees....

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010023.jpg

We started to troll buzzbombs, I remember these from my salmon fishing days in Chico...

Got a Coho, the preferred salmon to catch, and eat...

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010021.jpg

We tried to bottom fish for a while, got all the rock fish you wanted, but I was not there for that...
fishing was slow.... but we got to feed a bald eagle that was pretty cool...

Basically, I just held up the dead rock fish, and the eagle shot out of the tree like I was in a Wild Animal park show,
going about 120 miles per hour directly at me, I threw the fish in the water, and it swooped it up... we did this a couple times...

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010018.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010019-1.jpg

Video of Eagle...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gRM-Bsu9XJs

A ketchikan slam...

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010034.jpg

dinner....

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010003-1.jpg

Next day.... Rented a 20' skiff.... did the down rigger thing...

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010011.jpg

Not much action on the cohos... Some guy in a small boat had some luck... they use weird stuff up there...

Trish goes bendo

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010012-1.jpg

on rockfish... ah, what the hell, I was on vacation! :)

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010014.jpg

Funny thing about the weather, it went from sunny, to windy, to rainy, to sunny, to rainy, to rainy, to rainy, to sunny....
Fed some more bald eagles and called it a day... not a bad rate on the boat, $200 from 6am to 7PM...
Weds headed up to the forest service cabin in the bush for four days/3nights...

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010083.jpg

It was basically four walls with wood bunks... a counter and table.... right next to a creek... We read in the log, "lots of bears" by those who had stayed there....

The trail leading up to bearland...

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010047.jpg

there is actually great trout fishing in this creek... something I enjoy, but getting munched by bears not so much...
again weather varied day by day...

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010048.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010079.jpg

We caught lots of "dogfish" sharks.... pesky bastards!!!

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010075.jpg

Set out shrimp and crab pots.... ran into a local who was fishing for halibut, he said we were crazy for being out in little "skiffs"
About an hour later, he showed up at our cabin with ~100lb halibut, and an ~80lb halibut... This pic does no justice,
it would have been unreasonable to ask him to pick it up, but it was BIG!!!!!!!

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010068.jpg

The guy in his skiff... gave us some herring for bait, caught more sharks...
actually saw where he was fishing,
but with the weather, and Trish, didnt want to risk it...

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010069.jpg

Collected the shrimp and crab pots... first the shrimp, you have to use a
2speed reel..... so tiring, but good payoff...

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010064.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010038.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010066.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010067.jpg

Also picked up the crab pots... Dungeoness crabs....

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/IMG_1521.jpg

Pink salmon swimming by our kayaks.... could have freegaffed them... no I didnt try that...

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/P1010071.jpg

Our pre-cooked feast... crab, and shrimp, more than we could eat, very good....!

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g287/cmfierro/Ketchikan/IMG_1530.jpg

Last evening there, across the creek on the beach, about 50 yrds away, saw a mother bear, and her two cubs come out of the bush....
pretty cool, pics came out fuzzy...

back to ketchikan, took it easy on Sunday, did the tourist stuff, sat in a smoky bar, lots of gruff Alaskans gettin their drink on...

All in all a fun trip, pretty unspoiled terrain up there.

Chris

[Jax Yak]

Thanks for the report Chris. Looks like a lot of fun. Really neat pictures of the eagles.:)
Jack

[Mike McFann]

Great story and pics. I bet it was frustrating looking at all those loc jawed salmon. Was there decent swells or unsure of navigation, keep you from going out for the halibut?

Being in the boonies and returning in one piece is always a great trip. Alaska is on my list. Thanks for the post. :D

[lambadmin]

Awesome Chris...

It's a movie, it ain't a report. :cheers1:

Great times!

[Iceman]

Alaska feels like a different planet to me. great pictorial! Thanks for sharing it with those less fortunate:D

[bigderel]

Awesome stuff Chris! Adding that to my list of things to do before I die...

[potto]

Thanks Chris for sharing.
Taking time off fishing to take those pics was very generous of you.
:you_rock:

[wavster]

Very cool report.

...is Alaska consered part of the West Coast...sounds like a great place to try to complete a slam...:)

[LocoKayako]

Chris,
Alaska, what a place, huh?
I was up there one summer and wanted to fish but was not allowed to. No it was not because of a chick. I was there with a team and had to stay with the team.
I definately want to go back.

The eagle is just awesome. Nice meals too

gabe

[rastrev]

Looks like a fun trip!!!

[tattuna]

Awesome report and pics! Never had much interest in Alaska til this report. Shrimp, crab, AND fish? That's what I'm talkin bout!

[GHOSTHUNTR]

Alaska looks tasty!

[LiquidLawless]

Very cool adventure... thanks.

[Mr_PeaCH]

Man, what I wouldn't have given for a little fog and cool rain over the Labor Day Weekend! :D Great pics; sounds like you guys had a great time. I'd love to do something like that someday; Alaska off the beaten track somewhat. Thanks for sharing.

[Walter]

Great report!!! Must have been an incredible trip. :you_rock:

I wonder what FRESH shrimp tastes like. Gotta be better than anything we get over here!:cheers1:

How deep did you drop the traps and how did they fight? :p

Seriously though, you had to reel them in?

I want to go.

[ski]

Thanks for sharing your trip:cheers1:

Alaska is on my "to do" list:luxhello:

[SHARK BAIT]

:) SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAD FUN. I WAS SLAYIN FISH THERE ON THE 10TH THRU THE 18TH WITH THREE OTHER BROS WE ENDED UP WITH 300# OF HALI AND 125# OF SALMON (ALL FILLETS) I WILL POST THE PICS VERY SOON.

FISH ON!!!!

:cheers1:

[Tman]

Excellent pics and report to boot. The eagle pic at the water was insane, frame that baby.
Thanks for sharing that report, fookin dang it now another trip I have to add to the list....thanks Chris....:you_rock:

[scwafish]

Looks like a fun trip, gotta go yak fishing up there sometime myself.

[blackcloud9]

Thanks Chris, great photos and info! Those shrimp look sweet : )