BackTo: Sonar Count Graph-July 2002/July2003
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Monday July 22 23,000 sockeye / 596,000total
Fished with Wayne at the log hole. Started raining soon thereafter. We had looked at the sky and determined that we should take our rainjackets. Good thing. I caught two fish fairly quickly. Snaggerman was there again and once again he was the man and limited real quickly. Wayne was a big skunkboy again. We returned to Sal's once again for a meal. Then we went back to camp and had a nap. At 3pm we headed out to Sterling to go to Bing’s landing. Saw fish being hauled out and that was a good sign. Weren’t sure where to go at Bing’s but were happy to explore a new area. The ramp at the bottom of the trail had a real nice view. Then we had to walk about a ¼ mile down a trail to get to the fishing hole. The water here is along the Naptown rapids and is deep and fast. Tons and tons of people. The best holes seemed to be down near the logs. We luckily squeezed in up above where there was a slack water eddy to fish in. I originally tried to wade way out at the top of the rapids and fish. I could barely stand up. And if I had landed one I would’ve had to walk it back to bank about 50yds. What a ridiculous spot to fish from. Anyways, the big push of 65-95000 fish were definitely still coming by. Bings is definitely an airport + 1day fishing spot. Now we know where to go to repeat a day’s fishing. Also it was nice to go to a spot and fish the opposite side of the bank. I got to fish lefthanded. For the most part everyone else was fishing righthanded. Guess they couldn’t adapt. Wayne, Marie, and myself each hooked a lot of fish. Marie seemed to lose all of hers. Wayne was really fouling most of his. I was for the most part mouth-hooking mine. I was real surprised how well I hung onto those reds in the fast water. Good battles. I also got to fish in the log hole where I could use the log as a chair to fish from. Weather was funny. When we got there it was cool and breezy. Then it got hot and I peeled off all of my layers. Then the clouds came out again and I was really cold. Then it got scorching hot again. Bunny didn’t fish, she just watched, although she did offer to clean my only fish. After fishing we went by Hamilton's and filled the freezer again. Marie had to have steak dinner so we went to Hamilton’s restaurant and had dinner. It was a nice restaurant inside. First time I’d ever eaten there. Said our good-byes to the Wayne and Marie and then went back to our camp spot and went to bed.
Tuesday July 23 27,000 sockeye / 623,000total
Still have the desire to get up in the mornings. After all, this is what I wait for every year. I can sleep in other days. But I’ve only got 2 weeks on the Kenai. Going out for fun without any pressure. Marvin is down soon and we stand next to each other. I had his rock spot and he fished the trough up river from the rock. I sure picked the wrong spot. The river is coming up and the rock hole is fishing slightly different. Felt it yesterday, too. I’m hooking up lots but most are foul cause I’m trying to hard to keep up with Marvin. Plus, I’ve lost my drift a bit cuz the river has changed. I end up sticking on another piece of lead. On my 4th fish I finally hook up in the mouth and I land him. I get my second fish at about 5:30am. We both hook lots and lots more. I decide to keep my third at about 6:45. Marvin still hasn’t put one on the bank. He is struggling to land his fairs, but seems to bank everyone he fouls. I’ve sure had a few of those days, too. I hang out for another hour or so and watch Marvin fish. Have some fun talking with people on the beach. I jump in and sub for people every now and then and hook a few more. In a while a gaggle of Texans jump in the hole next to Marvin and stand way down in the water right where Marv is fishing. They are oblivious to the run of fish at their toes. Always the professional Marvin adjusts to the tight quarters and keeps hooking fish anyways. Then the Japanese mint lady appears and I start talking to her. Her husband is also fishing. Now we are best friends. Finally head back to camp and begin processing. Visited with Marv and Charmaigne for awhile when Marv makes it back. Getting ready to head out for showers and then off to sight see.
Went to view a property in Sterling off of Anna street. Nice little cabin on a small bit of land, $48000 / .7acres. Gas, oil, electric, no well or septic. Had access to a 15ft patch of river. Someday we’ll get something like that I hope. Went on a journey up the Swanson river road. Stopped at a few lakes on the way. Road is a dusty washboard. Fridge spilled a few times. Stopped at Swanson river and tied up my dry fly rig. Caught a tiny trout on my second cast. Then a huge fish jumped out of the river in front of me. Boy was I surprised. Never got it to rise for my fly though. Bank was a swamp. Lots of bugs, too.
Wednesday July 24 26,000 sockeye / 648,000total
Alarm went off at 4am but it was raining real hard. Just couldn’t motivate myself to get out of bed. It was the rain that did it to me. Plus I slayed them hard yesterday and got 6 (limit has been increased to 6 per day). Not so motivated to fish in the cold rain. Went for a shower then drove up to Nikiski. Nothing there. Just a few oil refineries and some more trees. Stopped at Cook Inlet View drive and made dinner on the bluff. Could see the beach –set net operations. Had salmon and mashed potatoes for dinner. Went back to the hole and went fishing again. Bunny was the champion for sure this time…again. She beat me 4 to 1 today. All I could get was a tiny tiny that was even smaller than her tiny.
Thursday July 25 25,000 sockeye / 673,000total
Fished early am again. Marvin was just killing them. Limit is now 6 but I can’t even get one. Finally get disgusted and go back to camp and have breakfast. When Marvin gets back I tell him we’ll come to his house in the afternoon. We do our thing then go out to Crooked Creek towards Bob’s property. Stop at the campground and take a nap. Then go to Bob’s and see his cabin under construction. He’s making it from trees on his own lot. Then we go off to Marvin's. He has a small home and garage between two junk yards in Anchor Point. They take us on a drive around Anchor Point. We go down to the beach at the mouth of the Anchor River. It looked like an excellent spot to hang out and camp. Marvin says it is wall to wall when the kings come in. We eat dinner with the Marvin and Charmaigne and then head back to the airport and go fishing. I can’t end up with a skunking for the day. Things have slowed down a bit…for me anyways. Bunny is champ again. She gets 2 and I get 1.
Friday July 26 30,000 sockeye / 703,000total
Went down to the river at 4am. Hooked up about a dozen times in an hour but decided not to keep anything. Plus I was low on gear and kept losing my leader. Went back and climbed into bed with bunny. Then we got up showered and went to Coopers to prepare our fish boxes. We got them all setup and weighed and ready to go.
Headed back to the airport for an evening session. Marvin and Charmaigne have the hole. It is crowded and the water has come up a bit. Marvin ends up limiting out and I take his hole. I take up where he left off. I slay them one after another. People are walking by and giving me compliments. I see Greg from Sherwood Forest and tell him to have my hole when I’m done. I end up keeping 6 fish and bunny gets 3 more. Blue-hat Leon shows up and has a fly rod. He keeps crowding in but bunny keeps her spot anyways. Eventually bunny takes my spot while I clean. I think this is the last time we’ll fish here this year and I’m going out on top. Perfect evening to retire on.
Saturday July 27 33,000 sockeye / 736,000total
Got up and had breakfast. Began to pack up. Visited with Charmaigne. Went and watched Marvin hook more fish. Said our goodbyes. Went to Coopers and loaded up boxes and said our goodbyes. Headed back up the highway over the summit. Took our time and made a few stops. We dumped and propaned back in Soldotna at Tesoro. Went and waited at the Wayne's and began to pack our stuff. Went to MooseTooth and had pizza. Back to Wayne's for a bit then off to drop off the camper and to the airport. Offended the baggage boy when I under-tipped him. Had some drinks at Cheers and then it was time to go. Vacation is over.
Sunday July 28th
We took the red-eye flight home. I had a window seat and could see the guys loading the baggage into the plane. I watched and watched as they loaded luggage and fish boxes. They never loaded mine. I could see them left on the cart when the took the cart away and closed up the plane. I told bunny our 4 fish boxes weren't going to make it home with us. When we got to PDX my comment proved correct. Too much luggage for the plane to carry. Our boxes would make it in later we were told. Go home and wait.....the airline will drive them out to our house. So, finally about 2:45pm the airline van arrives with our fish boxes...yay!! We get them opened and pack them into the freezer. No damage done, everything is fine. The relatives come over and we start are barbecue and load the in-laws up with some fresh fish.
Well, vacation is over. Fish are in the freezer. It's going to be another long year before sockeye season starts up again. I'm already making plans for my 11th consecutive trip. Another 345 days to go. Until then just more Kenai dreams...........
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