Well, a few escapees in the twizel canals as well. But that is not the real salmon fishing I am after. Still a lot of fun.
These are the salmon I am looking for.
It is a king salmon of middle size out of the Klutina River in Alaska.
So I am planning one more salmon fishing trip to Alaska in July 2018 when it is cold again on the southern Hemishere. Five weeks, June 30st to August 4th would be the idea. To catch salmon in Alaska is by far easier than in New Zealand since the numbers of salmon in the rivers are much higher. On a good day in the Kenai river there might be more than 50’000 Sockeys that cross the fish counter in Soldotna near the river mouth. They need one million (!) sockeye a year in that river to keep the population stable. And thousands of king salmon cross that counter as well. We would fish for King salmon in the Klutina area, Sockeye (red salmon) in the Kenai and Klutina, pink salmon in Valdez (just for fun, they are not so good eaten). Maybe Halibut and silver salmon on a charter in Homer (but that’s pretty expensive!). In some rivers there are greyling and Dolly warden to be caught on the flyrod.
These are three reds (Sockeye) in the Kenai river at the mouth of Russian river.
These was the fish counts of redsalmen at the mouth of Kenai River in July 2015.
I had such
a lot of good talks and discussions on the rivers and in campgrounds with Kiwi
fishermen during my trips in NZ the last two years that I would gladly give
something back. We are two persons on that Alaska trip. The 8 birth 31 food motorhome
we might rent offers enough room for four persons. So if there is any keen
salmon fishermen interested to go on a Alaska trip in July 2019 please get in
touch with me.
This was our fisherteam 2015 on Kodiak Island in Fall (October). Checks by the local police are common to see if all the anglers keep to the rules.
This is a 31 foot Dodge Ram motorhome with slide outs. It easily sleeps four persons since the design would be for eight. But that would be to cramped. But 4 is fine. Cost a day around 160 U$ a day. Real cheap if compared with the daily rental fees in NZ!
You had to
organize the flight from NZ to get to Anchorage. I will fly out from
Switzerland since I stay in Switzerland during the Kiwi winter. And we stay
in a motorhome together for that period and share the cost. The cost in Alaska
for that trip might be around 3000 NZ$ per person (motorhome, gazoline (these RVS take around 22 - 28 liters gazoline for 100 km, but the cost per gallon is only around 3.50 - 4 U$) , food, smoking of
salmon, fishing licence…) plus the flight from NZ to Alaska. You can also bring
your partner if she is really into fishing and not into shopping, and all
weather prove!
Sometimes there are bears, no problem, they are just interested in the fish and not in the fishermen. But to treat them with respect is better anyway. Sometimes they steal the salmon we just got. But better feed the bears than be the fead of the bears, the Alaskans say. Well, I agree!
So if there
is anybody interested please get in touch with me. My mail is [email protected]. My phone 021 168 24 99. I am
currently touring and fishing on the North Island. Next week we try to get a kingi on the fly rod on the flats in front of Ferguson park in Tauranga. From February
to Mai then we fish again mostly on the South Island. And on May 1st we say good bye to NZ and head to Europe again until October 2019 - with some fishing in Alaska on the way. Only 8 hours flight from Frankfurt (Germany) to Anchorage (Alaska).
Roland
PS: We just had a super advendture with epicadventure - charter out of Whitianga. Skipper Chase did a fantastic job. We was dead in the evening and had a real good sleep. We hooked into 15 kingis.
It is unbelievable how strong these fish are. If the king salmon in Alaska that weigh up to 80 lbs would pull as hard it would be almost impossible to get them out of the rivers once they head to the swisft water. Already now it is a real challenge!
Just pull him up.... yes, dear Chase, that was the idea, but it is really bloody hard.
Thanks, Chase, you did a great job and really know what you are doing. And thanks to the Epic backoffice team, especially Shay, too.
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