Went hunting today, even though weatherman was calling for a gale.  It’s just too nice not to at least take a look.  Sunny and about freezing.  Turns out the water was fine and I made it to our spot on the back of our home Douglas Island.  Temperature was about freezing and no snow so the traction was superb and you can walk all day when the temp is like that and no rain.  Saw a humpback whale out in Stephens Passage on the way, then perhaps a hundred gulls hovering out in the middle of the Pass.  And several dozen mouthy sea lions along the beach.  So, lots of some kind of feed out there.

Hiked all day and didn’t see any deer and didn’t “feel” any in the area, either.  Might be early for this spot.  Did see some fairly fresh pellets occasionally.  I had a march of about a mile back to the skiff, and when I turned the corner at the point I could see lots of beach and thought I was high and dry.  But when I came in in the morning, I’d moved down the beach, passing on my first choice for what I thought was a better spot, and lucky I did.  When I finally got to the skiff it was still anchored in deep water. 

I was pretty tired and it was so nice I just sat on the beach.  I’d only drank maybe a cup of water from my quart bottle, so I slowly drank the rest and enjoyed the sun.  I almost took a nap the beach fringe was so dry and the sun so warm and my knees pretty tired.  After about a half hour I pulled the line tied to the driftwood on the beach that was tied on the other end to the anchor, and headed home.  It was kind of lumpy on the way home, but just a swell from all the wind we’ve been having.

Near Outer Point, I saw a crab buoy in water in shouldn’t be – too deep.  I pulled the buoy and the pot and turns out it was someone we knew, so I called them and let them know we had the pot and they could pick it up.  It was a light pot with no weight and in almost exactly the same spot I’ve found gear at other times. The current seems to always take it there.

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Mark Stopha
Alaska Wild Salmon Company
4455 N. Douglas Hwy
Juneau, AK 99801
www.GoodSalmon.com

FINALLY got the Sea Lion in the water this weekend. Kurt and Ben helped, with Kurt launching his skiff in case we had trouble and needed a tow. I got the tow truck to move the boat from the lot to Douglas Harbor, and we launced it without a hitch. Started the engine, and saw that the water pump was working fine. Untied and headed out into the channel with Ben onboard and Kurt riding herd in the skiff. Some of the wiring was not done or done right for the gauges and tachometer, and I got almost all of those working on Sunday.

Went to the cabin on Thursday and no crab. Reset the pot as I forgot bait but still some left in the pot. Most of the cabins on Horse Is. are now empty, with only 2 other boats in the anchorages. Most of the blueberries are gone, and the leaves left have turned from green to yellow. One good storm and many more should drop.

went down to the Kenai River with Todd to visit a friend I had not seen for 30 years until I had breakfast with him and his wife on a stop in Juneau on their way to Minnesota via the ferry. He has run Beaver Creek Cabins for a decade and guides fishing out of there as well. We had planned our trip many weeks ago, and despite the flood warnings, we went down as the trip was more about getting together than fishing.

We fished on Sat and did not catch any thing. As it was my first time to the river, it will be interesting to see what it looks like when it’s not at or near flood stage. All the way down and back from Anchorage, the river got nearer the road level as you moved north, upstream, and I could see it wouldn’t take much more for the river to cross the road in places.

Keith and Jane were great hosts, and we had a comfortable cabin. We just watched football on Sunday before driving back to Anchorage. I think they had one more day of guests and then the season would be over. They both looked like they were a bit weary after an every-day-is-a-workday for the past 5 months, and were looking forward to some much deserved down time. I remember feeling the same way after a long stretch trolling – glad to be doing what I was doing, but glad when it was over, too.

We plan to go back down for sockeye fishing next summer.

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Mark Stopha
Alaska Wild Salmon Company
4455 N. Douglas Hwy
Juneau, AK 99801
www.GoodSalmon.com

Went to the cabin after work on Thurs and picked berries on Friday.  Even got lost on our little island, and came out on the Douglas side after wandering through some new country and even saw a deer.  It was blowing on the beach, and I decided I’d better stay another day and hope for calmer seas.  I picked a few chicken of the woods mushrooms to try, and spent the evening picking leaves and stems from the berries. The mushrooms were okay – not fantastic, but edible.  Then the floodgates opened on Friday night – man, did it rain.  Flat calm this morning on the ride back, but now just pouring again.  Fixed Sara’s lawn mower, listened to the Mississippi State – Auburn game (State won), and packed fish today.  One whale watching trip tomorrow as the season winds down. 

–
Mark Stopha
Alaska Wild Salmon Company
4455 N. Douglas Hwy
Juneau, AK 99801
www.GoodSalmon.com

Went to pick more berries this weekend. Initially thought I’d just try to find a few red huckleberries at our cabin island, as I had always just noticed a bush here and there with no concentration. What I learned this weekend was that the berries ARE there, they are just cryptic. Due to their small size, they can be difficult to see – even thought they are red. Once I found one bush, there were more around, and if I bent low and looked under, I could see the berries. Some of the taller ones where just drooping with berries. I guess I picked close to 2 gallons or so.

Fished on the way over and back but caught nothing. Ron caught a coho on the way over, and set 2 crab pots, but had no crab when he checked them this morning. Lots of boats out for Sept. 1, it seemed. I didn’t see anyone land a fish. Rain and a little light wind.

Finally fixed my truck after struggling for a week. Changed out the master cylinder, proportioning valve, and rear brakes (which needed changing) and finally thought it was the power booster, which I’d changed less than 2 years ago. Then I thought to check the vacuum pump, and that was it. No suction. Of course, the part comes without the pulley, no one in town had a pulley, and my mechanic did not have the correct puller. I found a puller and pulley setter – separate tools, of course, and $30 each – replaced the pulley, and the brakes finally worked. What a load off my mind. It had me thinking day and night what the problem could be, and glad that’s over.

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Mark Stopha
Alaska Wild Salmon Company
4455 N. Douglas Hwy
Juneau, AK 99801
www.GoodSalmon.com