The Kenai Peninsula Chapter of Trout Unlimited is hosting a winter speaker series at The Goods in Soldotna, with monthly discussions of fishing and fish science. The next session, “Getting Away From it All: Lake Fishing on the Kenai Peninsula with Dave Atcheson,” is set for Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 6 p.m.
Atcheson, a Kenai Peninsula author and fisher who’s also special projects assistant for Trout Unlimited Alaska, said Friday that the winter speaker series was a popular project of the local chapter before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. They’re bringing it back in part as a celebration of 20 years of Trout Unlimited Alaska.
The series debuted on Jan. 7 with a presentation by Mike Booz, Lower Cook Inlet area manager for the State Department of Fish and Game, on the first recorded full count of the Anchor River’s steelhead trout run. The Anchor River weir was operated a month longer than usual via funding from the Kenai Peninsula and Southcentral chapters of Trout Unlimited.
Atcheson said that his talk on Feb. 4 will be an explainer for lake fishing — “how to, where to kind of thing.” The target audience is anyone who likes fishing or wants to be involved with Trout Unlimited. Using material similar to a fly-fishing course he teaches at Kenai Peninsula College, Atcheson will cover topics such as what equipment is necessary and how to approach a lake.
“A lot of people are kind of timid if they haven’t fished,” Atcheson said.
The talk themes are planned to alternate between “fishing issues” or “adventure.”
At the first talk of this year’s series, Atcheson said a few dozen people filled The Goods to chat and learn about fish and fishing.
“It’s a good way to get out and have fun and meet new people,” he said.
In March, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fishery biologist Ken Gates will speak on the yearslong tagging study of Kenai River coho salmon. This year’s series will wrap up in April with another discussion about an interesting fishery, though Atcheson said that topic isn’t locked in yet. The series is planned to return next year as well.
Atcheson said he hopes people will come out to the event to support Trout Unlimited’s ongoing efforts, which include the local chapter’s annual kids camp; plans to again extend the anchor river weir; salmon habitat restoration projects near Hope; a new tool loaning program; and the annual fishing and camping gear swap.
For more information about the Winter Speaker Series and other local Trout Unlimited programming, find “Trout Unlimited Kenai Peninsula Chapter” on Facebook.
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
