I was standing on the deck last evening watching around 40 sandhill cranes dancing around the tide-abandoned beach below when I thought, what the hell happened to summer?
I felt like I should still waiting for the king run at the fishing hole, or large schools of silvers to be meandering throughout Mud Bay.
Halibut were plentiful throughout the summer and were so gluttonous, they were pretty simple to hammer for anyone exhibiting the basic skills, like to hold a pole and reel in the line if something heavier than the bait started making annoying tugging movements. Plus, the red return was spectacular.
Then, all of sudden, it was Labor Day weekend and the Spit was less crowded this year as the action wound down, schools fired up, and more out-of-state tourists slid south as the metropolis-dwelling Anchoridians began to sequester themselves into a pre-hibernation mode.
That was just fine with me. Their departures left more room for the rest of us who enjoy whacking the water until it morphs into something you can crosscountry ski on. And, trust me, there’s still some great fishing left most everywhere. Not only for proficient piscatorians, but the mildly disturbed thrashers who normally couldn’t net a comatose sculpin belly up in a goldfish bowl or end up getting skunked at a hatchery’s holding pond.
This season, even the Freddy Kruger gruesome lingcod sporting a set of choppers that would give a salmon shark a coronary and enjoy making a brunch out of family members were a hot commodity.
Now don’t get me wrong, typical lings are rather laid back unless you diss them in a staredown or get anywhere near what they consider their personal space with a hook and/or a gaff. Then it’s attitude adjustment time and the beasts developed a propensity to try and rip appendages off their capturers as they are being hauled aboard. A bit of drama there, but they do get pissed.
On their positive side, I considered them beyond succulent and would rather wolf down a batch of panko-crusted ling and chips than a platter of halibut.
Easy now, the smaller halibut, when prepared properly, are ambrosia to the palate. But once they morphed into slabs-with-abs they tended to lose their tenderness until their fillets started coming off the grill as something better suited for hockey practice pucks.
As for the acerebral pinks this year, I tried to be a bit nicer by noting that they were fierce and insolent battlers but are still idiots that take more skill to keep off your line than on.
The only thing with a combined I.Q lower of a school of humpies is a canned one, but not by much.
I did admit that they could be tasty if lightly pan-fried immediately after they stopped quivering. Otherwise, humps transform into various stages of mush as the clock ticks. The first stage of malleable pottage is good for patties but a slight misstep in timing can result in salmon burgers reasonably adequate for skeet shooting if dried properly.
Now, since this is my last fishing column for the year, I’d like to give a very special shout-out to Mike and the cool local Alaska Fish and Game crew. Thank all of you for your sense of humor, invaluable information, and the staid professionalism you’ve displayed while supporting us this season.
Nor can we forget the credit due those who provided us with the tips, tales and photos, especially Shelley, the fish assassin, and Glenn, who worked so hard to proxy for those unable to harvest the bounty for themselves. Very special people, indeed.
So, now that we are beginning the slow tumble into the deep fall season where land hunts rule, don’t forget the stunning silvers and steelhead swaggering into our local streams.
The attitudes of these gleaming finned missiles have a tendency to morph into ravenous mood around the crack of dawn and the pre-snap of night, so you might want to give them a shot instead blowing the meat off some supersonic, green winged teal in a panicked fly-by.
Time now to take a look at the final fishing report for the season and the week of Sept. 1.
Freshwater Fishing
Expect fair silver fishing in the lower sections of the lower Kenai Peninsula roadside streams. New fish are showing up every day. Take a shot at hitting them near the mouth during the incoming tide or near daybreak. Remember, bait and treble hooks are now prohibited for the rest of the season so try spinners, spoons, plugs, jigs, beads, and flies.
Steelhead are easing in slowly so far this season. Counts should improve over the next week and be in respectable numbers. Beads get it on and are by far the best way to target these water warriors.
The upper sections of the lower Kenai Peninsula roadside streams are open to sport fishing but expect dawdling dolly and steelhead fishing. It would be a good bet to stick with dead drifting beads.
Saltwater Fishing
Kachemak Bay/Cook Inlet
Groundfish
Halibut fishing was a bit tough at times last week with several days of severe marine weather. Luckily, over the weekend, it turned more favorable and anglers had improved fishing. There should be some nice opportunities to slam some halibut this week. Keep moving locations and drifting to find fish, then entice them with chum bags.
King Salmon
A nice number of kings remain scattered throughout Kachemak Bay and the fishing has been decent for them. The Bluff Point, Silver Ridge and Point Pogibshi areas are likely to produce the most action. It looks like trolling with herring and thin blade spoons behind flashers will be your best shot.
Coho Salmon
There are scattered reports of silvers from anglers within Cook Inlet, but the fishing has been a roll of the dice everywhere. Trolling is still the best option in many of the same locations as trolling for kings. Small spoons have been getting their attention.
Emergency Orders
Please review the emergency orders and advisory announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.
Ninilchik River Closed to King Salmon Fishing
King Salmon Bag Limit Reduced from 2 to 1 in Lower Cook Inlet Salt Waters
Thank you all for your support, tips, tales and laughs. Until next year….
Nick
Nick can be reached at ncvarney@gmail.com.
