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Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion Anglers descended on the Russian River Thursday June 11, 2015 for the season's sockeye salmon opener near Cooper Landing, Alaska. The period, which opens at midnight, drew enough anglers that many waited for more than an hour to gain access to the campground which was filled to capacity.

Russian River offers fun, fish for the whole family

The annual stampede for Russian River sockeye kicked off on June 11 after a midnight opener saw several hundred people descend on the campgrounds for… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion Anglers descended on the Russian River Thursday June 11, 2015 for the season's sockeye salmon opener near Cooper Landing, Alaska. The period, which opens at midnight, drew enough anglers that many waited for more than an hour to gain access to the campground which was filled to capacity.
Angler Karl Paulsen from Wyoming poses with his 234.2-pound halibut he caught fishing near Seward on Sunday. His catch puts him in the top spot in the Seward Halibut Derby. (Submitted photo)

Fishing report: Sockeye move up Kenai, Kasilof rivers

Sockeye fishing on the upper Kenai and Russian rivers was reported as fair this past weekend, but Alaska Department of Fish and Game managers are… Continue reading

Angler Karl Paulsen from Wyoming poses with his 234.2-pound halibut he caught fishing near Seward on Sunday. His catch puts him in the top spot in the Seward Halibut Derby. (Submitted photo)

Les Palmer: Stuff to wonder about

I fished for many years before asking myself any hard questions. A few years ago, I finally asked, “What’s fun about getting the best of… Continue reading

Photo courtesy/Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Little Brown Bats are the only bat species known to occur on the Kenai Peninsula. This one was captured near Skagway and was tagged with an aluminum band (right forearm in the background).

Kenai Refuge is looking for bats

“Gross” is the response I often get from my mother when I talk about bats. Stories that make me smile usually make her cringe. I’ve… Continue reading

Photo courtesy/Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Little Brown Bats are the only bat species known to occur on the Kenai Peninsula. This one was captured near Skagway and was tagged with an aluminum band (right forearm in the background).

National Park Service supports Mount McKinley name change

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The National Park Service is not against changing Mount McKinley’s official name to Denali, but Alaskans continue to be in a… Continue reading

Rising economic tide lifts Rogue Valley boat makers

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) — Bruce Wassom knows the highs of raging currents and the lows of getting swamped in the boat business.Along with his fellow… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion Tim McCormick, of Soldotna, fishes for sockeye salmon on the Kenai River in a spot off of Keystone Drive on Wednesday June 10, 2015 near Soldotna, Alaska.

Tight Lines: Beating the crowds

At midday on Wednesday, the sockeye salmon were slow to show in a fishing hole on Keystone Drive in Soldotna. But the cool, breezy, weather… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion Tim McCormick, of Soldotna, fishes for sockeye salmon on the Kenai River in a spot off of Keystone Drive on Wednesday June 10, 2015 near Soldotna, Alaska.

Fishing report: Ready for the rush to the Russian?

As of Wednesday morning, anxious anglers had already started to converge on the Russian and upper Kenai rivers in anticipation of today’s opening. And early… Continue reading

An Outdoor View: On salmon fishing

You can spend a lot of time, effort and cash in pursuit of the wily salmon, and you can have years of experience, but none… Continue reading

In this picture taken on Friday, May 29, 2015, female Iranian slackliner Samaneh Hasanzadeh balances on a slackline while she is watched by her sister, left, and instructor Hamed Heidari in a sports club in Tehran, Iran. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Extreme sport of slackling gains a foothold in Iran

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Kiavash Sharifi can hardly describe the feeling of tip-toeing across an abyss on a thin ribbon of webbing that bends ever… Continue reading

In this picture taken on Friday, May 29, 2015, female Iranian slackliner Samaneh Hasanzadeh balances on a slackline while she is watched by her sister, left, and instructor Hamed Heidari in a sports club in Tehran, Iran. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

King salmon fishing continues to pleasantly surprise

Anglers on the central Kenai Peninsula have been pleasantly surprised with opportunities to catch a king salmon.“We’re still right at beginning stages on the Kasilof,… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion Mike Matheny, of Kasilof, tries to see his fish as Matt Buta, of Soldotna, runs around him to keep a hold of his own as the two fished the Kasilof River on Tuesday June 2, 2015.

Tight Lines: Fish on! on the Kasilof

Just before 11 p.m. Tuesday as the last of the suns rays bounced off of the Kasilof River, an hours-long lull in fishing broke when… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion Mike Matheny, of Kasilof, tries to see his fish as Matt Buta, of Soldotna, runs around him to keep a hold of his own as the two fished the Kasilof River on Tuesday June 2, 2015.

Stakeout: Helping plants grow up by staking them properly

“Grow up.” That’s what I tell some of my plants.Upright plants, bathed in air, are less apt to get fungal diseases, and those bearing fruits… Continue reading

ADVANCE FOR USE MONDAY, MAY 25 - In this photo taken May 9, 2015, quinoa-stuffed bell peppers, made by Lauren Frisch and Sam Friedman, is displayed during a campsite cookoff at the Granite Tors campground near Fairbanks, Alaska. Everything tastes better on a camping trip, but that doesn't mean camp food can't be improved on. (Sam Friedman/The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT

Campsite cookoff: Get inspired with these tasty recipes for a campfire or stove

FAIRBANKS — Everything tastes better on a camping trip, but that doesn’t mean camp food can’t be improved on. After spending last summer in a… Continue reading

ADVANCE FOR USE MONDAY, MAY 25 - In this photo taken May 9, 2015, quinoa-stuffed bell peppers, made by Lauren Frisch and Sam Friedman, is displayed during a campsite cookoff at the Granite Tors campground near Fairbanks, Alaska. Everything tastes better on a camping trip, but that doesn't mean camp food can't be improved on. (Sam Friedman/The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center in Soldotna sits at the top of Ski Hill Road. Access it from the Sterling Highway across from Skyview Middle School or from Funny River Road between the go-cart track and Spenard Builders Supply sign.

Kenai refuge celebrates Grand Opening of your new Visitor Center

Please join the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge staff for a very special occasion — the Grand Opening of your new refuge Visitor Center on Saturday… Continue reading

The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center in Soldotna sits at the top of Ski Hill Road. Access it from the Sterling Highway across from Skyview Middle School or from Funny River Road between the go-cart track and Spenard Builders Supply sign.

An Outdoor View: On being skunked

Getting skunked is an all-too-frequent result of having participated in the activity known as “sport fishing.” Yet, being skunked is seldom talked about, and almost… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion Aaron Dupuis carries a king salmon caught in Deep Creek on the opening day of king salmon fishing on Memorial Day weekend Saturday May 22, 2015 near Ninilchik, Alaska.

Tight Lines: King opener draws mixed success on south peninsula streams

Like so many anglers before them, fishermen braved intermittent rain and chill for the opening weekend of king salmon fishing on three southern peninsula streams.… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion Aaron Dupuis carries a king salmon caught in Deep Creek on the opening day of king salmon fishing on Memorial Day weekend Saturday May 22, 2015 near Ninilchik, Alaska.

Tight Lines: Kings make an appearance, lakes heat up

Enough fish were caught during last weekend’s king opener on the southern Kenai Peninsula’s salmon streams to keep things interesting, and other options for catching… Continue reading

Photo courtesy Matt Bowser/USFWS. The remains of a chaga mushroom that was harvested near the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, March 16, 2015.

Refuge Notebook: The chaga warriors

“Seeking the name of person who cuts chaga from private property and trails established by locals. Blatant disregard for posted signs and trail cameras. Seen…mutilating… Continue reading

Photo courtesy Matt Bowser/USFWS. The remains of a chaga mushroom that was harvested near the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, March 16, 2015.

An Outdoor View: Fishing and luck

(Author’s note: Because 2015 marks the 30th year that a Kenai River king salmon has held the IGFA, all-tackle world record, let’s consider what it… Continue reading