I have always been fascinated by the Arctic Grayling. As one moves northward towards Fairbanks, Rainbow Trout are replaced by Arctic Grayling. I missed fishing for one on my way down to Cooper Landing because the high latitude rivers and creeks were muddy and high when I passed by. My plans were to head back up in late September to fish them, but the guy at Mossy’s Flyshop in Anchorage told me that winter starts early northward, and I could get caught in bad weather.
I’m headed down to Homer, Alaska, next week, 120 miles further south. I decided to risk today and tomorrow to drive 130 miles north and back ($100+ gas money) to try to catch one. Unfortunately, I didn’t like the lake area that supposedly held them, so I headed north another thirty miles to Willow Creek.
After getting lost for 30 minutes, I found a road side pullout and walked down to the river. There were two men, with a powerfully engined boat and they were leaving. I asked if Grayling were present and one of them said “yes”, all along the far bank. I told them I was traveling and blogging, and they thought that I was doing the coolest thing. I’m amazed at how many fishermen and fisherwomen are excited by my blog. Of course, I forgot to give them my blog card or take their picture. However, they were as helpful as a paid guide telling me exactly how to fish for the pod of fish on the far bank.
I then found out that the fish were not Grayling, but Pink Salmon, another life list fish I would like to take a picture of.
I found my Alaska Paradise that I had envisioned. I caught and released Pink Salmon for 90 minutes, all alone, until exhausted and becoming (being more?) stupid. I took several rest periods out of the water, then went back in, probably two times too many. All the fish were released in the water, and horsed in not to tire them out excessively. The fish were too large for my net, and too strong to reel all the way in. I had to grab the mono line by hand the hand over hand them in to release them. After about an hour, I released a fish, stood upright, and became dizzy. In the past pushing it would lead to fainting, and not a good thing knee deep in the shallowest part in the middle of a river.
On my last fish of the day, I decided to go to one knee to release the big male as he was wiping me out. Bad Idea. After releasing the fish, I had to stand up in the river, rushing behind me, pushing me forward. I didn’t have enough strength to put my hand on my knee and muscle myself up. I had to put my rod upright, with the reel in the sand, and use it and both hands to drive myself upright, without losing balance. I was lucky. I got out of the water and packed up. During packing, the rain fell, and fell, and fell, hard for 12 hours.
I thought to drive to a nearby campground, but the rain was horrible, and I figured with Pink Salmon in the rivers it would be hard to find Grayling. So, maybe I have to trade 90 minutes of constant Pink Salmon action for grayling. Perhaps.
The 165 mile drive to Cooper Landing, in a torrential rain, and the van hydroplaning on the roads, was not much fun. I took it easy, slowed down, found my campsite, and then collapsed and slept in until 3:00 on Monday. I needed to rest and recuperate. These Alaska fish are just too powerful and I fish too long, being greedy, and getting totally exhausted. Oh well LOL!
Tight Lines!