I had a window seat with clear skies on a flight from Barrow to Anchorage.

I managed a couple decent shots .

Central Brooks Range

The Ruth Glacier in Denali National Park

Left to Right in the middle of the frame

The summit of Mt. Dickey in the lower left.

The famous Mooses Tooth obscured by clouds

along with the Bears Tooth just to the right,

also in Denali NP 

 

Scouting High Country Deer

These Blacktail bucks are in a spot that is not easy to get to and it would be a long pack once they're down. I would pass on these for that reason. It is tempting though.

 

 

Lots of deer sign in this meadow

Glassing the meadow/timber interface produced results

I snuck up on this guy

Another nice buck.

Anchor River Steelhead

 

Steelhead fishing the Anchor River. Swinging wet flies and drifting egg patterns just like nymphing.

I managed one fish landed, I was unable to photograph it though, as regulations specify you can't remove them from the water. I was by myself in a knee deep run and it was just too much to try and handle a rod ,a fish and a camera. You'll just have to trust me on that. I had another fish on and after a couple of head shakes and a quick run he was gone. A great weekend for sure.   

Some of my gear

Augustine Volcano in the golden light of late afternoon

Illiamna from lower Anchor at high tide

Redoubt, also from the lower Anchor

A male Silver (coho)in brilliant spawning colors

Sub Alpine Lake Rainbows

The Callibaetis were coming off on a regular basis. When the wind layed down and the water glassed over Callibaetis were out and the trout were on them. We effectively matched them with an "Adams" tied parachute and Catskill style, #16.

 

We lucked out with the weather and enjoyed a couple of warmer fall days

 

My friend Scott with a nice 20" 'bow

 

Twilight

2013 Halibut

The annual Halibut trip from 2013.

We were able to get out for 5 days and got our fish.

2 days of heavy weather forced some down time on us but we found things to do.

I've got about 100 pounds of filet in the freezer.

My wife has at least 50 recipes and counting.

 Thanks to the bounty of Alaska!

 

                                           The smooth waters in front of Illiamna Volcano

                                                                 One day limit for three

Home Sweet......Home Lake

 

The Home Lake Trek from the Dosewallips side of Constance Pass is not for anyone who hates to climb. This was a tough route to say the least. 8.5 miles from Dose Forks Campground and 13.5 miles from our parking spot. Over 5000 ft of elevation gain, 95% of that in the last 5-6 miles, up to the high point , then a drop of over 1000 ft into Home Lake.  A 27 mile round trip.

We lucked out with the weather not a cloud in the sky for 4 days. Good Brookie fishing at Home Lake too! Lots of wild flowers and an excellent campsite with access to the lake for a quick dip.

 

 

Rene taking a breather.

 

Rene on the way into Home Lake

Home Lake solitude

Willing Brookies

Wildflowers everywhere

Cutthroat Days

The Rainbows are scarce this year.

Nice cutthroat that have been taking dry flies

Hard to complain

Mostly taken on parachute green drakes

 

 

Sea Runs and Chum fry migration

 

The migration of the Chum (dog) salmon fry, from the local rivers and creeks, into estuaries of the Puget Sound, Hood Canal etc. in late March and into most of April, is an event that savy anglers in the region, herald as much as a Golden Stonefly hatch or the October Caddis.  Fry by the millions enter the shallow waters of these estuaries and become easy prey for the Sea Run Cutthroat that inhabit these same waters. Many locally famous patterns have evolved to take advantage of this great fly fishing opportunity. Bob Triggs "Chum Baby" is perhaps the most famous and some say the most effective. The late Doug Rose, created the pattern the "Keta Rose", another home grown fly that closely mimics the Chum fry and has proven to be very effective as well. Bottom line, these fish are hungry and the Chum fry are a huge bounty and great source of protein. Aggresive strikes are the rule. When the tide is right and the wind has laid down, the fishing is magical. It can start with a bang last for an hour or two and be done just as quickly as it started.   

 

 

 

 

The Alaskan country side beckons again.

Flooding in Talkeetna earlier this fall, resulted in broken and jammed ice on the Big Su and Talkeetna Rivers.

This forced us off the rivers surface and made for a more difficult time as we broke trail along the shoreline areas. We had decent temperatures or the bulk of our outing -12 to start and low +20's near the last day of our trek.

Rene Trekking across Finger Lake at -12 F

Wind blown snow and Birch

Clear ice on Finger Lake

Low hanging sun on the Big Su

Karl on the Goldmint Trail

Crossing "Z" Lake

Talkeetna River

Erik surveys the Goldmint trail on the way to trailhead