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- Jan 20, 2014
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- South Africa, Namibia, Argentina....AK, WY, WA, ID, FL, SD, TX, HI
First a little of the backstory... Since January I have been super busy with work stuff, contract negotiations, Trustee meetings ect ect ect... and all required lots of traveling and time away from the family. To the point where I made Alaska Air Lines Gold level (elite) status before June. When the traveling finally slowed down the end of June my 12 year old son was really bumming because I had been gone and we had not gotten to do much together. So I told him that we would make time this summer for a fishing trip before school starts. So I made reservations for the two of us to take a fly-in pike fishing trip the day before school starts.
Yesterday 8/18 we get up at 0400, load our gear in the pickup, and head to Anchorage for our 7:30 am departure with Trail Ridge Air in one of their Beavers on floats from Lake Hood Seaplane Base out to Alexander Lake for a full day of fishing for northern pike. When we left the house the weather was horrible, raining big sheets of water and wind blowing like crazy. By the time we got to ANC the rain had stopped and still was overcast but the weather was looking up. A quick stop at McD for some breakfast, which my son complained about and said it upset his stomach for the next 2 hours. Trail Ridge was right on time and we were in the air headed north by 7:30. The further north we got the better the weather got. We landed on Alexander Lake at about 8:15. Included in the Trail Ridge package is a 14' Jon boat with engine, gas and a net. We were in the boat and fishing by 8:30. The weather was perfect and the water was glass. We hit a few of the fishing holes on the way up the lake and had several small fish in the boat by 10:00am. We started fishing our way in the direction our favorite honey hole where we had some good success last year. We anchored in the middle and started to fish. I was fishing off the back of the boat and my son off the front trying to stay out of each others way. (He is 12 and needs all the room he can get
After a few casts I had a small pike on, about 14", and was trying to reel it to the boat through the grass and lily pads, when my son said "Dad I think you should get the net". My first response was "what do I need the net for? I think I got this." He said I think I got a big one. I turned around just in time to see this fish on the end of his line headed underneath the boat. After a close quarters Chinese fire drill around the boat we had his fish on board and were taking pics.
And I had one Super excited 12 year old!! Yes, that is the boat paddle he using to hold it up. He couldn't hold it up for the pics by the gills because of those nasty pike teeth. He caught it with a weed less frog on a 6ft spinning rod and 8lb test line.
We fished for about another hour and the wind started to come up so we headed to the lee of an island, had some lunch and rehashed to "big fish story" and checked out some of the pics of the day. About three o'clock the wind started to pick up and literally blew us off the lake. But by the time we got back to the drop off point it didn't matter, my son was one happy fisherman. We finished off the day cleaning up the boat and waiting for our ride home. Trail Ridge was about an 1 and 15 min late picking us up but at the end of the day it didn't matter and all was good. Nothing like a good day fishing. By the time we got back to ANC and 2.5 hr drive home it was after 10pm and the boss lady was waiting for us in the driveway. 1st day of school this morning at 0730 and I had to be to work at 0500. It's like I told my son, "when the fishing is good sleep is for dead people".
Yesterday 8/18 we get up at 0400, load our gear in the pickup, and head to Anchorage for our 7:30 am departure with Trail Ridge Air in one of their Beavers on floats from Lake Hood Seaplane Base out to Alexander Lake for a full day of fishing for northern pike. When we left the house the weather was horrible, raining big sheets of water and wind blowing like crazy. By the time we got to ANC the rain had stopped and still was overcast but the weather was looking up. A quick stop at McD for some breakfast, which my son complained about and said it upset his stomach for the next 2 hours. Trail Ridge was right on time and we were in the air headed north by 7:30. The further north we got the better the weather got. We landed on Alexander Lake at about 8:15. Included in the Trail Ridge package is a 14' Jon boat with engine, gas and a net. We were in the boat and fishing by 8:30. The weather was perfect and the water was glass. We hit a few of the fishing holes on the way up the lake and had several small fish in the boat by 10:00am. We started fishing our way in the direction our favorite honey hole where we had some good success last year. We anchored in the middle and started to fish. I was fishing off the back of the boat and my son off the front trying to stay out of each others way. (He is 12 and needs all the room he can get
After a few casts I had a small pike on, about 14", and was trying to reel it to the boat through the grass and lily pads, when my son said "Dad I think you should get the net". My first response was "what do I need the net for? I think I got this." He said I think I got a big one. I turned around just in time to see this fish on the end of his line headed underneath the boat. After a close quarters Chinese fire drill around the boat we had his fish on board and were taking pics.And I had one Super excited 12 year old!! Yes, that is the boat paddle he using to hold it up. He couldn't hold it up for the pics by the gills because of those nasty pike teeth. He caught it with a weed less frog on a 6ft spinning rod and 8lb test line.
We fished for about another hour and the wind started to come up so we headed to the lee of an island, had some lunch and rehashed to "big fish story" and checked out some of the pics of the day. About three o'clock the wind started to pick up and literally blew us off the lake. But by the time we got back to the drop off point it didn't matter, my son was one happy fisherman. We finished off the day cleaning up the boat and waiting for our ride home. Trail Ridge was about an 1 and 15 min late picking us up but at the end of the day it didn't matter and all was good. Nothing like a good day fishing. By the time we got back to ANC and 2.5 hr drive home it was after 10pm and the boss lady was waiting for us in the driveway. 1st day of school this morning at 0730 and I had to be to work at 0500. It's like I told my son, "when the fishing is good sleep is for dead people".
, for not ripping an ear off,of you for keeping the young bloke out to late on a school night .
