Soldotna Trip

Tikka

Tikka

Long Time Member
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Taking my boys up to Soldotna next week for a little fishing… I haven’t been to soldotna since 1995 and never fished it then… I’m sure I won’t recognize anything…

Staying at a friends cabin, fishing the Russian and one day out of Whittier with my buddy on his boat…
Would like to go after some greyling and char as well while we’re up there…
My question for folks that have been there recently or live up there, is there a must see/do while we’re up there?
Pretty low key trip but want to show my boys all the area has to offer…
Thanks in advance
 
Take 2 Months Off Tikka!

Not 2 Weeks!:D

Them Little Medical Shacks along the Kenai Specialize in Removing Hooks!
'
Stay away from them!

Have Fun & Watch for Bears wanting to take your Salmon!
 
Bess, I’d love to stay two months, he!!! I’d like to stay through my Kodiak trip in November…

If I did that I might need to find a new profession…
I have a couple pics of what those hooks can do, I’m just not sure my buddies would appreciate me post if I posted them here… ?
 
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If you haven't seen it yet stop in at the Visitor Center just over the bridge and check it out. They have a replica of the 97 pound King salmon caught on the Kenai.

The Russian should be happening.
 
Tom coopers place in sterling kills half an hour. It’s called Alaska antler. He’s a riot.
 
eelgrass said:
If you haven't seen it yet stop in at the Visitor Center just over the bridge and check it out. They have a replica of the 97 pound King salmon caught on the Kenai.

The Russian should be happening.
Click to expand...
97lb king, I bet that was an incredible give and take by both fish and fishermen… we’ll stop by and check it out… eel do you remember the year that was caught?
 
Well, I guess Alaska fishing isn’t “general” material, and moved to the campfire…
 
Russian ain't bad at all for reds, but might be a little early for the good runs "might be wrong" watch fish counts. Grayling are much better in the fairbanks area plus nice drive up there. Iridium colored fishing lens in glasses works best because they pop the the greenish color of the reds back when deep. Hope the fishing there is alot better than when I left in 2015. Good luck and stay safe on the highways.
 
Not 97 but 63 pounds on the Sacramento River
IMG_0501 63 pound Salmon.JPG
 
Tikka said:
Nice fish DH53! Tell us about it if you wouldn't mind...
Click to expand...
I was fishing on the Sacramento River in 2001 and was fishing with plugs in fact the one in his mouth is the one I caught him with. It is an actual skin mount and the guy who did it is not working anymore.
My son and I were with a guide and my son caught a 35-40 pounder and boy was I jealous. After he caught his fish we had started to drift down the river a bit and the guide told me to NOT drop my line as I would get snagged. Well I dropped it anyway and watched the plug stop working so I asked my son how did your fish bite. He told me if it stops yank so I did and nothing moved. The guide told me see I told you that you would get a snag. Well the snag started to move upriver and at a pace that we had to start the motor to keep him from spooling me.
We fought it for about 45 minutes with a steelhead rod and reel which was way over under matched for this fish.
We were getting close to the rapids and the guide told me we have to get this fish in now but our net was too small so I pulled him close to the boat and the guide put the net under him and he arched and slipped into the net and the hook flew out of his mouth. It turned out that I only had one of the treble hooks in his mouth.
It was the fourth largest salmon caught on the river that year the three bigger than him were females full of eggs so he was the largest male salmon caught in the river in 2001.
My Dad had just passed a month before this trip I felt he was there the whole time as he would have been the first call I made when I hit shore......
 
DeerHunter53 said:
I was fishing on the Sacramento River in 2001 and was fishing with plugs in fact the one in his mouth is the one I caught him with. It is an actual skin mount and the guy who did it is not working anymore.
My son and I were with a guide and my son caught a 35-40 pounder and boy was I jealous. After he caught his fish we had started to drift down the river a bit and the guide told me to NOT drop my line as I would get snagged. Well I dropped it anyway and watched the plug stop working so I asked my son how did your fish bite. He told me if it stops yank so I did and nothing moved. The guide told me see I told you that you would get a snag. Well the snag started to move upriver and at a pace that we had to start the motor to keep him from spooling me.
We fought it for about 45 minutes with a steelhead rod and reel which was way over under matched for this fish.
We were getting close to the rapids and the guide told me we have to get this fish in now but our net was too small so I pulled him close to the boat and the guide put the net under him and he arched and slipped into the net and the hook flew out of his mouth. It turned out that I only had one of the treble hooks in his mouth.
It was the fourth largest salmon caught on the river that year the three bigger than him were females full of eggs so he was the largest male salmon caught in the river in 2001.
My Dad had just passed a month before this trip I felt he was there the whole time as he would have been the first call I made when I hit shore......
Click to expand...
Nice fish and beautiful mount. Thanks for sharing!
 
Mike, my in-law's farm was right on the Sacramento River between Robbins and Meridian and my father in law fished that river for years for salmon and stripers.
That silver flat fish you caught your salmon with was my Father-in-law's favorite lure for salmon.
Great fish you caught, did you rub it in to your son.

RELH
 
Dad and I talked about Alaska. The building boom in the 90's meant we had the $$. But we didn't do it. He died, and that's my biggest regret.

Props to you for doing it. Your boys won't forget
 
RELH said:
Mike, my in-law's farm was right on the Sacramento River between Robbins and Meridian and my father in law fished that river for years for salmon and stripers.
That silver flat fish you caught your salmon with was my Father-in-law's favorite lure for salmon.
Great fish you caught, did you rub it in to your son.

RELH
Click to expand...
I didn't have to rub anything in once that fish hit the deck on the boat no one was talking just staring. He keeps bugging me to let him have it for his house as it would look much better over the pool table....Right......
 
Wow, I’m surprise that short little video clip posted above. I’ve been fishing the Russian River for 22 years and have pulled a few hooks Out of folks through the years.
Just got back from there last Sunday, it was a average year nothing special but limited out every day.
Hike the upper trail to the falls then fish your way back down the river, almost a guarantee you will see a brownie or two.
To truly get the magic out of the Russian River you need to fish it multiple days in a row. Send me a PM if you want a few pointers on the Russian. Good luck it’s a very cool place.
8543E919-3B6C-4A86-8F38-9A136492D65B.png
 
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I took the drive of shame today. ?I went to Costco and bought just under $400 worth of fresh/never frozen Red Salmon fillets@$10.99/lb. from Alaska. I just finished vacuum sealing them.
 
Dang, eel..... wish I liked salmon/trout. Great to catch but can’t come to terms with the flavor. Fresh halibut is delicious but it’s not great this far inland.

I had to settle for 40lbs of 93 proof hamburger at $3.49 a pound this week. I need to try out one of Outdoor Writer’s meatball recipes now.
 
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E96DC9AA-1523-4D21-9C06-9427F79F48E1.jpeg


@eelgrass i hope this makes you feel better. You can get it cheaper down there than here in AK. Btw when they tell you it’s never been frozen, they are lying.

I figure I got about 100 lbs of reds and kings in the freezer and close to 40 lbs of smoked canned salmon. Might put up a little more. Got around 80 dollars invested in it all so far. Beer isn’t cheap though…
 
Hey SS?

Would You Ship Me a couple of Cans of the smoked canned salmon?



SS! said:
View attachment 45199

@eelgrass i hope this makes you feel better. You can get it cheaper down there than here in AK. Btw when they tell you it’s never been frozen, they are lying.

I figure I got about 100 lbs of reds and kings in the freezer and close to 40 lbs of smoked canned salmon. Might put up a little more. Got around 80 dollars invested in it all so far. Beer isn’t cheap though…
Click to expand...
 
SS! said:
View attachment 45199

@eelgrass i hope this makes you feel better. You can get it cheaper down there than here in AK. Btw when they tell you it’s never been frozen, they are lying.

I figure I got about 100 lbs of reds and kings in the freezer and close to 40 lbs of smoked canned salmon. Might put up a little more. Got around 80 dollars invested in it all so far. Beer isn’t cheap though…
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I misspoke. The tag says Fresh Wild Sockeye Salmon Fillet, and in fine print it says Product of Canada. The guy putting them out said they hadn't been frozen, but he could have lied. He probably did. They're freezing now.

I suppose now you're going to tell us your fish came from the Copper River just to make us feel worse. :ROFLMAO:

I hope you smoke your salmon fresh and not previously frozen.

A friend of mine retired today from work. I went down to the mill to wish him well. He's Indian and he's headed to the Klamath River in the morning to fish the summer run of Kings. I'll smoke those if he brings me some.
 
October is A Bad Month to catch the Ole cat around Home But Let Me Know when You'll Be in Town!

If You're Coming Down I Might Need All kinds of Goodies From Alaska!:D
 
We didn’t get out on the boat, swells were to high for the only day my buddy had…

Bess, only sockeye’s were caught…

Deer53,
276D33C0-E209-4283-AECF-81778BA3DF1B.jpeg
C482EE83-EE2D-404F-B6E0-6486C20990C8.jpeg
this one my caught was the biggest one…
 
Good catch.

I wish I liked salmon. I love to fish and I’d be way more motivated to travel to Alaska and British Columbia, which I think are really great places, if I like to eat’em.
 
eelgrass said:
Tikka, did you fly into Anchorage and rent a car? They sure are fun to catch in the fast water.
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eel, we hopped on Grant out of anchorage onto Kenai… I wanted to rent a car originally but man they’re proud of them up there…
My buddy had a jeep at his cabin we used all week…

They sure can run if you don’t keep the head up stream, that’s for sure…
 
Tikka, I was fortunate enough to catch a bunch of sockeye out of Port Albernie on Vancouver Island a few years ago. The largest we landed were around 6-7 pounds. Some of the ones in your photo look considerably heavier.

Good lookers!!
 
2lumpy said:
Tikka, I was fortunate enough to catch a bunch of sockeye out of Port Albernie on Vancouver Island a few years ago. The largest we landed were around 6-7 pounds. Some of the ones in your photo look considerably heavier.

Good lookers!!
Click to expand...
My cousin owns a place out of Port Albernie. I think it's called Hagman Cove. The only way to reach it is by boat.
 
He lives in a great place eel. Have you ever visited him there.

While I prefer a few less trees and a little more open country, Vancouver Island is a spectacular place to visit. If I lived 800 miles closer I’d try to go there every year for a week. Lots to see and the fishing is outstanding.
 
2lumpy said:
He lives in a great place eel. Have you ever visited him there.

While I prefer a few less trees and a little more open country, Vancouver Island is a spectacular place to visit. If I lived 800 miles closer I’d try to go there every year for a week. Lots to see and the fishing is outstanding.
Click to expand...
I haven't been there yet. He lives in Idaho and just vacations there, except this year as Canada won't let him in because of Covid.
 
You would find kayak fishing in the Albernie Inlet would be incredible. Scenic and prolific salmon fishing. Black bear in every tide water marsh.
 

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