ASD 2019 Alaska Cruise

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Look for us in Chatham the next couple of days. We are heading south towards Wrangell, Tenakee Inlet tonight, maybe Warm Springs or Takatz tomorrow night.

Sorry we missed you!! Nice flat tea cup water in Chatham Straight yesterday.

Tom

We enjoyed meeting Tom, and Kay in Wrangell yesterday. The photos are of them departing Wrangell this morning. We hope to see more of them along the way.

I found the Ilwaco article @ Coast River Business Journal 3/12/19.

Thanks Dave. We didn't get together for a beer. We will have to fix that.

BTW we did make it to Sitka Last night. Lots of fishing boats out. Will post some stuff later.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

K-Town to Portage

This has been a wonderful so far. This leg took us from Ketchikan (K-Town) to Portage would have ASD stop at Myers Chuck, Thoms Place, through Petersburg to Portage.

Myers Chuck was a nice place. First time I have had to parallel park in 20 MPH wind. Met up with our Canadian friends on MY Overdrive. The rolls the next morning were awesome with our morning coffee.

Thoms bay is nice and quiet. A south wind for about 3 hours had us rocking and rolling. Overdrive came very close to a rock that turned into a mountain the next morning at a -3 foot tide! No crab, Onward to Wrangell for a few days via Zimovia Straits. Fun Navigating. From Wrangell we navigated the "Christmas Tree" known as the Wrangell narrows. We did not stop in Petersburg as we don't like fighting the current. On to Portage. A beautiful anchorage, but lots of Kelp. Thank you Ken for the Halibut Tip. Kay caught a small one but it tasted good.

Check out the blog for more details and pictures.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Red Bluff Bay to Sitka

We spent 5 days in Red Bluff, We saw bears and caught some rock bass and small halibut. I lost my shrimp trap due to a buckle failure and the genset shut itself down due to over heating caused by a jelly fish. We were able to clear it.

Red Bluff is one of our favorites, but the Hot Spring bath tubs at Warm Springs are a very welcoming sight. We waited out some weather here. When we did leave Chatham Straights was tea cup smooth.

Our trip down Peril Straits was also nice. We hit Serguis Narrows around slack. It didn't impress me much. When we popped out to Salisbury Sound, there were commercial long liners everywhere, so you have to be careful of your navigation. We pulled into Sitka under cloudy skies. We will be here until Tuesday then we are going to anchor in a cove for a few days, then try to load up on Chinook salmon.

Check out the blog for more details and pics

 

[Ken E.]

Glad you caught a flatty at Portage Bay. Sending you a fishing-related PM for furure reference in that area.

 

[GFC]

Tom, when you're cruising through Canada, do you need a fishing license?


Loved the photos and the narrative in the blog. Keep 'em coming, my friend. I'm sure enjoying your trip, makes me jealous, but happy that you and Kay are able to do it.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Tom, when you're cruising through Canada, do you need a fishing license?

Only if you want to fish..

Sorry couldn't resist.

Yes and it is all online. I think it is around $110CD for non-residence folks like us.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Nope, Al, we hammered all the way to Tolstoi Pt.. Good thing Thorne bay has lots of fresh water, and no restrictions on boat washing.

You can rent a car or PU in Thorne Bay and drive (on a good paved road) over to Craig and Klawock and there are numerous B&B’s in TB. Or take a float plane to wherever you want to go.

ASD nice pics.

 

[Ken E.]

Tom, when you're cruising through Canada, do you need a fishing license?
.

Mike, we've fished BC's central and north coast for many years and it is usually the equal of SE AK in terms of the number of salmon we've caught, less so halibut. The Bella Bella/Cultus sound area and around Prince Rupert can be very good for coho in July and August. Of course, so can Craig and Sitka AK when the fish are coming in from the ocean. We have somewhat de-emphasized the quest for king salmon based on their declining numbers and catch restrictions, although we still catch kings and release them as the regs dictate.

 

[GFC]

Ken, thanks for that info.


We plan on doing a cruise around the coast and spend the summer up in Canadian waters, but not while Tina's mom is with us. She's 103 1/2 and doing fine, but we don't want to up in the boontoolies out of cell and VHF range and have something happen to her and us not finding out for a few days.


I'm just in the "fact gathering and planning" stages right now, and biding my time.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Life is good.

 

[GFC]

Amen, Brother! Congrats on a successful trip.

 

[Crusty Chief]

Good thing you have Kay to put fish in the freezer, haven’t seen you catch one yet! Ha, sounds familiar!
Cheers, brother!

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Good thing you have Kay to put fish in the freezer, haven’t seen you catch one yet! Ha, sounds familiar!
Cheers, brother!

BLA BLA BLA BLA

but true!!! I did catch 1 shrimp kinda, until I lost the pots

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

So I told the Admiral that a Small Craft Advisory had been issued this morning for the area we were leave to today. Her response? I get a bonus day in Sitka? Yep. This surprised me.

So we will hold up in Sitka for an additional day before heading to the salmon grounds.

 

[Ken E.]

Tom, if Dave Thompson on Salish Nomad is in Sitka, you should sound him out on where to try for salmon. Dave has family and has lived there....knows the area. The fishing guides will probably be pretty coy about how they're doing unless youre a paying customer, but if youre on the Eliason harbor docks, just happen to be near where their boats come in, near the ramp. Youll see what they've got for the day. Last year, Sitka was completely dead for salmon until late July when coho and pinks started showing up. Kings were slow and this year they are even more restricted. August is usually gangbusters with large numbers of fish moving in from the ocean.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Tom, if Dave Thompson on Salish Nomad is in Sitka, you should sound him out on where to try for salmon. Dave has family and has lived there....knows the area. The fishing guides will probably be pretty coy about how they're doing unless youre a paying customer, but if youre on the Eliason harbor docks, just happen to be near where their boats come in, near the ramp. Youll see what they've got for the day. Last year, Sitka was completely dead for salmon until late July when coho and pinks started showing up. Kings were slow and this year they are even more restricted. August is usually gangbusters with large numbers of fish moving in from the ocean.

I met Dan and his wife in Wrangell, then red Bluff and then again in Sitka. Great folks. Lots of info.

 

[Crusty Chief]

Tom, tell Kay for me....Be sure to fish off the Port side of the dink, and make sure he puts your line in the water before his, Tom is bad JU JU on the Starboard side, ROFLMAO!!!!

 

[Al]

Tom, tell Kay for me....Be sure to fish off the Port side of the dink, and make sure he puts your line in the water before his, Tom is bad JU JU on the Starboard side, ROFLMAO!!!!

Originally Posted by Crusty Chief View Post
Good thing you have Kay to put fish in the freezer, haven’t seen you catch one yet! Ha, sounds familiar!
Cheers, brother!


Tom, The taste of envies from the Chief is rather apparent. Show him!! Catch that 100+ halibut, go ahead, be the 'Man'.:lol:

 

[GFC]

Hmmmm, seems to be a lot of laughter coming from Al's last comment.

 

[Crusty Chief]

Oh Mike, if you only knew! That Al is such an instigator!

 

[Salish Nomad]

Tom, if Dave Thompson on Salish Nomad is in Sitka, you should sound him out on where to try for salmon. Dave has family and has lived there....knows the area. The fishing guides will probably be pretty coy about how they're doing unless youre a paying customer, but if youre on the Eliason harbor docks, just happen to be near where their boats come in, near the ramp. Youll see what they've got for the day. Last year, Sitka was completely dead for salmon until late July when coho and pinks started showing up. Kings were slow and this year they are even more restricted. August is usually gangbusters with large numbers of fish moving in from the ocean.

Thanks Ken, wish you could be here this year. We have been visiting with Tom, and kay, and wish I had advice about salmon fishing. Pretty grim this month. Some other friends tried to buy fresh caught king from Sitka Sound Seafood. They had none. They were offered "last years" frozen salmon.

Btw, Richard on "Dream Catcher" is directly across from us in Eliason Harbor.

 

[Ken E.]

Dave, I saw your ex-boat today, Helen Marie, hauled out at the Seaview Bellingham yard. It looked good.....not sure why it's on the hard.

If Richard on Dream Catcher is still in Sitka, say hi to him for me. Have him show you the picture of the big king salmon his wife caught a couple years ago in Salibury Sound. A great photo of a big slab!

 

[Salish Nomad]

Dave, I saw your ex-boat today, Helen Marie, hauled out at the Seaview Bellingham yard. It looked good.....not sure why it's on the hard.

If Richard on Dream Catcher is still in Sitka, say hi to him for me. Have him show you the picture of the big king salmon his wife caught a couple years ago in Salibury Sound. A great photo of a big slab!

Ken, Richard departed three days ago. I seem to remember that he may be returning.
we would love to see the photo. We plan to leave on July 7th. The family should be tired of us by that time...lol.
I think Helen Marie is out for bottom paint, and zincs, have not heard of any "issues" from the new owners. Great people say Hi if you see them.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Tom, tell Kay for me....Be sure to fish off the Port side of the dink, and make sure he puts your line in the water before his, Tom is bad JU JU on the Starboard side, ROFLMAO!!!!

Originally Posted by Crusty Chief View Post
Good thing you have Kay to put fish in the freezer, haven’t seen you catch one yet! Ha, sounds familiar!
Cheers, brother!


Tom, The taste of envies from the Chief is rather apparent. Show him!! Catch that 100+ halibut, go ahead, be the 'Man'.:lol:

Thanks Ken, wish you could be here this year. We have been visiting with Tom, and kay, and wish I had advice about salmon fishing. Pretty grim this month. Some other friends tried to buy fresh caught king from Sitka Sound Seafood. They had none. They were offered "last years" frozen salmon.

Btw, Richard on "Dream Catcher" is directly across from us in Eliason Harbor.

Hmmmm, seems to be a lot of laughter coming from Al's last comment.

Oh Mike, if you only knew! That Al is such an instigator!

Oh you guys are so cruel!!! True but cruel......

In talking to the commercials there just are no fish in Salisbury Sound or the shark hole. Kay and I fished hard for 5 days. no salmon. Lots of black bass and I landed a 4ft Lingcod. Fought hard, but released him.

We are now back in Sitka. We will try again for a few days, then head back inside for shrimp, crab and halibut. Will need to fill the freezer with coho later this summer. Having a great time so far.

 

[Ken E.]

"In talking to the commercials there just are no fish in Salisbury Sound...."

Your experience in Salisbury Sound was the same as ours last year. No salmon. Nada, zilch, zero. And like you, out of desperation, we bottom fished. Had good luck on the pinnacles, where the floor depth of say 500 ft would come up to less than 100'. Seems to attract bait fish, and the bigger ones follow. When you leave Sitka on your next iteration, you might try the Biorka Island area, about 10 miles out on the south shore. We had good fishing there when the salmon are in and there are good anchorages nearby. The Sitka locals and guide boats like Cape Edgecumbe, but it's a long ocean slog, 15+ miles, if it's rough and there's no place to anchor on Kruzof Island in that area.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

"In talking to the commercials there just are no fish in Salisbury Sound...."

Your experience in Salisbury Sound was the same as ours last year. No salmon. Nada, zilch, zero. And like you, out of desperation, we bottom fished. Had good luck on the pinnacles, where the floor depth of say 500 ft would come up to less than 100'. Seems to attract bait fish, and the bigger ones follow. When you leave Sitka on your next iteration, you might try the Biorka Island area, about 10 miles out on the south shore. We had good fishing there when the salmon are in and there are good anchorages nearby. The Sitka locals and guide boats like Cape Edgecumbe, but it's a long ocean slog, 15+ miles, if it's rough and there's no place to anchor on Kruzof Island in that area.

Good to know thanks.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Well there are these beauties. She is lucky. Blackened sea bass yum yum

 

[Ken E.]

Known locally as 'black bombers'. Do you and Kay like pickled fish, like pickled herring? These fish are great pickled. Let me know if you want to try it and I'll PM you the recipe. Pickled salmon is great too.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Known locally as 'black bombers'. Do you and Kay like pickled fish, like pickled herring? These fish are great pickled. Let me know if you want to try it and I'll PM you the recipe. Pickled salmon is great too.

Thanks Ken

 

[Crusty Chief]

Well there are these beauties. She is lucky. Blackened sea bass yum yumView attachment 90457

As usual, Kay the fisher women is holding the catch. Maybe I’ll look through my old photo’s to find you holding a catch. Nope, couldn’t find any real quick.
LOL!!!!

Cheers, Brother!