first ice fishing trip

Patience and I went to 17 mile for the first ice fishing trip of the year. We had a lot of fun. We stayed warm in the ice shanty. I wanted to try some new Jigs I bought I would love to say the fishing was non stop but the truth is it was just stop as it never started. Non the less I told Patience that I was going to walk out a ways and drill a hole to give one last go at the big one then we would leave. thats when I caught this

Rabbit hunting

Saturday Jonathan and I went rabbit hunting. The strange warm weather helped make it a great trip. If you look at last years blog entries you’ll see snow and cold, unlike this year which has been balmy by last years standards; although we have had a few frosts it has not dropped cold enough to snow. The warm weather makes for good hair hunting as they are white and the back ground is brown. Jonathan hit a few in the head with the .22. Head shots are tough because of the thick brush. We started with real hunting, walking through the trees and thickets to scare up the game. After we wore our selves out crashing through the trees we cleaned the hairs we shot than decided to drive up the trail and look out the window for the white spots that indicate a rabbit. We stopped at the end of the road and did some target practicing then drove back to the other end of the trail. Total we shot fifteen rabbits and a ruffed grouse.

Oh I forgot; on the way there, when we went by Caribou Creek there where sheep by the road, I have seen them on the lion head and I have seen them on sheep mt but that is the first time I have seen them by the rd.

All Sunner

I have had several people come up to me and say that they look at my blog regularly. All these people ask me the same thing, why haven’t I updated it all year. Sorry, it took me so long; it’s not that I haven’t done anything all summer. At first I was busy then on one trip the camera was dropped in the sand and wouldn’t work any more. I could have updated without any photos but it’s just not the same without photos to back me up. As soon as PFDs came out this year I picked up a new camera so I could continue to keep you updated; as well, I borrowed some photos from friends so you could see what all we did. I will try to some it up for you.
For Memorial Day we took a bunch of Jonathan’s friends to Homer. While we were there we did some clamming, beach combing, and fishing. Joe and Karen met us there with their kids. We all had a great time. If you know Joe, you have to ask him what happens when you try to remove the primer from a shot gun shell. Joe and our wives went out of Deep Creek with one of Karen’s friends who have a boat. I suppose it is only fitting Karen caught the biggest fish. Heidi took a long nap, 12 years of marriage to me and she still hates the ocean. The next day we met Allan and Tami at Kenai river for a salmon charter, the high lights where a calf moose and a coyote. The fishing was lousy, the free halibut fishing was better. For the Fourth (do I have to say the month) we took Mariah, Jonathan’s girl friend, and her family to Kasilof to go dip netting. Maura, Mariah’s mom, has 7 kids, six of which are under 6 so she doesn’t get out much. I think they all had a blast. We dipped 85 reds and a few pinks. Somehow I gave myself a case of bursitis which hampered the rest of my summer activities. At one point my elbow was twice the size of my knee. I went to the ‘doc in the box’ who prescribed me some meds that once again I was allergic to and I ended up with a 103 degree fever. Once the fever broke I went to the chiropractor who explained how you get bursitis he then popped my arm and like that it went away. We had a great run of silvers this year in the valley which was good because the kings were a no-show. I took a few trips to Jim creek. At one point there where so many fish in the creek you could not help but hook one. I borrowed Uncle Jim’s four wheeler a few times while he was out of town. Mostly I went for a ride but I looked for a moose at the same time. Joe and I had a cardio work out while trying to navigate our way over the cliffs of Wish Bone Hill. We did jump a few cows but did not see a bull. Heidi and I went to Tangle Lakes for our anniversary trip at first the wind blew a non stop of forty MPH. I know that doesn’t seem bad but when you remember there is no shelter from the wind for miles around you it can be down right lame. I told Heidi if it didn’t stop we would pack up a leave for Chena via Richardson Hwy. While we waited we took a hike to pick blueberries. Unlike last year this year there was lots of big ripe berries for us to pick. While we where hiking a big bull caribou saw us and instead of running from us he ran to us. I think because Heidi was wearing a white sweater. Since I said we would leave if the wind did not stop, the next day it became flat calm not only that but it was warm into the 70’s, and didn’t cool off much at night. We took a canoe ride to the other side of the lake stopped where Rock creek flows in and caught some grayling. We cooked one of the fish with out any utensils over a fire that Heidi started with out any matches. It wasn’t great but you could eat it, if you had to. Since I planted the seed into Heidi’s head of going to Chena Hot Spring the next day we left. The drive was beautiful. Stopped in Fairbanks and it was eighty’ man was it nice. Played in the hot springs, took some hikes, picked berries, and ate at the resort. We found a cave in the Angle Tors, which was neat. Took lots of photos with 35 MM film but have not got them developed yet. I bought Patience a Chipmunk 22. We took it Rabbit hunting and she popped a rabbit with it. It has been a strange fall, very warm I can still take the canoe out on lakes so far I have caught a 24 & 21 rainbow as the largest. This weekend I am going to bag more Hares so I can make Jerky.

Lake Louise April 25

On Saturday Patrick and I hit Lake Louise for the last trip of the year. There is still good ice up there, almost 50 inches, I think you could fish there for the next few weeks. As for the Anchorage area, it’s warmed up quit a bit and hasn’t gotten below freezing I would not wander on to the lakes around south central area any more.
The fishing started slow. We thought we might not be able to fish as Patrick’s power auger broke. I had my hand augur but I did not think it would make it through the ice. Fortunately, it did and I think we hand augured 35 holes through 40+ inches of ice; it would have been easier if the blades where new and sharp. We started on the point of an island strait out from the lodge about a mile with no luck. After an hour we walked around to the back side of the island and drilled some holes. It was strange, looked like there had been I ice shack there perversely but was now refroze overflow. As we drilled the holes, turned out we where on overflow that had refroze; however, the area was only covered by 2” of white ice then it seemed like 15 feet of water. We tried there but felt a bit unnerved by the thin ice so we walked out past the over flow to deeper water. Soon Patrick had a Laker on. He had the luck of the day as he caught five Lake trout and the second largest of the year; we are thinking 10 lbs. I think I will let it slip this time since he drove and broke his auger, but since he used my air plane jig to catch them I will have to take a small amount of the credit. I did catch one Lake trout about five pounds I let it go as it swallowed a four inch squid jig. All and all six lakers is a good trip and I think I will fish that same spot next winter.

PS: as you can see bu the moth it was quit warm in the 50 and now my face looks scorched

Byers Lake

I think Joe is ???????????

Patrick, Joe, and I whent to Byers Lake this weekend; I wonder why I like to go there so much, seems every time I go something bad happens. Last time the wind blew the ice shanty away and the over flow was so bad my feet became wet and froze. This time was not much different. We arrived at the cabin and I walked out on the lake, it was warm and there was half a foot of water on top of the ice but I wasn’t concerned as I had rubber snow boots. Well, I stood there for a short time then I felt some cold water around my ankles and soon my whole left foot was soaked. I was a bit ticked; as I thought my feet would be fine so I walked to the cabin to check; sure enough there was a hole in my boot. The good news is that I came prepared this time with hip boots and since it was warn it was not half bad standing on the ice in them; I guess it helps they’re insulated with 900 grams of thinsulate. The other bad thing about this trip was like I said it was warm; I know that doesn’t sound bad to you; however, from an ice fishing stand point it can be bad to be too warm. Friday the ice was a bit rotted on top but after the heat of the sun Saturday I was over my knees in slush in some spots. I think it was in the 60s on the lake. This also had one other draw back, Joe borrowed a snow machine from a friend; unfortunately, the sled happened to be a short track, since it was so warm it spent most the time stuck in the snow. It took all three of us to dig it out and move it. There was five feet of snow and it was hard work, especially after the sixth time. Other than those draw backs the trip was nice. We caught a few Lakers one that was 23 inches and some small BB. I brought home a few flays of fish from one that swallowed the hook and they tasted great. The weather was wonderful, bright sunny and hot from an ice fishing stand point. I got some good shots of Denali and a good sun burn

Patience and her new gun

Patience and I had the chance to try her new gun. She shot several times at a few rabbits. She missed all the rabbits she shot at but She had a lot fun wading through the snow to the one that I shot before she got so wore out she wanted to go back to the car. Could not have asked for nicer weather for April, it was in the mid 20 and sunny with a slight breeze.

Patience at Disney land

Here is Patience at Disney Land I thought it was a neat photo for you to see