|
|
| |
|
AdventureSportsFishing.com - Fishing Information and More |
|
|
|
The Alaskan Experience
"FISH ON!!" I yelled, as my seven weight fly rod bent over and the line played it's magical tune of "zinging in the rain". It was hard to tell just how big the fish was or if it was a Rainbow or big Dolly Varden. Hooking a big upper Kenai river trout in fast water doesn't leave much time for species identification. "Hang on to it-we'll chase it and go land it in some calmer water." said Allen, who was behind the sticks of our 20 foot Willie drift boat. We had just entered the Canyon section of the upper Kenai river and while my three other compadres fishing with me on the boat had already hooked some BIG Rainbows and Dollies, I had yet to catch what I will call a "quality" upper Kenai fish. That of course means insulting every trout on every other river in North America, since the eighteen inch Rainbows and twenty inch Dolly Vardens I had already caught were hardly chopped liver!! It's just that I had watched numerous twenty-four inch fish caught in the morning and listened to Allen comment on how this was the best morning of fly fishing he had had on the upper Kenai this year. Again, don't get me wrong-I was catching my share of fish- but this was the kind of fish I was waiting for. Ziiiiinnnnggggg. I stood up in the front of the boat, and Allen gave chase in our wide bellied river pursuit vehicle. I held my rod high and reeled to keep a tight line on the fish. As we drifted towards the "river right" bank, we heard some crashing in the trees. In my peripheral vision I saw some movement, but kept my eyes fixed on my pulsating rod tip. Allen nonchalantly mentioned that we had a Brown bear over on our right, kind of like a guy mentions seeing a 1957 Chevy. It's neat-but nothing to get to crazy about.Keep fishing. Now, I don't know about you, but when I pass within twenty yards of meat eating carnivores-I like to give them more than just a passing glance.Especially, since most of us on the boat were seeing our first Brown/Grizzly bear in our lives, and not everyone gets to see a Grizzly when they come to Alaska. Not to mention that any one of us would make a delicious mid day snack for a bear with the munchies. Allen, trying to be the consumate Alaskan fishing guide, was trying to pass it off as an everyday occurence and make you feel like -"Heck, most of us guides sleep with bears"--but you could tell by his watchful back and forth looks--that he didn't get to see bears that often. As Allen lowered the boat anchor in a nice back eddy, I turned toward the fish and got back to the task at hand. Pump, reel down, pump, reel down. About that time, I started to hear some more commotion from the bank, and about the same time as my fish revealed his Rainbow identity by making an acrobatic leap into the air, I turned to see a bear clawing it's way up a tree. Good, that's what I like to see from man eating carnivores! I turned back at the fish--and then did a double take on the bear. OH @%$+ IT WAS A CUB... ... and we're not talking the kind that play in Chicago!! Faster then I could get the words " it's a cub" out of my mouth, mama bear went into protection mode. We all heard brush being knocked down like tackling dummies at the Chicago Bears training camp and then we saw "Mamas" round face,shoulders hunched, claws digging in as she made a charge at us towards the bank. We all looked over at the same time,and for a brief second, my first thought was: "Oh great, why does this have to happen when I have a nice Rainbow on? I hope I don't lose this fish." Of course, sitting twenty yards away in a boat- in the water- gives one a sense of security. A false sense of security. That bear took to the sky like "superwoman". Paws out and legs flying- without even breaking stride- she was IN THE WATER. You never saw ten eyeballs get so large in your life. I looked at my fish, I looked at Allen, and I looked at that Grizzly, and thought to myself; "Great, I have three other fishermen on this boat and they all match the criteria that I had required to fish with in bear country. They are all bigger and slower and at this point- between me and the bear!!" BUT, if we had to go overboard-I sure wasn't confident that I could outswim these guys. Plus, I had a rod in my hand, a fish on the line, and a natural fishermen's instinct- to not want to lose my trout!! The bear would certainly pick me, because he would get the bonus of having a trout for dessert after having his "Fisherman ala Gore-Tex" entree. I guess I shouldn't have been too worried,afterall, Allen wouldn't have wanted to return to the lodge without his "guests"--too much paperwork!! Right? Allen frantically grabbed at the anchor rope, while "mama" thrashed about in the water. Meanwhile the rest of us had that "deer in the headlights" look, waiting for either instructions from Allen-or the voice of God- to tell us what to do next. "I think we'll fight this fish somewhere else." Allen said, while grabbing the oars and pulling us away with Herculean strength. That- is what they call an understatement. Somewhere else indeed! How about Pennsylvania? Mama had done what she had intended, danger to cub-gone, fishermen white as ghosts, and Brown bear Peace and tranquility restored to the right bank. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! She turned, and splashed back to the shore... I don't know if it was the lowering of the anchor that had startled her, or the banging of the boat, or the splashing of my Rainbow, but we had just witnessed -first hand- how the Grizzly bear protects her cubs in the wild. Pretty much by going NUTS!! We drifted over to "river left", downstream about another 100 yards, and finally landed an exhausted 23 inch FAT Rainbow trout. Of course, the fish seemed an after thought now as all five of us checked our waders for "brown spots", but after all that, it would have made us cry to lose that fish. We all "high fived" each other and still couldn't help but looking back upstream--just to make sure "mama" wasn't still angry. Allen said that it was the first time he had seen a Brown bear jump into the water like that. Really. Then we sat there and all gave our accounts of how the scene "went down". It was great to hear everyones reaction and different version of the "thirty five seconds of drama". We took a picture of that fish- which will be forever on be referred to as the "Bear Fish", and even though it wasn't the biggest fish on that float--it will certainly be the one most remembered. There was no picture of the bear-since everyone was riveted on the real bear on not the Kodak moment. When we got back to our lodge, Allen told the story of our Alaskan experience and some of the older guides looked at him "sideways" like he might be working on a good fish story or nickname.I could see it now... "Who you going out with today? Grizzly Gillette? Allen the Bear Slayer?... Of course there were four witnesses that were ready to back him up and it wasn't exactly like we had said we had seen "bigfoot" or "aliens" for heavens sake!! All in all, I would say we got the true Alaskan experience that day. Nice fat upper Kenai Rainbow trout and Dolly Vardens on a fly, false charged by a Grizzly mom and an unforgettable day in incredible scenery. As the years go on--I am sure the"Bear Fish"will get bigger, the bear will get closer(maybe even into the boat!!) and the legend of "Grizzly Gillette" will grow tall. But not nearly as tall as that BEAR!! A.J. Klott
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Chumming and Plankton Fish Catching Tips In night fishing 95% of success is determined before your line is wet. It is recommended to start an evening feeding frenzy along the food chain with your big game fish as the final predator. What Has Happened to the Cod Stocks Off the Shores of Newfoundland? The Newfoundland cod stocks. What has happened to cod fishing off the Grand Banks of Newfoundland? Several centuries ago, John Cabot, sailing under the English flag, found the richest fishing area the world would come to know. Fishing For Bass In Deep Water When fishing for bass in deep water try a spinnerbait that you have confidence in and have used to catch fish before. If the fish are inactive try a slow study retrieve. Choosing Steelhead Gear Steelhead GearLike many things in fly fishing you can ask 10 different fly anglers a single question and you'll get 10 different answers. Asking what steelhead rod one should use for fly fishing is no different. Local Bass Fishing If you are like me, you love to fish at the drop of a hat. While I do plan fishing trips, I also like to go on a whim. General Overview About Trout Senses When fly fishing for trout, it is of crucial importance to understand their senses. Trout are fish, after all, and make different use of their senses than we do. The Hendrickson Mayfly Mayflies are essential to trout fly fishing. There are still ultra purists who consider casting dry mayfly patterns upstream to rising trout the ONLY form of fly fishing. Fly Fishing Small Streams Picture this; you've spent some time hiking into a small stream in the back country. It's early morning, mist is rising and the midges that have been swarming around you are breakfast for the small browns you have come to catch. Fishing Equipment Tips Cheap SinkersSpark plugs make excellent disposable sinkers. Need some cheap (free) fishing weights? Go to any gas station and ask for them. The Challenge of Brown Trout Fishing Brown trout fishing can prove very challenging. This is due in part to the fact that brown trout are smart fish. Steroids Running Rampant In Fishing World You knew it would come to this sooner or later.. Reviving Billfish Last summer we had an unfortunate incident with a swordfish we brought to the boat.It was about 8:30pm and we had been set up for about 45minutes when we had our first bite, the second balloon at 150' baited with a dead squid started to scream. Its Raining... Time to Go Fishing! Ah, fishing in the rain. You may not like the rain, but the fish sure love it!You may not believe it, but you may catch more fish while it is raining. Four Fly Fishing Tips Good Fly PresentationObviously, the goal when casting a fly is to present the fly to the fish in a realistic manner. You are trying to simulate nature here. Care And Repair Of Fishing Lures Making fishing lures may be easy for the seasoned do-it-yourself angler. But the maintenance of these lures is just as important to ensure a tip-top condition. Reviewing the New Berkley Vanish Transition Fluorocarbon Line The visibility of the line was good. As we were using 2 green lines, a yellow line plus a blue line on this day, it was easy to pick out. Rock Fishing Techniques Many shore anglers avoid fishing rock marks because they are scared of losing tackle. However, very few marks are totally unfishable, and often the most effective rigs for fishing rough ground marks are also the most basic. Women and Fishing -- Not Just A Mans Sport More and more women are learning to enjoy fishing each and every day. And, why not? Fishing is a sport that doesn't require exceptional strength, stamina or height - quite the contrary, fishing is a sport of agility, finesse and patience, skills many women already possess. My Fishing Trip With The Pro I was in Southwest Florida and was asked to go fishing by one of the pro bass fisherman there. Thinking I would learn a lot that day, I graciously accepted his kind offer. Bass Fishing Tips 3 Lures You Must HaveDo you know what the top 3 lures for catching Bass are? Though there aren't any specific statistics, a survey was conducted amongst the pro bass fishermen and it was found that plastic worms won by a large margin. Second and third place were the spinnerbait and then the crank bait.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
