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Alaska fishing trip - information needed.
Fear not gents...we are alive!
highangle nailed it(with his now deleted post). When we booked the trip, everything in Cooper Landing was sold out. Soldotna was the only option for us. In theory it would have been no issue. Then the winds kicked up and shit got real on Saturday.
Made a call to the Breeze Inn in Seward at about 1am while calling around for rooms. All options were on the table.
Prior to the road opening back up Tuesday morning my parents wanted multiple options to prevent back to back nights in the car. I jumped on my phone and booked a room in Anchorage since we were flying out the next afternoon. I thought it was crazy since we already paid for the AirBnB in Soldotna and now have to pay the Anchorage hotel as we booked inside any cancellation opportunity but I can only argue so much.
Road opened S bound just before 11 and the drive through the devastation was on.
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The fire had jumped the road and burned another 30k acres before sunrise.
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We were originally scheduled to float the Upper Kenai with Matt that morning. However due to the fires, it had been closed the previous few days in the hopes that they could open it that morning. That didn’t happen. Time for a new plan.
Before we had made it to Soldotna, the owner of the Cache had planned the rest of our day for us. Much to Matt’s dismay (which I totally understand as he was concerned about the fire and his possessions) we were putting in on the Lower. This meant Matt had to travel S and N and hope they did not close the road before he made it home.
Matt arrived stressed and rightfully so. The owners of the Cache wanted “us” the customers to get a long float as our previous day had been shortened however Matt wanted to get home to his belongings. I heard him talking to AK Canoe for the shuttle and he told them the float time would be shorter so they needed to get the truck and trailer sooner then usual. In the back of my head I feared he would speed down to the takeout and we would be off the water in record time.
We put in and Matt rigged up as we floated. Fuck me I said under my breath. We have a short day and we are floating past where I caught the silver the other morning and others told me there were trout here too. All while he rigs up. Then I remind myself who the expert is here. Matt pipes up and says we are running King lines. Get them out. Matt was all in at that point.
He offered us the choice of lines ex: “Tons of fish to the right, donkeys to the left.” After dad tasted the tug of the bow 3 days prior, he wanted donkeys. We had takes that we missed completely as my father and I were looking at scenery and other boats. Takes that we didn’t land due to poor sets and then of course father son fuck ups playing swords. Matt rowed back up and worked sections that we shit the bed on and he stopped multiple times for us to work from the boat and banks. He never rushed us and I let him throw the rig I had as often as he wanted. I learned a ton just watching the way he worked line and he was always willing to teach both of us.
On top of the jabronis he was dealing with in the boat, the river was not doing him any favors. The water temp dropped 8 degrees as the ice dam had just broke. As if the fires were not enough, Cooper Landing and Kenai lake are now under a flood watch.
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Matt kept on fighting. The passion and love for the fish and river shines through him. When you hook up he is genuinely stoked and excited to see the fish.
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We took out and said our goodbyes. Knowing that things will be different at the Cache next year as well with Matt, we were sure to exchange contact info as we will return soon. He headed home and we went back and packed up everything as the road N was still open. I just wanted to shower and pass out after the previous night of “sleeping” in the car with temps in the low 30s and not really eating in 30hours. I thought for sure we could grab a bite. Nope. Winds were kicking up.
For those that don’t know, most of the road construction in that area takes place between 8pm - 7am. In my limited experience, being on the roads during that time adds 50-100% to your travel time.
Showered off. Rinsed off the gear, packed and loaded the car and we were on the road just after 7pm. Made it in to Anchorage at 11pm.
At some point during our drive that night they closed the road for fire again behind us. 24 hours later it is still not open. Well fuck me, mom and dad were spot on with the Anchorage hotel call.
I’m on the final stretch and almost home currently. My heart goes out to those back on the Kenai. People in Soldotna have a fire raging to the S between them and Homer and to the N up to Cooper Landing. Those in Cooper Landing could loose it all in the next few days is what it was sounding like. I’m sure the potential flood advisory won’t help. To all the firefighters and emergency response crews on the ground with pick axes and those piloting drops from above, you all are superheroes!
Thanks to highangle for all the beta. I would have liked to catch up with ya in person to buy you beerz. In discussing Matt’s future we discussed his reputation and I mentioned he was highly recommended. Then he asked by who...and I don’t have a “real” name to give him. Jed, I wish I could have joined you this week or last week when our shit got fucked up with all that company bullshit. You are killing it on the Aurora. Great seeing you briefly and congrats to your wife on completing her PhD.
Apologies for the thread jack. What a journey!