| For many fishermen, fishing in Alaska means one | | | | told that once they go over seventy five to eighty |
| thing....Halibut.I love Halibut.Especially steamed and grilled, | | | | pounds they are not quite good to eat.The fishing is by |
| with a tasty baked potato and an ice cold | | | | no means easy today, and we have to work to catch |
| beverage!As far as fishing for Halibut, well, that is a | | | | our fish. It seems we are always just missing the |
| different story, mainly because I had never done | | | | optimum tides and reaching our new fishing spots |
| it.Now, most people I had talked to that had ventured | | | | either at full flood or completely void of current.Still, we |
| out to sea to catch Halibut, have likened the | | | | all catch some twenty pounders and add ling cod, |
| experience to reeling in a "barn door" from the ocean | | | | rockfish,dog shark, and some silvers to our Alaskan |
| floor, which doesn't exactly conjour up thoughts of epic | | | | sampler plate.The belt and the shotgun remain |
| battles with leaping Marlin. For me, I somehow had the | | | | unused.For those of you unfamiliar with Halibut fishing, |
| vision of wrestling with an oversized mattress up a | | | | you are probably scratching your head wondering |
| narrow flight of stairs.A lot of colorful language and | | | | "what the heck does a shotgun have to do with |
| struggling.With their sizes ranging anywhere from | | | | Halibut fishing?"Although, Halibut don't put up much of a |
| fifteen pound "chickens" to four hundred pound--or | | | | fight when first rousted from their couch potato |
| better-- behemoths, the "door" selection was more | | | | existence,when they are tossed into a boat things |
| varied than the homebuilding section at the Home | | | | change.Suddenly, when brought aboard a boat after |
| Depot.Still, Greg and I were in Alaska, and to pass up a | | | | being hoisted from the sea--usually by gaff-- the |
| Halibut trip out of the self-proclaimed Halibut capital of | | | | Halibut begin to thrash and kick about, as if someone |
| the world- Homer-- would be like traveling to China and | | | | has stole their Cheetoh bag, or the remote control has |
| not seeing the great wall.Our trip was booked well in | | | | dropped to the floor.NOW, there is reason to fight!!With |
| advance, back in June, and was set up with Captain | | | | the smaller fish it usually is not a problem, but after the |
| Scott.I know what your thinking, and NO he did not | | | | Halibut reaches about one hundred pounds, the |
| have a first mate named Spock,Kirk or Zulu!!When we | | | | thrashing and flopping has been known to break |
| arrived at the docks, I was somewhat disappointed to | | | | legs,knock people down and wreak general havoc and |
| find that our thirty foot, twin dieseled cabin cruiser was | | | | chaos aboard a boat. Thus, the handy shotgun, usually |
| not named the ss Enterprise, and that the "Mako" was | | | | a .410 or a .22 caliber rifle, is used to put an early end |
| the boats given name. This would certainly mess up | | | | to the thrashing.Preferably in the water.Of course, |
| my plans to spend the day asking for Captain Scott to | | | | there have been some on board shootings that have |
| "give us more power Scotty".Probably just as | | | | taken place, which as a general rule have a tendancy |
| well.When it comes to ocean fishing-- size matters, | | | | to cause more damage to the boat then harm to the |
| and for my taste--smaller is better.I know, go figure, but | | | | Halibut.Things get pretty slow for awhile and it looks |
| if I have a choice between fishing on a cattle boat or | | | | like it will be a pretty slim day. Captain Scott is getting a |
| something like the "Mako"--which basically holds six | | | | little frustrated and tired of re-baiting and untangling |
| fishermen-- I'll take the smaller boat every time. Unless | | | | crossed lines and begins to look like a guy who is |
| of course we are heading hundreds of miles out to | | | | thinking of football plays. Finally, I hook and land a thirty |
| sea and harpooning Sperm whales, in which case give | | | | five pound fish that at least puts a small bend in the |
| me the Queen Mary every time.It is early morning, and | | | | re-bar rod. Then after a few more small fish caught |
| Captain Scott arrives at the boat toteing various | | | | by Greg, I hook into a fish that actually makes a small |
| boxes of herring for bait. If he'd brought crackers and | | | | run and feels much bigger. I keep reeling and pulling up |
| some sour cream I might have sampled the bait | | | | as sweat begins to spew.Definite barn door.One of |
| myself just to get the day started right.We met our | | | | the gals asks if I need the "belt" and not knowing |
| other fellow fishermen, and women for the day. A | | | | whether I have a tire or a big fish I say "not yet." I'm |
| couple from Ohio who have fished with Captain Scott | | | | getting a little tired, but still the fish is making some |
| before, and some acquaintences of his from | | | | progress as he goes into door mode. We see the fish |
| Fairbanks. They have come to the coast to get out of | | | | coming to the surface and he is much bigger than all |
| the smoke and fires that are burning in the interior. | | | | the other fish we have been catching. Everybody gets |
| They have also fished with the good Captain before. | | | | pretty excited and the usual helpful instructions of |
| This is a good sign, since I always figure that "guides | | | | "easy now", "get him over here" , "don't lose 'em", and |
| from hell" don't get much repeat business!!It doesn't | | | | "maybe that mattress will fit if you stand it on end" are |
| take long before we are out of the harbor and on our | | | | shouted about the boat.Thanks for the advice.Captain |
| way.The weather forecast is for a beautiful day and it | | | | Scott tells me to hang on a second and he goes to |
| is starting out that way. Captain Scott pulls out his | | | | fetch the shotgun--hmmm must be close to one |
| Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby ticket book and gets us | | | | hundred pounds. Either that, or he has taken a |
| all entered into the five month contest that gives out | | | | supreme dislike to me.One shot and the fish is properly |
| some healthy cash prizes. He doesn't exactly threaten | | | | assassinated and ready to be gaffed and hoisted onto |
| to throw us overboard if we don't enter, but one does | | | | the boat.Whew.Turns out the fish is only seventy two |
| not want to upset the Captain so early.Especially when | | | | pounds--but that is enough for me, I can't imagine what |
| he has a shotgun over in the corner.We travel about | | | | a three hundred pound fish would feel like. I'm pretty |
| an hour out of Homer. The ride and scenery is of | | | | sure if I hooked a fish that big it would probably out live |
| course spectacular. Captain Scott gives us some | | | | me, because halfway through the battle I would croak |
| history and geography lessons on the Kachemak bay | | | | and be tossed into the ocean to make room for the |
| area as well as talking about how the fishing has been | | | | fish.I just can't imagine what a 450 pound fish--the |
| going, telling us how many years he has been fishing | | | | Alaskan state record-- would feel like, I'm just glad it |
| for Halibut and some other interesting Homeresque tid | | | | wasn't me that had to haul it in.Our day is quickly |
| bits.Things like: he is coaching his son in football, (which | | | | coming to an end, and Captain Scott starts talking |
| he says is the last thing he ever expected to be | | | | about a quick trip to the "7-11" to pick up a few more |
| doing);how he moved here over twenty years ago | | | | chickens. I look around and see nothing but water so I |
| from California, and talking about people and places | | | | am a bit perplexed--but when he motors into a well |
| around Homer which brings a touch of personalization | | | | known area that is fully stocked with twenty pound |
| that makes you feel like he knows every citizen in | | | | fish and cattle boats, I know what he means. We get |
| Alaska. This of course is a stark contrast to "Oscar"- | | | | there, drop our lines into the water, spend a quick five |
| the Silver fishing guide from hell- and helps to restore | | | | or ten minutes in a fast fury catching four or five more |
| my faith in guides.At least so far.Halibut fishing in these | | | | chickens, and it is time to head for the barn.We have |
| waters is all about tides and currents, and today is | | | | our meat.The ride back to Homer has us all basking in |
| supposed to be some of the most radical tides of the | | | | the late afternoon sunshine, discussing -yet again- the |
| season.Figures!!Scott pulls out our rods, which basically | | | | art of tipping your fishing guide, and how best to |
| feel like pieces of re-bar, and have stout reels that | | | | transport our bounty back to our homes.We offload at |
| have... like eight-thousand pound test on them with thin | | | | the docks, and are told that the "buttwhackers" will be |
| rope for leaders.We're not fishing for Grayling | | | | by shortly to grab our fish and turn them into filet-o-fish. |
| anymore!!The first spot is a bust, and I begin to fear | | | | Just in case you are wondering, The Buttwhackers |
| the "good weather-bad fishing" jinx that so often | | | | are the fellas who "whack,stack and sack" your fish |
| happens in the fishing world.The next spot I hook what | | | | so all you have to do is stand there and look like the |
| appears to be a small Halibut, but lose the small | | | | great |
| "cabinet" door, somewhere between the bottom and | | | | fish slayer that you are, while the fishing Paparazzi |
| the surface. Losing my first fish is what happened | | | | snap off memories of your adventure. |
| while Silver fishing, so I get a little worried I might have | | | | The boys make it look easy as they "ginsu" their way |
| a tough day at sea. Not to worry though, because at | | | | through over three hundred pounds of fish in about the |
| our next stop a couple of us hook up and land some | | | | time it takes me to clean a half dozen trout.Then it is |
| small twenty pound "chickens" that help us to get the | | | | off to Coal Point Seafoods for flash freezing and |
| skunk off the boat.Captain Scott pulls out the "marlin" | | | | packing for the flight back home. While the fish are |
| belt now that he is feeling more confident that we are | | | | being packed we have no choice but to head to the |
| going to find fish. Just in case we hook into one of | | | | legendary Salty Dawg Saloon, to toast our trip and |
| those three hundred pound derby fish.Halibut, are just | | | | read the thousands of "dollar bill" messages and |
| about one of the goofiest looking fish you will find. | | | | names that are tacked up on the walls. The "dawg", |
| Luckily,having a five year old daughter that plays with | | | | was one of the first buildings built in Homer-back in |
| playdough all the time, makes it look fairly normal to | | | | 1897- and has survived many changes, moves and |
| me. Now I realize she is one of the youngest Halibut | | | | different owners to now serve as one of Homers |
| sculptors around, and the flattened "patty" like fish with | | | | modern day landmarks.The fish packers at Coal Point |
| eyes both on one side makes perfect sense to me. | | | | have got it down to a science and our fish are cut, |
| You kind of get the feeling that these fish are like sea | | | | packed and frozen with enough dry ice to make it |
| dwelling couch potatoes, laying on the bottom of the | | | | home.Yes, it is time to head home. Eleven different |
| ocean, not willing to get off their "butts" growing large in | | | | types of fish, one hundred pounds of fillets, and a |
| one direction.( Kinda makes me wonder what future | | | | lfetime of memories from only one weeks worth of |
| x-box players will "evolve" into??) It looks like if you | | | | fishing.A.J. KlottAuthor, writer of fishing humor, and "fly |
| glued two fish together on their flat sides, you might | | | | tack" peddler. A.J. writes about the people, characters, |
| have a fish that looked somewhat whole and | | | | and modern day events that surround the fishing world. |
| normal.Nonetheless, they sure are tasty, although I am | | | | His first book is due out in December of 2005. |