
I can mark this one off my list!
Left Montana on the 5th of August for a long  anticipated trip to Alaska for a week full of fishing. We checked into the "Gone  Fishing Lodge" on the 6th after a 3 hour drive from the Anchorage airport. (The  speed limit is 55 mph for most of the way) Although a little slow, the scenery  was spectacular.
After getting settled in our room, we got a good nights  sleep and were ready for our first trip,  at 6 a.m., so it was up at 4  a.m. for the drive to Anchor Point where we met our guide Charlie. The trip to  the fishing spot took about 2 hours over some pretty rough water, this was  somewhat unkind to a few of the guests. Once we starting fishing, the bites came  fast and furious.
No matter what you hooked, or it's weight, whether it was  halibut, dog fish or rays, hauling up a 30 pound fish from 260 feet is quite an  experience.
With our limit caught, we headed to shore where Charlie filleted  all the halibut in short order. With filets in the box, it was back to the lodge  to get ready for the next days trip.

The next day we found ourselves on a  '1956 float plane, heading across Kenai Bay for a morning of Silver Salmon  fishing. We had a bad feeling as we landed noticing a boat that was mostly under  water. We all pitched in, and together got it bailed out and set out to the  mouth of a slew into the Kenai River. The bait we used were salmon eggs tied to  the hook with an "egg loop hook", an interesting knot to say the least. We used  a variety of set-ups, some used bobbers others used bottom rigs with sinkers.  While it took a little while to get used to the way Silver Salmon strike, very  light for a large fish, once hooked, the excitement was ON. Silver salmon are  very strong fish that make very fast runs. At about 11:30 it was time to get  back to the plane for our return to the lodge with our legal limit of  outstanding "Silvers".


On day 3, we were taken on a float trip, fishing for  Silvers again. This trip was, if you will, a lazy trip. Sit in the boat in our  spot and wait for the fish. This trip yielded a catch just one short of the  limit for the group.
The next morning we departed to Seward Bay for a  combination of different fish to be caught, Silver Salmon, Rock Fish, Halibut  and Cod. The boat ride lasted about two hours,with the view of the bay,  mountains. We saw different types of Whales and other land and water animals, it  didn't seem like a long trip with so much to see.
Once at the fishing ground,  it was not long before we had our limit of Salmon, Cod and Halibut, we started  the trek back to Seward. The return trip was filled with sunshine, which made  the scenery even more beautiful.



The last day took us to the Kenai River  Canyon for a fly fishing float trip, although this trip was strictly "catch and  release" it did not diminish the thrill of hooking a Pink or King Salmon or  Dollyvardin, their strength and shear explosiveness was amazing.Our trip  ended with us being worn out and well satisfied - all the while a thought  tickling in the back of our mind --- I'll be back