Two months in the Alaskan bush fishing for steelhead...

[Bubba 460]

 

 

"How long have we been fishing now, a week without the first steelhead?" I said to my older brother as we stood fishing in the rain on the banks of the Thorne River In southeast Alaska. We had traveled the 1,600 miles from our homes in Anchorage to Prince of Wales Island to catch the famous ocean run steelhead that would eventually run up this river. "They are just not here yet but any day now," my brother assured me. It was just about that time that the first steelhead slammed into my silver spoon that I was bringing back through the current. It felt like I had just hooked onto the back bumper of a truck going by at sixty miles per hour! The power was unbelievable and the fish burned off drag in a high pitched whine heading upstream, then turned and headed downstream.  I trotted to keep up with him and regain some line. After several minutes of back and forth the nearly 3 foot long, twenty five pound steelhead was in my hands at the edge of the river. Beautiful fish and as bright and shiny as a new dime with the faintest of a pink stripe running down his side. I released him. "Holy cow," I said to my brother, "that was crazy!"  ~

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That was in the spring of 1976. The next year my brother (also an artist) painted this 2' X 3' painting of our adventure. We had gone there to catch steelhead. We camped on the banks of the Throne River in two tents for over two months doing just that. The painting depicts my brother catching a steelhead with his girlfriend beside him and his dog. I am to the left of him holding a nice steelhead. My girlfriend by the fire.

 

With Prince of Wales Island being a rain forest, the only thing he left out of the painting was the near constant rain. I had to dispatch a black bear that hit our camp four times. He was becoming more brazen each time and it was time for him to go. My brother gave me the painting as a gift on my 30th birthday. He has since passed on.

 

Back then the Island was a remote place with a small population of loggers, commercial fisherman and a Indian village. Today it is grown up into a commercialize sportsman paradise with many lodges. There are black bear, wolves and Sitka deer there not to mention some great fishing. It's the 3rd largest island under the united States flag.

 

Painting and some stock photos of the island...

 

 

[Fishlegs]

Nice painting, nice memory, and a priceless gift.

[Bird]

The gift of story telling, a good read.

AND an a amazingly beautiful place. 

[Bubba 460]

3 hours ago, Bird said:

The gift of story telling, a good read.

AND an a amazingly beautiful place. 

 

Thank you bird, I appreciate that very much.

3 hours ago, Fishlegs said:

Nice painting, nice memory, and a priceless gift.

 

Yes it is... Thanks Fishlegs

[12poundbass]

Great memories! 

[GaryH]

Now that’s living life. Makes one glad to be alive. thanks for sharing 

[Bubba 460]

16 hours ago, GaryH said:

Now that’s living life. Makes one glad to be alive. thanks for sharing 

 

 

 Thank you. There was a logging camp about 10 miles away. We went there a couple times a week to shower ~ that was a BIG help!

[Bassin' Brad]

That was a good read thanks for sharing.