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