ALASKA PENINSULA/ PUMICE CREEK LODGE

The start of the Alaskan fishing season has finally begun.  After a long winter gorging themselves out at sea, millions of salmon will start their spawning run back into the freshwater runs from where they were born.  On the Alaska Peninsula thousands of king salmon will migrate first followed by sockeye, chums, pinks and finally silvers.  Pumice Creek Lodge owned and operated by Gary LaRose has long been know as the best lodge on the remote Peninsula.  Here you will not catch the giant kings found on the Kenai, but you have a chance at a king around 50lbs.  The season really picks up by the end of June on the Cinder River.  By the beginning of July, numerous kings can also be found on the King Salmon River.  LaRose makes sure clients can be fishing on the best locations each day.  My favorite time on the Peninsula is the fall season where millions of monster silver salmon enter the rivers.  The Peninsula has some of the largest silvers available in the state or anywhere else on earth.  Catches of over 100 silver in a day are not out of the questions with a few possibly exceeding the magical 20lbs.  I have fished the Peninsula for over 27 years and my best day was an arm wrcnching 144 silvers.  Arctic char are in full spawn colorations during the fall season.  These are perhaps the most beautiful freshwater fish on earth and are very easy to catch with some day practically a bite per cast.  I highly recommend if you have plans to head to Alaska this year, to contact Gary LaRose at akpen@aol.com or check out www.garylarose.com and you definately will have the fishing experience of your lifetime!

ALASKA HALIBUT DERBIES

The month of May opens the beginning of some of the best halibut fishing out of the towns of Seward, Homer, and Valez in Alaska.  I have fished out of all 3 of these fabulous destinations numerous times.  My largest halibut to date was a massive 300lbs caught out of Valdez.  We also caught a 298lbs and 8 more over 150lbs which made for great eating to say the least!  Each of these towns have so called Halibut Derby's where you win large amounts of money for the largest halibut of the season plus weekly and tagged fish prizes.   Homer starts their derby on May 15 ending Sept 15.  The JackPot Halibut Derby pays $10,000  + $0.50 tickets sold to the largest halibut entered.  To enter you need to buy a derby ticket for $10.  The derby in Valdez starts May 21 ending Sept 4.  Top prize is $15,000 for 1st prize, $5.000 for 2nd prize, and $2,000 for 3rd prize.  So far a monster 253 lbs halibut caught by David Jamison is leading.  In Seward the derby only last the month of June.  So far the leader is a halibut weighing 179.8lbs.  Halibut can exceed weights of 400lbs if your lucky.  So make sure to buy a derby ticket on your next visit to Alaska in a chance to win thousands!