Heading to Alaska

[Bandit 286]

Leni and Randy,

My daughter and I are coming to Alaska for a few days, June 1st to the 5th. It will be a short trip but fun. My brother is getting married at Seward on the full day cruise boat monday or tuesday. We have to leave wednesday. We will arrive in Anchorage saturday morning, then sunday head down to Seward. Randy do you live in Anchorage? If so maybe we can stop to say high. I would like to take Megan Grayling fishing off the road system to Seward. Any place other than Cresent Lake? It sounded like the season up there doesn't open until july. Dolly Varden and trout would be fun to. Leni, we aren't going to have time to get around your place. Sure would love to meet you guys.

Mark

 

[EDMO 1078]

BANDIT,

If you have any free time in Anchorage, check out the history museum - very interesting place.

The Sea-Life Center is in Seward, and a restaurant right by the dock has great Beer-battered Halibot.

Hope you enjoy your trip - and maybe connect with someone on here.

ED in MO

[SuberAvid 617]

Hi Mark,

 

I would thouroughly enjoy getting to meet up with you guys!  I live about an hour drive north of Anchorage in Palmer (the oposite direction from Seward) but would be glad to drive in to Anchorage and meet you for breakfast/ lunch/ dinner; whatever works with your schedule.  Maybe JackAk can meet us too since he lives in Ancorage.  

 

To tell you the truth, I have not even picked up a new set of fishing regs for this year so I don't know what the opening dates are going toward Seward.  Be sure to look online or pick up a set of regs when you get your fishing licenses because they are very location specific, often down to the lake or creek on what is open, what you can use for lures, hooks or bait; and what you can keep.  I have not fished for grayling in this area so can't say where they are around there; I have always fished for grayling from about Fairbanks north.  If you have heard that they are in Crecent lake, they they probably are.  Dolly's and rainbows should be pretty good in the streams and lakes that are open of ice, and by then that should be about all of them.  Most of the lakes are just partially open now in the Anchorage and Mat-Su area since it has been a late, cold spring so far.  I flew to Talkeetna last Sunday and the Big Susitna River was still mostly ice covered.  Not able to launch boats yet and most years it is open by now!

 

Let me know what your schedule is and what I can do to help with gear or whatever you need.  If you have time to come out to Palmer we could do some quick local fishing or a fly out to the Knik Glacier (one at a time).

 

Randy

[akflyer 1427]

Mark,

 

I am at work till the 11th of June or I would come meet you in Atown or Seward.  I have fished Cresent quite a bit and have always done very well on the grayling, but with the late freeze we have had, I seriously doubt if the lake will be thawed out enough for good fishing, and the hike in (about 6 or 7 miles if I remember right) is probably going to be nasty and muddy and slushy.  The creek may be open right at the end of the lake, but getting there will probably not be much fun.

 

The upper Kenai should have some Dollies in it.  I would try right around Quartz Creek where it dumps into the river or just up stream of the mouth.  I think the river itself is closed to rainbows till mid, or the end of June.  Like Randy said, check the regs VERY close!  A quick skim over them wont do, make sure you find the EXACT drainage your wanting to fish just like Randy said. 

 

Randy, there is great grayling fishing in Lake creek too!  we are going to have to organize a fly / float trip one of these days as that is one of my favorite float/fishing trips!

 

[Bandit 286]

Randy,

We will arrive in Anchorage saturday morning around 12:30. We are not sure where we are staying yet. We should have most of sunday to hang out in town. Sunday evening we would have to head down to Seward.  Wednesday we have to fly home. I'll let you know more details in a few days. Sure would like to have Megan fish a little. Of course I would love to fly myself. It would be great to meet some of you guys.I know its early in the season but, I didn't plan my brothers wedding. They wanted to beat the start of the busy tourist season.

[akflyer 1427]

They are not going to beat the season.. Memorial day weekend marks the start of the flood of motorhomes on the highway and it does not really slow down after that weekend until the end of August.

 

[Bandit 286]

Leni,

I am trying to work a deal out on my 582. The guy was suppose to wire the money today, but now he said tomorrow. If I do make the deal I will have those cheek radiators and brackets for sale if you are still interested.

[akflyer 1427]

I am always interested!  Any idea what you were wanting for them?

 

[Bandit 286]

I have no idea what they are worth. Let me see if that guy wires me money for the 582 tomorrow. If he does I'll take pictures of them tomorrow night and post them.

[Bandit 286]

Randy,

We have a plan now. We would love to meet you. We will arrive in Anchorage around 12:30 next saturday. Then we will have to get our car which shouldn't take to long. We could then come up to your place right after that. We are going to stay at a friends house in Anchorage that night. But he isn't getting back to town until later that afternoon. I know we won't have much time to visit,but better than nothing. I think Megan would enjoy the drive up. Sunday we have to head down to Seward for three days, then leave leave for home wednesday. If this works for you let me know.

Mark

[SuberAvid 617]

Hi Mark,

 

That should work fine for me.  I could meet you at the Airport at the bagage claim and catch you there before you go to the rental car place.  Send me a PM with your flight info and cell # so we can find each other.  I have to warn you that you are hooking up with the worlds worst fisherman so you probably could not have picked a worse guide; but happy to do it  .

 

Randy

[SuberAvid 617]

Proof Mark made it to Alaska!  We had a great short visit; we didn't get any fishing in because we got sidetracked doing some flightseeing and had a blast.  Hopefully you got some fishing in before you had to go home.

 

It was sure great to meet you and spend some time with you and your daughter, Mark.  You need to come back and spend some time out exploring and fishing with Leni and I (along with Jeff, Jack, Dave, Bob,....)

 

Randy

[akflyer 1427]

Nice pic Randy!

 

Your bird makes me wanna throw dirt on mine!  Beautiful plane Mr! 

 

[Av8r3400 1179]

Awesome, Mark.  Congrats on an enviable trip...

[akflyer 1427]

   From the guy with no reasons left to come up here to fish or hunt!  hahahahahaha  we all know he dont wanna come up just so he can fly

 

 

just hackin on ya Larry    

[C5Engineer 1170]

I'm gonna have one of these threads next summer! AK and Osh are 2014's bucket list!

[Bandit 286]

Randy,

My wife and I just got home from camping for the weekend. Now back to the real world, vacation is over for now.  Megan and I got home late wednesday night. Megan and I would like to thank you so much for your hospitality. It was great meeting and having lunch with you. Of course the best part was you giving us a private tour of your great state from your Avid +, we don't know how to thank you for that opportunity. I am so glad Megan got to fly with you also. This was the first time she has ever traveled and she loved every part of the trip. We met up with my brother that night and stayed with a friend in Anchorage, then everybody drove to Seward the next day. Megan and I tried fishing at Grayling lake, but it was froze over. Tuesday we boarded the Alaskan Explorer and cruised to the Northwestern glacier where my brother got married. It was cold and raining but still a nice ceremony. It was a short, but  great trip. We got to see things most people do not get to see on tours. If things work out I will be back. Again We would like to thank you.

Mark

Megan

[SuberAvid 617]

Mark and Megan, you guys are very welcome!  I hope you make it back up soon. 

 

Joey, if you or anyone else on here can make it up; that would be so great.  Just let me know and we will be sure we have as much fun as time a weather will allow!