Landed in Fairbanks on the 16th of July, drank beer and packed gear into dry bags, rod tubes, action packers, etc. Busted out of dodge the 17th NE of Fairbanks towards Circle, AK to put the FV Pike into the Yukon River and head downstream towards the Porcupine River. 3 guys, 1 labrador and gear stuffed into an 18ft John boat (see picture). Got blown off the river after 2 hours of wind & chop, set up camp and waited til morning.

Made it to the Pork and began fishing as far as 50 river miles up the Pork for 2 nights – pike were not where we expected but present in large pods.

Drank through 1.5 cases of beer (all the cooler could hold with food & ice) Motored back down to Fort Yukon where we paid $6/gal gasoline and $3/20oz Gatorade (liquor store was closed until 5pm) – headed to the Christian River without beer or ice! Came out after fishing the Christian River and set up camp on the Yukon (see sunset picture). Next day headed downstream towards some other Clearwater sloughs/creeks. All the pike were concentrated at the mouth or within the first ¼ mile of the mouth. Fished the tribs for 4 more nights. Using mostly Puglisi style flies, some poppers/sliders/gurglers; bonfires nightly; lived on 2 boxes of wine & 2 fifths of JD + s’mores. Saw great horned owls, gray owls, eagles, loons, wolf tracks, 1 lousy moose, 0 caribou, 1 black bear, lots of griz tracks, 1 fox, kingfishers, sandhill cranes, etc, etc, etc.

Caught sheefish – only carnivorous species of whitefish – at creek mouths too. Had to use 300gr sink tip with Puglisi or large clouser. Supposedly they are the tarpon of the north, but other than their looks the come right to the top and roll over is nothing like I imagine a tarpon of the south to be!

Came away with no cuts from pike teeth, no giardia from drinking filtered creek/slough water, 1 broken 6wt on a small 20” pike, and a few good fish pictures.

Cheers

Written by: Pat Jenkins

Target stores to sell Alaska salmon, drop farmed productFRESH: Chain removes all farmed fish from stores in an “environment-friendly” plan.

By The Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS — Target Corp., the nation’s second-largest discounter after Wal-Mart Stores Inc., said Tuesday that it pulled all farmed salmon from its stores as it looks to be more environmentally conscious.

The retailer said it will no longer carry farmed salmon in its fresh, frozen
or smoked seafood sections. The move impacts national brands and the chain’s own Archer Farms and Market Pantry brands, which will now use wild-caught Alaska salmon.

Target — which has two stores in Anchorage and one in Wasilla — said sushi carried in its stores that currently use farm-raised salmon will switch to wild-caught salmon by year’s end.

“Target strives to be a responsible steward of the environment, while also providing our guests with the highest-quality food choices,” Greg Duppler, senior vice president of merchandising, said in a statement.

Companies have increasingly shifted away from farmed salmon due to pressure by consumers and environmentalists, who want wild-caught salmon used because it can help preserve salmon levels as well as species health and doesn’t hurt local habitats.

Salmon farms are viewed by these parties as hazardous due to the pollutants and chemicals they can emit as well as the potential dangers of farmed fish escaping and intruding on native salmon.

Target’s salmon transition comes in the midst of its $1 billion store
renovation project. The company will introduce a new store format starting in April that features spruced up home furnishing offerings, larger grocery sections, better video game displays and shelf lighting in the beauty section. The move, which impacts 340 U.S. stores, is aimed at increasing sales and profit and grabbing market share from rivals.

The retailer has 1,744 stores in 49 states.

Written by: Dave McCoy