I thought age was supposed to bring wisdom?

I swore after last year I'd never do another Marathon meat run to Chitina, told the Mrs. I'm too old, it hurts too bad and I need my sleep. From now on I'm taking 3-4 days to get reds and sleep.

Who decides on Monday afternoon to throw his dip nets and coolers in the truck and go? Some azz hole, that's caused me more trouble than anyone I've ever met

So outa town a lil after 6 Hit obrien creek at 12:30. Slept in truck for 3 hours till I woke up shivering like a dog chittin peach seeds

Where's my clothes? Dug out some layers and tossed and turned for another hour or so.

Thank god for f&g fishery was closed till noon on Tuesday. So I got up and made some coffee ate some cereal and got my gear ready

River had dropped had to help Sam get his boat back in the water

Loaded up at 11, dropped off on Alcatraz by 11:30 yep just a rock in the middle of the copper with water flowing fast on all 4 sides, but a really good back eddy

Fished for 4 hours netted 35 fish, all reds

That's almost 9 fish per hour , so on average I was netting, clubbing, clipping fins & gills, then stringing a fish every 6 minutes.

When I got 25 I took a short break to eat some sandwich & chips

After I got 35 I quit, cleaned up my rock, got gear ready for pickup and sat back and glassed for a bit

Left Chitina at 7:30 ish and almost made it to Donnelly dome, had to pull over and sleep about 10:30 pm. Sos woke up at 2:15 coooolllddd. But there weren't other folks around so fired up my rig and turned the heater on. Got home at 4:30 this morning

I feel like I've been beat up

One of the bright spots of the trip on way back just past the gulkana river there's a raft rental place. Guy must be a yuge Trump fan, MAGA stickers all over his sign

I gotta go to work

Hope those signs do not mislead good people into thinking the raft operation is run by someone sane...

I hate those quick trips...makes a basket case of me . BTW lots of other dippers about? I never ever went after June....

Donnelly Dome, the clue that winter is coming when its white on top... and the clue that we have almost arrived at home every fall from the ANC drive!

Glad it turned out well. YOu'll have to teach us the ropes in a few years I hope.!

We don't know Quit.

You didn't!

You did?

SOP pard. It's just tougher now.

"Some azz hole, that's caused me more trouble than anyone I've ever met"


This sentence is a work of art and may become my signature line ...

That same sob followed me to Kasilof this year. Told me standing in the river in chest waders for 7 hours was the way to net fish, which worked after a fashion and resulted in 21. Then the next day he egged me on to wrestle out my vacuum chamber packer that was nearly pinned between the storage shelf and my boat which I'm sure is the primary source of tweaking my back. I did manage to fillet and vac pac the fish, but my back was one hurting unit the next day and I pretty much didn't get out of bed for the following two. Managed to ibuprofen it through four days working until midnight to finish my boat rehab. Turns out desk jobs suck for a sore back, but after another week I seem to be GTG.

Can't wait to get back home with that sob for some more fishing.

Holy chit, I hope they are there in a month so I can take pictures......

Pics or it didn't happen

No I didn't it was a marathon run. But couldn't help but think some of those stickers would help spruce up that sign! lol

Only comfort I take is it seems some you are as hardheaded as I am.


cause there sure ain't any comfort to find in my lower back and legs. I thought it would be my arms and shoulders that were sore. Geezus I must be ancient.

Terry, while they took out two or 3 boats that day, the parking lot and lines weren't nearly as bad as I've seen them earlier in the year. when I got there Sunday night Monday morning at 12:30 there were only 10 coolers in line to hold a spot.

Earlier times I've done similar and been like 18-25th in line.

Nothing, they just need more rest sometimes.