CityView Magazine

CityViewNC.com | 59 year for the third or fourth week of July. "ree salmon are in season. King sea- son ends the first of August. It's the peak of Sockeye season and the beginning of Silver season. You even have a shot at Pink salmon, which run each year, but you can only catch them every other year," said Don. It's not uncommon for someone to catch a 60 to 70 pound King salmon at any point in the season, which runs May through August. e largest salmon caught on rod and reel was 93 pounds and gives Don a goal to which he aspires, but with a relaxed disposition. "Believe it or not, I had the most success on my inaugural trip. I caught a 68 pounder and filled my card. I'm sure it was beginner's luck," he laughed. eir fishing day begins at around 4:30 a.m. or 5:00 a.m. with, as Don de- scribes, "a lumberjack breakfast," cour- tesy of Ken and Elizabeth Smith of the Kenai Driers Landing Lodge. In addi- tion to owning and operating the bed and breakfast, Ken is among the most experienced fishermen in Alaska and, luckily, Don's guide. A knowledgeable guide comes in handy, especially if a fisherman isn't familiar with the necessary technique. "ere's a learning curve. It took me three seasons to attain a level of con- fidence. Some pick it up more quickly, some take longer. When a traditional fly fisherman gets a bite, he pulls quickly, because the fish will spit the imitation. Here, the trick is to let them eat the bait for just the right amount of time," said Don. Each day, they fish from dri boats until they reach the per-person-per-day limit of fish. If the salmon are slow, they move on to Halibut, which are caught from the same dri boats and the weight of which can range from 20 to 100 pounds per fish. ey end every day of fishing rather elegantly with hot hors d'oeuvres, courtesy of Elizabeth Smith and a little bank fishing. "We used to fish until we dropped. Now, we turn in around 10:00 p.m. and we are back at it the next morning," said Don of the six day, seven night excursion. One might think a long, specialized trip would require bags of tackle and pounds of checked luggage, but Don packs surprisingly light. "Because everyone fishes there, supplies are 40 percent cheaper than at home. It seems as though everyone in every fam- ily fishes, from four to 80 years old. It's heartwarming." Don limits his luggage, but packs strategically for the weather. "It can be 75 degrees in the bright sun, but prepare for 40 and torrential rain. e lodge provides a list of items to bring, but invest in the best rain gear you can af- ford," he said, quickly adding, "e year it rained the hardest was the best fishing year I ever had." July is peak of Sockeye season and the beginning of Silver season. It's not uncommon to catch a 60 to 70 pound King salmon at any point in the season, which runs May through August. Alas, while one party can potential- ly catch hundreds of pounds of fish in the weeklong excursion, airline weight limits apply. Don transports his catch, fileted and vacuum packed by his guide, Ken and flash frozen to -20 degrees each day, in two coolers. Because they are frozen at such a low temperature, Don doesn't bother with ice or dry ice. "I just fill the rest of the cooler with dirty clothes or newspaper," he laughed. Don is taking a break this July due to recent back surgery, but will be back on the Kenai in 2016. "I'm bummed beyond words, but already looking for- ward to next year." If you're interested in learning more or maybe even joining these gentlemen on their fishing excursion in e Last Frontier, contact Ken Smith at drier- slanding@yahoo.com. Don Latella, Bill Freccia & Tony Cimaglia, reap the rewards. Don Latella

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