LeConte Glacier Archives - the spotted tail

Pink salmon fill the 108 Creek on Prince of Wales Island.

My Favorite Alaska Photos

This Alaska Photo Essay contains my favorite photos from the ten summers I’ve spent (so far) in Alaska.

“Count your blessings.” While actually doing just that, I realized how fortunate I was to have spent those ten summers working in Alaska. My debt of gratitude to Bob Stearns for recommending me and to Mike Gorton at the Goodnews River Lodge for hiring me back in 2007 is tremendous. I could never thank either of them enough.

For that matter I owe many thanks to Kevin Ryter at the Lodge at Whale Pass, where the last three summers were spent. Both places have filled me with awesome memories of people and places, landscapes and wildlife. I am a blessed individual!

In ten years lots of images were taken. Narrowing all of them down the three photos per year for a total of thirty that appear in this essay was difficult. The things I do for my readers!

Please take a moment to peruse. Feedback is welcome.

This waterlogged four-foot-long log put up an epic battle on Willie’s eight-weight. The fly pattern was not recorded, sadly.

Tyler Williams looks over the Goodnews River valley from the peak of an extinct volcano called Tsuktulig.

A TransNorthern Airways DC-3 approaches the runway in Goodnews Bay.

Sea stars in a tidal pool on Indian Creek, Prince of Wales Island.

Rick Ross, a true personality in Goodnews Bay before his untimely death.

The technical weather window at Yute Airways world headquarters in Bethel.

South fork, Goodnews River.

Making an early morning baggage run on the Goodnews River.

Rodney Smith wanted me to take him to catch a rainbow trout. Mission accomplished!

Son Alex looks over the Goodnews River from Tsuktulig.

Ross looks over the south fork of the Goodness River.

Michaela Chloe on Tsuktulig.

Son Maxx on Lookout Mountain, looking over the Goodnews River valley.

Me, Judy Uhde, Ross.

M/V Thorne is dwarfed by the LeConte Glacier face.

Chuck holds a fat, fly-caught king salmon, Goodnews River.

Jim Vinalyk and a high flying silver salmon at the Swallows, Goodnews River.

Jacob’s ladder grows in the Goodnews River valley.

Humpback whales feeding in the Clarence Strait.

A glorious, fish-filled afternoon on the Goodnews River.

Jim Vinalyk fly casting on the Goodnews River.

Son Alex battles a silver salmon on the Goodnews River.

Notice the tiny speck of M/V Etolin, a 24 foot vessel with kayaks on the roof, in the lower right corner of this photo of the LeConte Glacier.

The Devil’s Thumb looms over fishing vessels near Petersburg, Alaska.

I taught Christian Ontaje how to tie a bunny leech. This king salmon is the first fish he caught on his first fly.

Brown bear eating a chum salmon, Goodnews River.

Paddling a kayak next to an iceberg near the LeConte Glacier.

Dr. Jenny on the bow of the M/V Blashke, near the LeConte Glacier.

Mr. Bill fights a jumping silver salmon on the middle fork of the Goodness River.

A float plane takes off near the mouth of the LeConte Fiord.

And that is my Alaska photo essay, ten summers in Alaska. Thank you for your time!

Life is great and I love my work!

Life is short- Go Fishing!

John Kumiski
www.spottedtail.com
http://www.spottedtail.com/blog
www.johnkumiski.com
www.rentafishingbuddy.com
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jkumiski

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2017. All rights are reserved.

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The Iceberg Whale Pass Fishing Report and Photo Essay

“Pet eagles” seems like a foreign concept to most people, and certainly the Lodge at Whale Pass doesn’t have any. There are a LOT of eagles around here though- it is not unusual to see 20 birds in one area either soaring or perched. They fly by and over the Lodge constantly. I was able to get some photos during a walk this week.

This is the nearest store to us.

As was stated last week, halibut fishing has been nothing if not consistent. In southeast Alaska they have a reverse slot limit. Any halibut smaller than 44 inches in length is legal to keep. Any halibut over 74 inches (I think) is also legal to keep. Any in between those two lengths must be released unharmed, however. The bag limit is one halibut per angler per day.

Capt. Don Askew and my son Alex had a trip out this week and had a halibut in the 250 pound range next to the boat. In spite of their best efforts the fish escaped.

We are still targeting fish in the 40 inch range and have been doing well on almost every trip.

The fishing for silver salmon at Neck Lake Outlet is still flat out stoopid. Most of our anglers who go over there get a limit of six fish. The Mepps Flying C, Blue Fox, and Vibrax spinners have all been effective, as has the Pixie spoon. Fly fishers have been using a chartreuse Clouser Minnow to deadly effect.

I did not get to go trout fishing this week. I haven’t touched a fly rod in over a week. It makes me sad, in a minor way.

One of the mountains the LeConte Glacier flows from.

Tuesday the Lodge ran a trip to the LeConte Glacier, up near Petersburg, a two hour run from here each way. This glacier is the southernmost tidewater glacier in the United States. While I did not get to see the glacier itself, I certainly did get to see many of the icebergs that break off from it at this time of year. It is a fantastic place. The light was incredible for photography. I will let the photos speak for themselves.