Arkansans know how to fish!

July 11, 2012

Charlie was up and at fishing again early this morning.  I walked down around 8:00 and he said he was able to see the fish!  Things are looking up - that is such a big deal.  Before now, we had just been fishing blind, hoping there were fish there and that the line was near their mouths.  Now he can see them, and try to line the hook up.  He saw several in his favorite fishing hole, and got three hooked and one broke his line!  That is much better than he has been doing before.   

The "red sweatshirt guy" was back at the river -- and if he can see a fish, he lands it!  It is rather amazing to watch.  When I walked up, Charlie said, “there is the Wynne Arkansas girl" – and the dude looked up and said, “Wynne Yellowjackets”!  I was quite impressed.  He is from Arkansas!!! and the red sweatshirt is a Razorback sweatshirt.  : )  He had just retired and this was a gift to himself – to come back to Alaska.  He turned out to be very nice, and it is obvious he enjoys fishing.  He literally walks up and down the river looking for fish, sees one, and snags it.  He doesn’t even eat it, he gives it to a friend, he said he thinks he has given him about 200 pounds since the end of June.  

He showed Charlie how he was lining up the line, and was more than willing to teach us whatever he knows – just liked doing it I think.  Charlie said he has learned more from watching this guy than anything else since he has been here.  Makes me happy he was from Arkansas.  : )

After lunch we found out we could stay here for another two days, so we didn’t have to break camp, and decided to drive back to Soldotna, and the hardware/fishing store. Charlie wanted to buy a rain suit he saw there so he does not ruin his good one on the river.  While we were at the visitor center,  the lady working there noticed Charlie’s VT sweatshirt and said she knew the area because her Aunt lived in Floyd VA!  Amazing what a small world we live in, that someone 5000 miles from the NRV, would have visited Floyd VA on several occasions…..  

When we left we drove down to Kenia and Captain Cook Recreational area, where once again -the road just stops.  We walked out to Cook’s Inlet and the tide was out for at least 175 yards or more.  The beach is covered with rocks, but it was too cold to stay and look for very  long.  I did find a green rock that looked like a robin egg, a golden one, and Charlie found me two small red ones. 

 

Next -  Crooked creek campground.  Some men that were fishing there gave us a good lead on a charter in Homer if we decide to go out on a Halibut charter. 

For dinner we stopped and split a “big burger” at Harry’s restaurant in Soldotna.  It had a little bit over everything on it, but we had them hold the jalapenos…. There was a couple there that we had seen at the Inlet earlier in the day…. I am still surprised when that happens….

Raining when we got home so no fire tonight, just hot chocolate and reading.