St. Paul Sport Show Recap

 Rice Park located next to the RiverCentre

Oh boy, what an interesting week.   I should start out by talking about the weather in Alaska and Minnesota. During the entire show the Kenai Peninsula temperatures were in the 30's.  Not bad.   Over three thousand miles south in Minnesota, temperatures were -30 to -40 and the windchills ranged from -45 to -60.   It would seem that this kind of weather would keep people indoors and away from attending a sport show.   Wrong.   Everyday the attendance was good.  The "polar vortex" did break and by the weekend the temperatures rebounded to the 20's and 30's.   It felt downright balmy.  

Vendors eagerly awaiting the start of the show.

It was a great show for Jane and I.   Lot's of visits from old friends, and lot's of new people interested in visiting Alaska in 2014.

One of the the things that I really look forward to at sport shows are new products or new services.   This year there was a booth that offered guided bowfishing trips in Minnesota.  As a kid I use to use my small 25lb fiberglass bow to shoot fish.   I loved it.

Needless to say, this sport has evolved into something I would have never imagined.   This boat has two tiers for bowhunters.   All around the perimeter it is rigged with spot lights.   Looks like the making of another reality show on the Discovery Channel.

On Saturday my good friend John called and said he was in town and he had an extra ticket to watch the Minnesota Wild play the Colorado Avalanche (the arena is adjacent to the sport show venue).   With the blessing of Jane I was able to attend.   Little did I know that our seats were right on the glass.   Definitely not the Bob Uecker section.   The added bonus to this evening is one of the players on the Avalanche, Brad Malone, rented a house from my mother this summer.   I texted her this photo of her "adopted son."  Definitely made her night.



Jane and I enjoyed our time in St. Paul.   And, for all the people who requested additional information about Alaska,  you'll have it within the day.

  

Sportshow Season 2014

The 2014 sport show season is almost here.   So far we are committed to two shows, but if that changes I'll be sure to let you know.

From January 9th-12th we will be in St. Paul, Minnesota for the 2014 Minnesota Sportsmen's Show.  Click here for specific information about the show.

From February 12th-16th we will be in Duluth, Minnesota for the 2014 Duluth Boat, Sports, Travel and RV Show.  Click here for specific information about the show.

As always, we have a limited amount of show passes so if you would like them, send me an email at beavercreekcabins@yahoo.com.   It's a first come basis and when the tickets are gone, they're gone.

Hope to see you in either St. Paul or Duluth!

Happy New Year

Merry Christmas

2014 Red Salmon Forecast

It's a good one.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has made their prediction for the Upper Cook Inlet red salmon run.   Their estimate is 6.1 million which is above average.   For more details about the forecast click on the article that appears in the Peninsula Clarion.

I'll post the 2014 king salmon prediction as soon as ADFG releases it.

Fish Art



Evelyn Matthies in her studio

My mother-in-law, Evelyn Matthies, is an artist.  As much as she likes to create art I think she loves to share and teach art even more.  She's a retired college art professor but she still finds time to mentor a handful of students.  You'd think at this point in her life she would slow down, she's earned it, but that's not in her DNA.   As they say, a rolling stone gathers no moss.....

 



Of all the art she has created I, of course, love her fish prints.    The technical term for this is called Gyotaku, (a Japanese word: gyo "fish"+taku "rubbing").  The process is simple.   First of all, I provide her the fish.   Second, she coats the entire side of the fish in ink and then presses (rubs) rice paper on the fish.   Finally, she uses her imagination and talent and adds color.   Evelyn is to fish as Andy Warhol is to Campbell soup cans.

The piece below was awarded "Best Gyotaku Work of Art" at a group exhibit in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul).   It also has been recognized at several other exhibits for it's originality and use of color.

 

 

 

Evelyn and Jane worked together on the piece below. It proudly hangs on a wall in our home.
 



 

 

 

So, the point of this post is to show off the work of my mother-in-law.    I know I'm her favorite son-in-law because I happen to be her only son-in-law, but if any of you would like to purchase any of her works I'm sure I could arrange that for you........    

 



KRSA Save our Kenai Kings Educational Video

I received this video from the Kenai River Sportfishing Association with attached message.


Your voice in support of sportfishing is needed.

The Kenai River king salmon are in crisis.  Help bring them back.  Visit krsa.com/saveourkings/ and let our Board of Fish members know immediate action is needed to return our iconic state symbol to a healthy population.   Thousands of Alaskans and hundreds of businesses depend on the commerce  this fishery generates.

Many readers of my blog are not Alaskan residents but that does not mean your voices won't be heard.   Click on the link above and send a message before the next Board of Fisheries meeting January 31st-February 14th.   It will only take a few minutes to do this.

Thank you for caring about this fishery the way that I do.