2018 UCI Sockeye Salmon Forecast

Just before Thanksgiving, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) released its 2018 forecast for the sockeye salmon return to Upper Cook Inlet (UCI). Although the projection of 4.6 million sockeye is slightly better than last year, it is still below the recent 20 year average. Details of the forecast can be found here.

Based on the ADFG forecast, my advice to anyone coming to Beaver Creek Cabins & Guide Service to pursue sockeye salmon is to be patient. There will be times that the fishing will be outstanding, but most likely you'll have to put your time in to catch your limit. I've seen this pattern over the last few years when the projection has been below average. Small schools of reds will enter the river from mid July until mid August on a daily basis, and with some tides there are more fish, and on others, not so much. Timing and location will be the key to fishing success. As a comparison, how this is different from an above average run is on those years there will be a steady stream of fish all day long for several days in a row.

The next forecast for UCI that I'll be patiently waiting for will be for the early and late king salmon run. The way the trend has been going, my guess is we will have a good run. I'll post that information when it becomes available.




Beaver Creek Cabins & Guide Service

Happy Thanksgiving

Family, food, and football. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

p.s. Go Vikes!




Beaver Creek Cabins & Guide Service

Duck, Duck, Grey Duck!

I know what you're thinking. The title of this post should be Duck, Duck, Goose! Well, I may have spent most of my adult life in Alaska, but my formative years were in Minnesota and there we played Duck, Duck, Grey Duck! That is the name of the game. End of story.

The national debate was recently revived during a touchdown celebration when the Minnesota Vikings played the Chicago Bears in a football game. Once again, it's duck, not goose.

The other 49 states clearly have this wrong.

Just like they did when Walter Mondale ran against some guy named Ronald Reagan in the 1984 presidential election.

Heck, this national debate of duck vs. goose is easier to resolve than the whole hot dish vs. casserole kerfuffle. The only lingering question that remains is, is it grey or gray, dontcha ya know? Discuss amongst yourselves....

So, what's the point of this blog post? Well, I wanted to share photos of one of my new best friends. This guy would often wait for me to come in from a day on the water.

Always nice to have a smiling face waiting for you.

In honor of you, my friend, the game is, and always will be, Duck, Duck, Grey Duck (no Goose)!





Beaver Creek Cabins and Guide Service

The Kids of 2017

Take A Kid Fishing. 

I've heard that phrase my whole life. Putting together this post, I wondered when it was first used and who started it. A quick internet search was not terribly successful except for linking this movement to the founder of  Bass Angler Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.), Ray Scott. This was in 1967. Unless someone can tell me differently, I'll go with that.  

I figure what a perfect way to honor the 50th anniversary of Take A Kid Fishing than to highlight a few of the kids I had the pleasure of fishing with this past year. Who's the real kid in the photo above? If you guessed me, than you would be right...

I always enjoy my days on the water with kids. I think it's because it reminds me why I got addicted to fishing. That being said, thanks dad for taking me fishing and creating a life long passion of piscatorial pursuits.

Me and my dad, Oahe Reservoir, circa 1969

Beaver Creek Cabins & Guide Service

Changes for 2018

Some of you may have noticed this past summer I made a change on the website about how I run my guiding business. I'd been struggling with this decision for several years, but now is the time in my career to make the move. I now have joined the ranks of Kenai River guides that only offer full day king salmon fishing trips. A full day trip on the Kenai River is between eight and ten hours.

The reasons behind this decision are:

• Higher percentage of catching (and/or releasing) a king salmon of a lifetime.
• Easier on the resource. Instead of potentially eight kings retained a day in my boat, only four could be.
• Less frantic, more leisurely day on the water. Time for bathroom, coffee, or lunch breaks at the cabins. Fishing is suppose to be fun, right?
• Less pressure to keep the first king caught. Encourages more catch and release fishing.
• Will be able to fish two tide cycles per trip. Tide changes are key component of fishing success.
• Groups that have booked the whole boat will have the possibility of fishing for red salmon while on a king trip. This opportunity will only come into play from mid July to the end of July.
• Easier on me. I'm getting older and the 13-16 hour days are taking a toll. A rested guide is a happy guide!

The new pricing is as follows:

• Up until June 10th, a full day king trip is $175. 
• From June 11th until July 31st, a full day king trip is $275 (a decrease of $20).

I've been fishing more and more full day trips over the years and I've often asked why a full day was booked and not a half day. The full day client would say, "I've come all this way to Alaska, why would I fish for only five hours?"  It makes sense, especially to a fisherman. I know a few of my annual clients prefer half day trips and it's because they want to do other things during the day. To you, I apologize. Well, I guess it doesn't mean you won't be able to fish a half day on the Kenai. It just means you won't be able to fish a half day with me at the half day rate. 

Remember, these changes only affect May thru July. My guiding schedule and rates for August-October have not changed.