Deshka 05/07/2012
 
The Dshka Landing reports they will most likely be open by this weekend.  Make sure you give them a call to make sure before you drag your boat all the way down there.  I do expect there to be very few fish there.  But it will be nice to get the boat out and running.
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The launch at the Deshka Landing is ice free today but the parking lot needs a is still muddy and they will need to do some more work on it before people can start launching boats.  The Landing also reported  ice  have been seen on the Susitna River in big pieces. Skwenta and Deshka have been reported open. Yentna has been reported open at Lake Creek.  For a picture of the landing you can go to www.deshkalanding.com

We have some spots open for catch and keep days but not many.  I suggest if you wanted to fish with a group of 4 you should contact me soon about scheduling a trip.
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Deshka Landing 04/24/2012
 
I just talked to a Deshka landing guy and he said everything is still completely froze over.  He said his parking lot is a huge mud pit and is hoping to open it sometime the first week in May.  People wanting to get onto the river right when it opens should be aware of floating ice.  Even if it is clear water around the landing to the Deshka River doesn't mean the upper river has had break up yet and you could find yourself in a bunch of trouble if you meet one of those floating icebergs. I plan on taking my first guided trip sometime around the first week in May and might explore the river before that.  

Keep updated of the Deshka Landing at  by clicking here.
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Rhett and I went to Turnagain Pass for a short ride.  When we got there it was hard to see because the lighting was flat and it wasn't snowing.  After about an hour the sun started to shine and Rhett started to enjoy all the hills and so called jumps.  Here are some pic's

Also, today in Anchorage, we beat the all-time record from 1954-1955 with 132.6 inches of snow!!! And it is still snowing up at our house!
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With the new commercial fishing order by ADF&G from 12 - 6 hour periods will let many more King Salmon into the river.  This means when the fishing used to be good at the Little Su may once again have some king's to catch this year and not just small ones.  I hope we see an increase in our salmon before about June 15-20 or the river will be in danger of closing just like the last 3 years.


Restrictions for the Northern District Restrictions for the Northern District commercial king salmon fishery will include:
  • Reduction of all four commercial fishing periods from 12 hours to 6 hours.
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2012 King Salmon Sport and Commercial Fishing Restrictions Planned for Northern Cook Inlet Streams
- ADF&G Press ReleaseCora Campbell, Commissioner
P.O. Box 115526
Juneau, Alaska 99811
Phone: (907) 465-6166 - Fax: (907) 465-2332

Press Release: March 27, 2012

Contact: Sam Ivey, Sport Fish Area Biologist, Palmer: (907) 465-6095;
Pat Shields, Commercial Fisheries Area Biologist, Soldotna: (907) 262-9368

2012 King Salmon Sport and Commercial Fishing Restrictions Planned for Northern Cook Inlet StreamsSport and commercial fisheries within the Northern Cook Inlet area will be managed conservatively during the 2012 season in response to low king salmon abundance over recent years, a below-average outlook for the upcoming season, and uncertainty over how quickly king salmon abundance may rebound. Emergency orders will be issued prior to the fishing season to affect sport and commercial fisheries as follows:

Restrictions for sport fishing in the Susitna River drainages and Knik Arm drainages will include:

  • Area-wide: annual limit of two (2) king salmon, except the Eklutna Tailrace.
  • Area-wide: unbaited, single-hook, artificial lures only, except for the lower Deshka River and the Eklutna Tailrace (single-hook means a fish hook with only one point).
  • The Little Susitna River will be further restricted by allowing harvest on Friday-Monday only; catch-and-release fishing for king salmon will be allowed Tuesday-Thursday.
  • Parks Highway streams within Unit 2 of the Susitna River will be further restricted to prohibit the harvest of king salmon beginning June 12 through the remainder of the fishing season. Catch-and-release fishing will be allowed during the three-day weekends (Saturday–Monday) beginning June 16 through July 2. Fishing for any species of fish will be closed Tuesday–Friday beginning June 12.


Restrictions for the Northern District commercial king salmon fishery will include:

  • Reduction of all four commercial fishing periods from 12 hours to 6 hours.


This management strategy is designed to provide fishing opportunity throughout the season and reduce the potential for midseason closures. Restrictions may be relaxed late in the season if escapement goals are projected to be achieved and additional harvest is available. Northern Cook Inlet king salmon stocks have been well below average since 2007. Restrictive regulations passed by the Board of Fisheries in 2011 to reduce king salmon harvest in Northern Cook Inlet were insufficient to achieve escapement goals in 2011 in 12 of 17 systems that have established goals; therefore, restrictions beyond regulations adopted by the Board of Fisheries are necessary to reduce harvest potential of sport (guided and unguided) and commercial fisheries in 2012.

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Sunday we had our last day of Big Lake races.  Rhett did good taking 2nd overall.  In every race he started out last and passed most everyone to take 2nd.  He even bumped and rubbed a couple people to get the pass.  Ema raced against a really fast machine.  She just didn't have the speed or power to keep up.  She took 2nd in all 3 of her races.  Remmi raced also and took 1st overall for the first time even passing a kid to take the win.  Our last race of the year will be a snow X race in Girdwood in May.

More pic's to come once my wife sends them to me.
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The last weekend of spring break we spent either swimming at a hotel (thanks to Eric, Becky and their family) or at the AMMC Snow X race track in anchorage or at the Big Lake Lions Den kid races.  In the Snow, X Ema placed 3rd overall and Rhett didn't place (5th).  In Big Lake Ema placed 1st racing against her cousin Remmi and two other kids.  Rhett also placed 1st racing against his friend Madison (Team Davis) and one other kid.  Just a couple more weekends of racing then we will be done for a while.

I haven't heard about the new regulations for the Little Su officially yet.  I have tried to call Sam Ivey (746-6334) several times but he has not returned my call to give me a heads up.  He's usually good about giving people updates on the upcoming year.  I'll post as soon as I know.
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This week is spring break for our family.  We spent a few days at the island cabins and did a little trapping/ice fishing.  We caught 2 small salmon and one 21in rainbow.  Also, my son trapped his first animal (an Ermine).  The fishing on the lake has decreased over the years and we have not had much luck.  However, the last 2 days of fishing has been a little more promising.  There were a few other ice fisherman on the lake but I didn't stop to see how they were doing.

We also spent a day riding snowmachines to Red Shirt Lake.  1.5 miles down the trail Rhett broke a chain.  Travis and I loaded it up on a sled and I pulled it deep into the woods where it couldn't be seen and taken.  Ema hopped in the back of the snowmachine sled and Rhett took over, riding Ema's machine. I drove while Bekah road on back for the next 8.5 miles to the Team Davis cabin to have lunch.  Team Davis tried ice fishing for Pike but had no luck.  Bekah read through the cabin's log book and she said the only talk about catching fish were in the summer time.  This was the first time I have been on the lake since I was a kid.  When it was time to go, it was apparent that "Team Davis" (consisting of 5 kids, 4 adults, and 2 dogs) had too much stuff for their 2 snow vehicles and a Polaris 120 (kid machine) to carry.  I ended up with 3 kids, 1 adult and 2 dogs in the sled towed behind my Tundra. I also had 1 kid in front of me and Bekah on back.  Quite a load!  Travis also hooked up a sled with some gear and Ema rode with him on his machine.

Kids also raced this last weekend and a youtube video is on the bottom of this post.

All in all it was a fun ride to the lake and a great time at the island with my parents and brother's family.  Looking forward to the rest of the break!
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Races/Trap Line 03/05/2012
 
This weekend the kids raced in Big Lake and Rhett had a great day of racing with another kid battling for 1st.   Rhett started out last in each race working his way to either 1st or 2nd in each race.  He ended up getting a tie for 1st overall with a skidoo rider.  Ema had some problems with the tether for one race and for another two races she had problems adjusting to the bumps and fell off two time.  She also did good as she took 2nd overall in her age group.  Next weekend we have the snow X in Anchorage.

Rhett and I checked the traps after the races and although we didn't get anything we did miss 2 animals and had tracks close to two more.  Maybe next time.
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