Been a busy few days with the Bishop group. These guys have fished with me for 9 years now, and already booked dates for 2016. It is a very good idea to book as far in advance as possible, to reserve dates that are peak fishing times. We had a great time catching Ling cod, Halibut, rockfish, and salmon. Salmon fishing hasn't been great due to the phytoplankton bloom. We are still catching salmon, though it could be better. Another group shows up today from San Diego fishing club and are fishing the next five days. Had a deckhand for the last few days and was very nice having a fishing girl on the boat with us. We have Brittany as our deckhand the next five days and we plan on catching limits of all fish, wahoo!
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Been very busy with allday groups and there are many to come. The Chong's fished for 2 days and went home with 119 pounds of filets and the Woodward's left today after 3 days of fishing with I think around 350 pounds of filets. Those numbers should show how the fishing has improved big time in the last 1 week or so. The phytoplankton bloom destroyed fishing close to town. Ketchikan charter boats should be catching 36 pink salmon and going home early on cruise ship trips and some good fisherman were getting 0 fish on 4 hour charter. I fished close to town yesterday for about 5 hours and ended up with 18 pink salmon. The Woodward's trip was an amazing trip first day we ran 35 miles out ended up with 16 coho 11 pink 4 halibut 6 snapper 6 rockfish. Second day was about 20 miles out 31 pink 16 coho 6 halibut, and due to horrible weather yesterday only 18 pink salmon. The busy season for me starts now, probably wont have much of a daily page for a little while, too busy fishing. Here are a few good fishing pictures of killing Ketchikan Alaska fish. Paris Knuteson has been on a strict training program this summer also.
A good bottomfishing trip! Typically no halibut in the box would be a bad thing. However 18 bottomfish in the box and releasing a nice 80 pound halibut with good weather and good crew was a lot of fun! Ran to Dall head for some good bottomfishing was a great idea given the fact that salmon fishing is horrible right now. In my 35 years in Ketchikan Alaska I have never seen phytoplankton bloom and turn the water a very light silty green color. The salmon I have caught have been kind of a pale color, it is weird. I heard they are like that due to lack of oxygen, I don't know. All fisherman on salmon trips are struggling. I have caught a few every trip but we should be catching lots. I have mentioned my pink salmon record of 36 pinks 42 minutes many times, and those times are normally mid July. Scratching for 5 or 6 fish is not normal. I hope my all day groups that are starting to arrive do well like years past, don't want this to be the record worst year. Here are couple pics of the Minnesota crew. Halibut pic doesn't do justice as we were trying to be easy and release her fast. We let a lot of dinners swim away because of halibut regulations.
I am very sorry! I haven't had time to play on the computer. Summertime is in full swing and Ketchikan is hopping. Finally launched the Never Enough after 4 years. The boat cruises at 20 knots and even though it isn't quite finished we are catching fish and having fun. The weather has been absolutely amazing. I cannot remember a summer that compares to the amount of sun Ketchikan has experienced lately. Did a couple charters out of my little boat prior to launching Never Enough. Largest King Salmon for me this year was 38 pounds, way to go Chad. I know I am forgetting a lot, here are a few pictures to show how awesome it has been. Feels like winter time in the Florida Keys.
Yesterday was my first cruise ship fishing charter of 2015. The trip went great with my Minnesota folks. These early May fishing trips are tricky. A captain is fully aware that the possibility of no King Salmon and resorting to rockfish is a reality. However when you "Forget the rest, and fish with the best!" Luckily our trip was a success with 2 nice King Salmon. Possibly Captain Tonys last charter on the Valhalla. The Valhalla is a beautiful boat that is currently about to be sold, wont know until the MONEY is in my hands though. I have owned the Valhalla for 3 years. I have charter fished, commercial crabbed, and commercial dove for sea cucumber off of the Valhalla. It has been an awesome, comfortable, stable boat to fish from. Also got the little glasply up and running for some of that economic bombing around in the little boat business.
Trying to sell Valhalla to another Ketchikan Charter Captain. Valhalla is a great boat as many of my groups have fished on it and know how comfortable it is. As many of you know I own several boats and consolidating a little cannot be a bad idea. Here is a picture of me sanding and grinding 15 years of bottom paint off of the All Star. Have been working hard on All Star because I will need atleast 1 boat ready for May charters. Yesterday was opening day for Ketchikan Little League. Ketchikan has 522 players this year, lots of fun. Here is also a picture of my 2 ball players, 1 of which just doesn't know how to smile. 1 week until first Ketchikan Cruise Ships start showing up. We have been waiting since September for them to be back. Will be taking people fishing soon showing them how to catch Ketchikan King Salmon.
Thank god for friends. A couple friends have helped the last couple days. Been working very long hours trying to clean the Aurora Sportfishing boatyard. While doing this I decided to get the Allstar up and running this year. Allstar has been a Ketchikan charter fishing boat for about 15 years. It has had several sets of engines, including the set that was just pulled out yesterday and repurposed as boat anchors. The Allstar has been getting some much needed attention and is in need of 2 new Kodiak 350's like "Black Flag." I have expressed my love for hot water pressure washers, again "They are amazing." Cleaned the Allstar all day yesterday and today starting at 3 am the Valhalla went on the grid so it too can be pressure washed and cleaned up. Working with the tide to go on the grid is no big deal just means I am the only person awake in Ketchikan at 3 am. Need these boats looking good and working good so we can show these Ketchikan tourist what fishing is all about. Tide is going out and time to get to work.
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CAPT TONY
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December 2016
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