A Featured alaska fishing vacations Article
Key Elements to Catch and Release Fishing.

Fishing is becoming so popular that the demand often exceeds the capabilities of Alberta streams and lakes to produce adequate numbers of fish. Mortality must be kept low to in order to maintain and recover fish populations, the release of fish is an important tool to allow anglers to enjoy their sport, yet minimize the impact on fish populations. As an avid fly fisherman, and the father of two very enthusiastic teenage fisherman, I believe all fisherman should follow catch and release practices, to help relieve the angling pressures, and to ensure the success in this ever growing popular sport. All across Alberta, fish stocks have been managed by size limits and possession limits in order to help prevent the exhaustion of our fisheries. Without limits, our rivers and lakes would be not nearly as productive as they are today, and with the help of Alberta Fish and Wildlife Association, and the individual fishermen, together we can insure a bountiful stock for future generations to come.

There are a few simple rules to follow if you would like to be a successful Catch and Release fisherman, the number one rule is the use of barbless hooks. A single point barbless hook, although they make it easier for the fish to get away, they cause less damage and are easier to remove especially if the fish is hooked in a sensitive area as the eye, gills or deep in it's throat. To increase your chance of landing a fish using barbless hooks, they should be kept razor sharp at all times.

Play your fish quickly so that after you have landed it, the fish will have enough reserve energy to recover. The use of a good Catch and Release net will help to increase the chances the fish has to survive, and try to keep the fish in the water while you remove the hook. This will both minimize contact with the fish, and provide it with valuable oxygen that may have been depleted. If you must handle the fish, wet your hands first and try not to squeeze it, a good way to hold the fish is upside down as this will temporarily immobilize it. Never use your fingers to remove hooks always use forceps or pliers to gently remove hooks.

After the battle of getting your fish into your net and the stress of removing the hook, a fish may need some help to recover before it is released. When releasing a fish, try to release it in slow water with the head facing towards the current so that it can regain its strength and equilibrium, this will also help in forcing water through the gills helping to supply fresh oxygen. Never release an exhausted fish until the gills are working normally and the fish gains enough strength to swim away.

As an angler I always limit my catch, and if every angler would play a part in some level of Catch and Release, it would help to ensure a productive fishery for future generations to enjoy.

About the Author

Andy Klynstra is the webmaster for Oil-Net.Com

Short Review on alaska fishing vacations
A Passion for Steelhead by Dec Hogan

Based on what Dec learned in 20 years as a steelheader, 15 years of which he guided nearly 200 hundred days a year. It's classic fly fishing for steelhead from A-Z as he saw, lived and taught it. There is something for everyone. From the rank novice to the most seasoned of veteran. Dec covers basic techniques proven on 1000s of steelhead, selecting the best fly for various river conditions, choosing the right tackle for you, effectively covering different water types, learning to spey cast, practical strategies for finding productive streams. 336 pgs. More... No other game fish stirs the passion of the dedicated steelhead fly fisher as does this big sea-run rainbowwhether rising to intercept a dry fly skated across a September tailout on a high-desert canyon river in Oregon, or taking a deeply swinging wet fly on a swollen springtime river in coastal British Columbia. From his longtime base on Washington State's legendary Skagit River, highly regarded steelhead guide and fly fisher Dec Hogan has done and seen it all. Now he brings together a lifetime of solid steelheading experience to write a book which, if not the last word on the subject, is destined to be an instant classic. A Passion for Steelhead will cover all the basic techniques proven on thousands upon thousands of steelhead successfully hooked, selecting the best fly for various river conditions, choosing the right tackle for you, effectively covering different water types, learning to spey cast, practical strategies for finding productive streams by the season, and a fascinating and highly original look at how steelhead take (or refuse) a fly, based on the author's personal observations of more than 1,000 summer-run steelhead movements during nine intense seasons. The book will be filled with the author's own impressive color photography and illustrated with many beautiful pencil sketches of two-handed casting and steelhead taking the fly. Read Rick Peterson's Review of the book here

Price: 59.95

Zonker, Lead Eye, Gold-Natural

Description for Zonker, Lead Eye Natural Gold is Coming Soon!

Price: 1.25

Zonker, Olive

The Zonker is the classic rabbit streamer. Multiple colors, a minnow-like profile, and realistic flashy underbody make this fly an effective fish catcher in a veriety of situations and water types.

Price: 1.25

The View from Rat Lake by John Grierach

More sage observations on life and fly fishing in 13 essays filled with Gierach’s signature humor. Ranges from fine-leadered trout to brutish battles with pike. Even includes an encounter with an invisible bear. Gierach examines man in nature, nature in man and the high and low comedy that occasionally overcome even the best-planned trip. 5x7 inches 193 pages

Price: 12.00

alaska fishing vacations Items For Viewing
Under Cottonwoods: A Novel of Friendship, Fly Fishing, and Redemption

Under Cottonwoods: A Novel of Friendship, Fly Fishing, and Redemption

Under Cottonwoods is a lyrical novel of two Wyoming friends who are drawn together by their love of fly fishing and the outdoors. Walter is a handsome young man whose face and brain are scarred as a result of a climbing accident that has left him partially paralyzed and mentally diminished. Mike, who lost both of his parents when he was a young teen, is in his own way as handicapped as Walter. Mike seems at first to be the stronger, compassionately lending a hand to an unfortunate friend, but it’s soon clear that each is giving the other something priceless: the insight and courage to challenge the odds, embrace reality, and find a way to flourish and grow. Through quiet times on pristine streams, dangerous times on angry rivers, and the daily grind of a life of diminished expectations, the men grow stronger as their friendship deepens. With Mike’s help, Walter reestablishes a bond with his father and dares to chance romance, while Mike, with Walter’s constant encouragement and astute observations, makes peace with his wife.

Stephen Grace’s exploration of life after tragedy, is a perfect blend of humor and compassion rare in a first--or any--contemporary novel.

Fly Fishing for Striped Bass (Masters on the Fly series)

The average angler can enjoy the sport of fly fishing for the rebounding populations of striped bass as they migrate from the Carolinas to Maine with this practical guide to tackle, casting and retrieving techniques, striper behavior and biology, and habitat-specific fishing tactics. Remarkable close-up and underwater photos of the bass in their natural marine environments, spectacular satellite photos of the coastal waters of New England, and photographs of 33 original fly designs round out the presentation.

Wild Fish Cookbook: Recipes from North America's Top Fishing Lodges

Wild Fish Cookbook: Recipes from North America's Top Fishing Lodges
Recipes from North Americas top fishing resorts and lodges.

For recreational fishing enthusiasts, participants, and foodies, finding ways to prepare, cook, and enjoy the daily catch is a large part of the fun. Since not everyone can always reach the premier waters where rich fishing resources can be found, everyone can have access to those enticing areas with the recipes found in The Wild Fish Cookbook. This unique collection of 80 fully tested freshwater and saltwater fish recipes is culled from the U.S. and Canadas outstanding fishing lodges and resorts, from the Bering Sea to the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic to the Pacific. Keen fishermen and armchair enthusiasts alike will enjoy these recipes which allow home cooks to recreate dishes from some of their favorite fishing locations and top-rated resorts. The recipes will appeal to all skill levels, whether you catch your own or buy from the local market. Recipes include dishes that are grilled, pan fried, baked, broiled, barbequed, poached, stewed, and steamed, as well as casseroles, sauces, marinades, salsas, and other cooking methods that work well with various fish species. 15-20 sidebars (plus various tips throughout) on different topics, ranging from wine pairing to fishing tips, round out this delicious, easy-to-use collection.

This is a unique collection of freshwater and saltwater recipes that provide fishing enthusiasts with the benefits of a fishing resort vacation at home.
This book will delight the fishing & outdoor enthusiasts and food enthusiasts alike.

News about alaska fishing vacations
Inside the Inside Passage - Houston Chronicle

Sat, 17 May 2008 05:36:32 GMT

Inside the Inside Passage
Houston Chronicle, United States - May 16, 2008
Two days later the ferry arrived in Ketchikan, Alaska. This is a fishing port that each year gets 236 inches of rain and 900000 tourists off the cruise ...

State charter businesses frustrated by halibut rule - Juneau Empire (subscription)

Sun, 25 May 2008 14:04:11 GMT

State charter businesses frustrated by halibut rule
Juneau Empire (subscription), AK - May 25, 2008
AP KETCHIKAN - The charter industry is reacting with fear and disappointment to a new rule limiting clients to one halibut a day in Southeast Alaska. ...