If I could be trapped in a cabin in the woods for 3 months in a blizzard, I’d love it. As long as I had groceries. And running water. And internet service. And cupcakes. And a hot tub. And a…

See the original article at TheHuntersWife.net

by Deneki Outdoors

Pretty cool, actually. Photo: Cameron Miller

True, not many anglers head to Alaska specifically to target pink salmon. That’s OK though – we still think they’re pretty awesome fish. Here’s why.

1. Every other year there are billions of them. OK, not billions, but on even-numbered years on the Kanektok, our pink numbers are very, very large.
2. They eat poppers. Find ‘em where they’re fresh, and they’re more than happy to eat surface flies, and surface flies for salmon are cool.
3. They’re a ton of fun on a 6 weight. It may not be a big-game experience, but fishing a lighter-weight rod can be a nice break when you’ve spent most of your week pulling on the big boys.
4. They make a great shore lunch. Pinks don’t keep well in your freezer over the winter, but on the bank of the river, just minutes from swimming, they’re awfully delicious.
5. They’re great for kids. We love hosting family groups, and pinks are ‘friends of the family’! Easy to hook and fun to fight, but not too heavy or powerful…perfect.
6. Their metamorphosis is pretty amazing. All salmon change physically when they enter fresh water, but a pink’s Jekyll and Hyde transition from silver and slender to pink, toothy and humpbacked is just a neat natural thing to witness.

See the original article at GotHunts.com

There are so many opportunities to view wildlife in the Magic Valley.  I’ve really enjoyed these wildlife viewing opportunities this winter.  I hope you enjoy this picture of a mature and immature bald eagle that I saw in a field  this weekend.  It is always a thrill to watch bald eagles within the striking contrast of the black ond white on the mature eagles. Click to see pic. Watch for more area wildlife pictures.

See the original article at SilverSageRealty.com

by Deneki Outdoors

He’s not up there just for fun. Photo: Andros South Staff

These days, pretty much any modern skiff you see on the flats is going to have a poling platform on its stern. Why is that?

• The extra height of the platform gives your guide (or if you’re really lucky, your Significant Other) better visibility, a 360 degree view and less glare at short and long distances. If you’ve never done it, climb up onto a boat’s poling platform some day when you’re out on the flats – it’s amazing how much better you can see. Hot tip: bring your camera!
• This is a little less obvious, but from up on the platform, the person with the pole in their hands has a much easier time preventing impact between the push pole and anglers, fly rods and/or boat decks.
• The leverage gained from standing up high makes it a lot less tiring to pole from a platform.
• On places like South Andros where there’s often fish-holding structure up in the mangroves, the 3′ elevation gain may give you the angle to look beyond the mangroves and see backwater lakes and ponds where bones may be lurking.

Poling platforms are used in conjunction with push poles that typically range in length from 16′ to 22′. Although there are still some places where nothing more than a stick acts as a push pole, at Andros South and other places with modern equipment, the push pole is generally made out of glass or carbon fiber, and has a pointed end for hard-bottomed flats and a forked end for soft-bottomed flats.

True, you can find vintage photos of boats being poled on the flats with no platforms (even backwards!), but the poling platform is one modern convenience that we wouldn’t do without.

Fish the Flats.

See the original article at GotHunts.com