“AHHHH!!! You’d never get me in one of those machines”. “Those things don’t glide very well”. “ I’ve had enough time in those contraptions in the army”. “ I got shot down in one of those things”. These phrases and more are what I commonly hear when I travel around selling trips..

In Alaska’s “road less” back country, one must travel by air or boat. Aircraft have the advantage of offering fishing variety and options when the fishing might be slow in one area and hot in another. Most Alaskan fly out lodges utilize float planes. When traveling to Alaska, on a fishing excursion, most anglers visualize stepping off a float plane on a wilderness lake and casting to thousands of salmon. Many Alaskan lodges are located on the large lake systems of Bristol Bay. This area is ideal for float flying, however, float planes need large areas to land, therefore, if there is good fishing, expect to share your waters with other lodges.

Float planes can move larger groups of people quicker than helicopters, therefore the larger fly out lodges handling 12-25 clients usually use larger Canadian built “Beavers” on floats. People often look at photos of my helicopters and say, “ I’d feel much safer in a float plane”. Most of the Beaver float planes were built in the early 50’s…that means they are 60 years old. Their radial engines were designed in the 30’s. Hopefully, the pilots are a little younger than the planes they are flying. Our helicopters are built in the late 80’s and 90’s and are still in production today.

The area surrounding Talaheim Lodge has many large glacier rivers with many clear water rivers tributaries. Our salmon travel up these glacier waters from the sea and into the clear water tributaries to spawn. These clear water streams are from 10-50 miles in length. Talaheim is located midway on one of the best tributaries in the area…the Talachulitna . Like anywhere in Alaska, the salmon feed our local predators…rainbow trout, char, and grayling. These smaller rivers have great angling, but they are too small or don’t have straight stretches long enough for safe landing of float planes. THAT’S WHERE OUR HELICOPTERS SHINE!

Within a 15 mile radius of our lodge, we have a couple hundred miles of gin clear waters rarely visited by other anglers. We simply land on one of these rivers, drop off a couple anglers and guide, return in the early evening for a pick up. Our anglers wade down picking up fish along the way. In some cases on larger streams we use a drift boat to reach the best fishing areas. This is “HELI-FISHING” at its finest. On the return trip to the lodge we often make a stop on a glacier or mountain top for great photo ops…. Something that a float plane can’t offer.

SAFETY….Many people that never experienced helicopter flying are worried about safety. Pilot experience and maintenance is the key factor of any flying or boating machine. Our machines are kept up to commercial standards as we are operating commercially. Myself and my fellow pilots are all mechanics and flight instructors with thousands of hours of flight time.

I feel much safer in helicopters than I do in fixed winged aircraft…I fly and own both. In most cases of all flying machines, a forced landing is due to engine problems. Granted, a airplane glides farther, but they touch down on a glide at 50-80 mph depending on the craft. A helicopter auto rotates and touches down at 0 mph. An airplane needs a long landing area, where as a helicopter can find an area to land almost anywhere…any small clearing. In war time, slow low flying helicopters are easy targets, but I assure you, nobody is shooting at us at Talaheim Lodge. Flying over Alaska in a small helicopter is a panoramic experience like no other. Many of my anglers mention that the flying is the highlight of the trip, the fishing a bonus.

Come join us for a “heli-fishing” experience that you will never forgot. We call it “fishing in Alaska, New Zealand style”.

Scott, Last night Felicia and I passed through a small town in the south island and joined the locals in watching a display of fireworks that was some sort of celebration reflecting back 100 years when some idiot tried to blow up city hall. We ended the evening at an old English style pub talking to many locals….it’s a gold mining town and most of the locals are employed at the local mine.

There was a young girl that Felicia was talking to. She had huge very impressive breasts and was very proud of them. What has this story got to do with fishing in New Zealand? Keep reading….

I had just one chance at fishing fresh water so far. We camped along a medium sized river the other night and I threw a fly for about one hour…nothing. The next morning early I got up and fished about three holes that looked like they held fish. This stream was extremely slippery and New Zealand law does not allow felt bottoms, so I had purchased rubber sandals. Ten minutes on the river I slammed by knee on a rock and then proceeded in wading like a scared old man. I happened to look up and saw a big brown trout giving me the middle fin as he slowly slipped away. I don’t think I had the right flies and I didn’t have any weights to get my wrong flies down. All the stores here close on Saturday and Sundays, besides, we were way out in the middle of the forest.

I returned to the camper van, where I drew some water for Felicia, told her politely to get out of bed, and I would make coffee. I leaned my rod on the camper, she slid the door open and shortened it by about ten inches. End of fishing for the day. I made a repair and now my 7 ½ foot #5 weight is a 6 ½ foot 4.5 weight. Works OK. It’s the skill of the thrower, not the length of the rod.

OK, still what does this letter have to do with a young girl with large beautiful breasts and a shorter rod?

We sometimes travel half way around the world in search of better fishing. New Zealand is without a doubt very beautiful, however, I can tell right now that the fishing is nothing like Alaska. These streams for the most part are gin clear, contain little river like creatures. Our rivers in Alaska are full of life and contain much food that in turn can support lots of trout, char, you name it. Here if I caught a few nice browns in a day, I’d be happy, but before I left home, Frank and I went up river by boat and in a few hours I caught ten rainbow on a mouse…average 18 inches, probably four at 20 or above. We forget what we have at home when we dream about something bigger….I mean different. I have a woman here that might have smaller boobs than the one in the pub, but for some odd reason she loves me and hangs around with me no matter where I find myself on a venture. Boobs and fishing therefore are about similar…I have familiar territory that loves and me and supplies me with abundance, so why think about traveling 6000 miles for something better….OK perhaps a short adventure, but not better.

I do miss home…

Looking back upon my 32nd season as an Alaska lodge owner and fishing guide, I often wonder why this was the path of occupation I’ve chosen. Being a fishing and hunting guide has just been an excuse to be in the wilderness that I love so dearly. Making a living in the wilderness as a lodge owner offers a challenge not found in most occupations.

In the wilderness of Alaska, you cannot just pick up a phone and call a plumber. If you think plumbers are expensive in the city, think about flying one out hundreds of miles in a bush plane, then finding out he forgot the correct part, but of course he came equipped with a #6 Sage and about 100 flies. An Alaskan lodge owner must have knowledge in the following fields: lawyer, medic, diesel mechanic, boat repairmen, welder, physiologist, builder, accountant, pilot, aircraft mechanic, singer/entertainer, writer/salesmen, airport manager, and “excuse expert” when the fishing is slow. …just to name a few.

Many of my clients have asked me what I do in the off season….go fishing all winter in warmer climates? I just want to slap them on the side of the face and fill them in on how all these buildings get built and maintained, how all this equipment, foods, and fuel arrive here. But I contain my distasteful desires and patiently explain that by being a small lodge owner, we must do everything ourselves…being a large lodge owner takes a high paying job in the city so one can make a small fortune in the lodge business out of a large fortune.

After “ice out“, I’ll be working feverously at our lodge repairing the mess that deep snows and low temperatures leave behind. Arriving in town to pick up supplies, I am often asked, “ how’s the fishing”? What!!!! Apparently these questioners haven’t had the opportunity of enjoying the life of a fish guide.

Potential guides asking for employment often leave the same script on their resume, “ I love to fish, fished all my life”, etc, etc….. I’d like to reply that if you love to fish, get a job that earns lots of money and allows you to take much time off to fish. Being a fishing guide is just what it sounds like….you guide. We watch people fish, attempt to make expert anglers out of novice fly casters, and share our loved life in the wilderness with each and every client.

Let’s say I stumble upon a small stream that is teaming with fish. A few casts into its secrets and I discover that this water offers great angling for trout and char the length of a short man’s leg. Wow!!!! What would a normal angler in Alaska do….keep the secret waters to himself. We guides would think of the times we could introduce these waters to clients worldwide. (Ok, we’d keep these waters secret from other guides).

In the fall as the trees turn golden, the temps plummet, and the days darken, marking the end of another season at our lodge. I give thanks that another summer has gone by without injuries. I get a chance to read the letters and emails from clients explaining their trip to Talaheim that was beyond expectations. Sharing our love of sport fishing and the Alaskan wilderness is what this life is all about. Now for a short period of time we can go fishing!