Whittier, AK March 27

Took the newly modified yak out for the first time.  It was blowing 13mph with gusts to 30 when I arrived but it was supposed to calm down so I waited and it couldn't have been 30 minutes later when the sun comes out and the winds die down.  Sometimes it just works out. Ususally its calm in the morning and windy in the afternoon.

Stayed close to the launch given the wind conditions and the modifications.  Spent about 3 hours fishing.  Caught a flounder and a copper rockfish.  Yak worked as expected.  Getting some water inside from one of the rod holders.  Not enough for concern.  Pirhanamax 160 depth finder seemed to work fine using the thru hull install to 450 ft then started to lose a bit of the signal.  Didn't paddle anywhere that was over that depth. 

Here's a video I threw together quickly.  Its pretty choppy where I sped things up.  I made it to show some friends the "Whittier experience" going through the longest highway railroad tunnel in the US...one lane of it...

Definitely need to work on camera angles and overall ability to paddle the dang kayak.  Rusty!

Apologies in advance about the video quality but you can at least get an idea of my "home waters".  Hour from door to launch...if you can catch the tunnel openings just right.

The best part of the trip is I actually got out on the Ocean in my own boat in March for the first time ever!  I've lived here since 1971! Love these yaks!

Link:

Awesome report!!  That's a pretty sweet video for "...threw together quickly."

LOVE the scenic shots!  Looking forward to more reports!

Nice!  That place is beautiful!!!  Thanks for sharing the trip with us.  I can't wait to see your Salmon and Halibut reports.

-Spot-

Great report.Looks beautiful, and a bit chilly!

Thanks for posting your report.  Great scenery.  What's you average water temp there?

For some reason I always thought fish in Alaska were bigger, maybe Texas sized!!!

Thanks for posting your report.  Great scenery.  What's you average water temp there?

For some reason I always thought fish in Alaska were bigger, maybe Texas sized!!!

Hey now!  It made "a" good sandwich! lol.  Yes and no about the bigger fish.  Cohos are MUCH bigger it seems in WA and OR.  Steelhead are tiny here in southcentral Alaska.  It really seems like you have to get away from the ports to get into larger fish these days in southcentral Alaska. 

Water temp in my thru hull was 39 deg.

It's one of those historic shots, but I need another one of these soon! We have a few decent fish...though sadly it seems fewer and fewer.
Oh yeah, my grandmother is 6ft tall...yeah I wish!

Great video. I really need to make it up to AK.

Nice job, love the video! Looks like you did a great job of rigging your yak.  Looking forward to more!

Water in Puget Sound not much warmer---was out this morning, the water temp was 44.2

  Good stuff!

Brian,
You goign back up to Howard this summer?

kardinal_84 - give me a hollar if you have a chance to head down into SE.  I have a beat up old Hobie Adventure you can take for a spin, and maybe we could get some fishin' in too.

Brian,
You goign back up to Howard this summer?

Hell, ya!  It's all set. Other than being totally buried in house, school and work projects, I have only one other hurdle at the SCCA to leap, but that won't be a problem.  Everything will go according to plan.  Period.

I'm hoping to be able to have time to go North at the end of the season and visit some friends in Juneau, Anchorage and up near Fairbanks.

kardinal_84 - give me a hollar if you have a chance to head down into SE.  I have a beat up old Hobie Adventure you can take for a spin, and maybe we could get some fishin' in too.

Brian,
You goign back up to Howard this summer?

Hell, ya!  It's all set. Other than being totally buried in house, school and work projects, I have only one other hurdle at the SCCA to leap, but that won't be a problem.  Everything will go according to plan.  Period.

I'm hoping to be able to have time to go North at the end of the season and visit some friends in Juneau, Anchorage and up near Fairbanks.

Sure will! Thanks. Southeast has got to be the place to be. Hopefully I can make it soon.