Kardinal_84's 2014 Alaska Season Highlights!

Although I am still hopeful that I will get one more trip in December, I decided to compile my 2014 HIghlight Video when I was down with the flu.

What an amazing year.  2014 will go down in my memory as the “Year of the Halibut”.  Part of this was forced by the King Salmon closure even in the saltwater to conserve the fish spawning in the streams of Cook Inlet.  Fortunately, the feeder kings I targeted this year originate much further south of this area. 

I am not sure if the halibut really were larger or if the more focused effort paid dividends, but the halibut I caught this year in Lower Cook Inlet averaged twice as large as the past several years.  I know of another kayaker who this year managed a 100 plus pound halibut.  That’s the second 100 pound plus halibut I have heard of being caught from a kayak in Cook Inlet over the past several years.

A goal in 2015 is to add to the diversity of my fishing.  I have always fished number one to fill my parent’s and my freezers full of some of the best renewable resource protein you could ever hope to eat.  We eat fish 2 often 3 times per week.  My parents eat it more!  We are lucky to live in Alaska.  However when focusing on Halibut and King Salmon, I often overlook the hundreds if not thousands of opportunities within driving distance. 

Another goal is to get back to Kodiak and try and see if we can find some big kings and maybe a few halibut on the side. I am also looking forward to chasing a few big lingcod and trying out a few more new “super secret projects”...lol. 

Finally, I’m hoping to add another dimension to the videos I present in 2015.  I am not quite sure what exactly that means.  Underwater Videos?  More “How To’s”?  Still open to ideas!!!

It’s not the fanciest video but given it was done on a low end iMac running free software and free royalty-free music its actually amazing what you can do.   

So without any further adieu…  My 2014 Fishing Highlights. It’s 17 minutes long so grab some popcorn and a beer.  It goes in chronological order so you can watch in more manageable chunks if it gets too boring! Thanks everyone for your support!

Good job! I always enjoy watching your videos! 2014 was great! Good luck when you go again.

Well Done!

Very entertaining.  I got to the end of the movie and realized I never even touched my beer and popcorn.   

Nicely done, Rudy.  I got a lot of vicarious fishing via your videos this year -- a thrill during a year when I couldn't wander too far from my responsibilities. Thanks for that, and happy holidays to you and yours.

  Another outstanding video Mr. Tsukada. And a pretty awesome year too. Just curious--- any idea how many halibut and kings you caught this year ? I'm sure it was an incredible number... whatever it was.

  Diversity eh ?..... be careful around Andy. Sounds like he is getting serious about some underwater fishing.
 That could also lead to some different camera angles too.

  Loved the video. Hope you and the family have a very Merry Christmas and of course.. a great 2015.

Wow!  An epic year of kayak fishing!

Kardinal_84, you da man!

Wow, thanks for the video - that was some great halibut fishing! 

You have no idea how much that video pumped me up. That was awesome!

Thanks so much for sharing your fishing pursuits.  Truly EXCELLENT.  I'm learning some halibut "how-to" from your videos (and even some how-NOT-to").

Thanks Everyone! WHAT A KICK A$$ YEAR!!!!!!!  The highlight of the year was the Kodiak trip.  Not because of the big fish, but because I got to fish with folks from this site.  Just good effin times!!!!!!!  Why even bother trying to put in words how much fun that was!!! Definitely going to do it again!!!!!!!!

I've got extra kayaks and I know a few of the other NWKA crowd may have a spare or two as well.  Given a lot of the great kayak fishing is before or after peak tourist season, it's pretty reasonable.  Besides, you won't have to work too hard I am sure convincing any one of us here to go.  Ya gotta come check it out!  Though I'm often jealous at the diversity of fishing available in WA & OR, we don't have it too bad here either! 

I can't wait for 2015 and I hope everyone has a KILLER year as well!!!!!!

Awesome video! Epic pictures! ....and great job on the king!. That was so awesome how you included your family, friends and recognition to your fellow guides/anglers.....Just "SUPER EPIC!!!!!"

  Another outstanding video Mr. Tsukada. And a pretty awesome year too. Just curious--- any idea how many halibut and kings you caught this year ? I'm sure it was an incredible number... whatever it was.

  Diversity eh ?..... be careful around Andy. Sounds like he is getting serious about some underwater fishing.
 That could also lead to some different camera angles too.

  Loved the video. Hope you and the family have a very Merry Christmas and of course.. a great 2015.

Thanks flyguy!

Mark, I had a few others ask so here is the tally.  I need to check my freezers.  I don't think I have that much left but...  Very roughly tallied from looking over my videos.

I kept:

20ish halibut roughly around 550 pounds.  So 275 pounds of fillets.
15ish Kings at roughly 150 pounds whole. These aren't counting the shakers.  they were still small. 
18 silvers roughly 200 pounds.
80 sockeyes (65 dipnetted. 12 rod and reel)

Wow...that's a lot of fish.  Having said that I only kept 3 of the sockeyes and gave the rest to my parents.  Sockeye is like bacon in Japan.  I grew up with a small slice of salted sockeye as one dish of breakfast 95% of the mornings growing up.  They also smoke and jar it and take it over to relatives in Japan.  The silvers I gave to a friend to smoke and got some back...it was awesome!  We must have eaten a lot of the fish already.  I've put a moratorium on giving away halibut to friends and I even bought a case of vacuum packed pacific cod fillets.  Love cod...hate the worms. Ewww...lol.  It also goes pretty fast when people know you can provide seafood for parties.  10 to 20 pounds of fish for the grill is normal.

So I think right now glancing at my freezer I have 100 pounds of Halibut and 35 pounds of king fillets left.  5 months till peak of the season starts...hmmm...should be enough.  Probably a few pounds left over for smoking or canning.

Rudy, I really enjoyed your videos. They inspired me to try harder and much of my success was from the knowledge base you so freely shared with us. Next year I have some goals; bigger fish more fish and I have started doing some research on maybe trying for a Salmon Shark out of Valdez next summer I had caught them on my PB. It would be fun even if I have to cut the line. My mother is 86 so the proxy thing is certainly something I am working on, we eat a lot of fish by choice and health reasons.

Any way Your posts are always followed so a great way/place  to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.  I hope to meet a few more of the NWKA next summer.

Rudy, I really enjoyed your videos. They inspired me to try harder and much of my success was from the knowledge base you so freely shared with us. Next year I have some goals; bigger fish more fish and I have started doing some research on maybe trying for a Salmon Shark out of Valdez next summer I had caught them on my PB. It would be fun even if I have to cut the line. My mother is 86 so the proxy thing is certainly something I am working on, we eat a lot of fish by choice and health reasons.

Any way Your posts are always followed so a great way/place  to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.  I hope to meet a few more of the NWKA next summer.

Thanks Rod!  Merry Christmas to you and your family!!!

I have a line for possible Salmon Sharks out of Kachemak bay.  The only problem is the season is apparently RIGHT NOW! If not this winter, maybe next winter.  I'll certainly let you know if it turns into anything.  I'm going to try it without a powerboat assist though we will likely need a water taxi to get dropped off on shore near Seldovia.  If that is the case, I certainly would not mind another Kayak out there!  Unassisted by powerboat is one thing.  Alone seems borderline suicidal.  Trying ot get as much info as I can and decide whether I can retain the fish (which I want to since I want to eat it!) or if its the silly touch the leader and done rule.  If I decide to eat it, I'll need a snake charmer or other suitable method of dispatch.  I think other than day after day without a strike, he hardest thing is going to be How long of a steel leader can we use effectively out of a kayak.  I want at least 10 feet but that makes landing the fish nearly impossible.  Working out those details.

let's do this!!!!!