SHARK!!

There's one fish/beast that has not seen my kayak setup and this is the year to make it happen. I need help finding a good shark hole. The last 2 years I have struck out in Valdez. It would be awesome to find that a places that doesn't take a day to get to but I'm up for anything. Its an open invite if someone wants to go catch one with me.

I caught a spiny dogfish off the Kenai beach just south of the mouth. It's real muddy there, lots of sharks.

A fellow kayaker saw a big salmon shark off WG last week. The salmon shark population spiked in 2007 and is no longer anywhere near the fishery it once was. You can see it in the by catch data. They just aren't there like they used to be.

I think any mass concentration of fish could see a chance. Reds in the inlet. Pinks in Valdez. Etc.

I'm going to gear up for a an attempt during the commercial pot cod fishery in K-bay.  Unfortunately that's in January. But I think I have a good line to where they can be found. Open ocean fishing in Alaska off kayaks ...for big sharks....in January.   Seems a little daunting but why not try?

I might have to try the mouth of Kenai on Friday. There shouldn't be too many people down there right?? where would be the best place to launch?

Open Ocean shark fishing in January... Now that's what I'm talking about! I need to upgrade to a warmer dry suit.

A fellow kayaker saw a big salmon shark off WG last week.

Care to provide more details?  Is it something that was caught, or do salmon sharks breach the surface? 

I am going to try to get one this year, I think I have a willing support boat. We just need to find a high odds contact area. Rudy is right they are most likely around any major salmon congregation. Maybe some bloody chum out of WG. I am also trying to figure out what to use to subdue one once up to the kayak. I have been looking for a snake charmer but apparently they are harder to find than sharks. Maybe a bangstick, the are pretty easy to get. I have a nickel plated S&W .44 mag that I used on them when I lived in Valdez but don't want to chance losing that revolver in a kayak if the ride gets bumpy.

I have seen them leave the water in an pretty awesome breech.

I am going to try to get one this year, I think I have a willing support boat. We just need to find a high odds contact area. Rudy is right they are most likely around any major salmon congregation. Maybe some bloody chum out of WG. I am also trying to figure out what to use to subdue one once up to the kayak. I have been looking for a snake charmer but apparently they are harder to find than sharks. Maybe a bangstick, the are pretty easy to get. I have a nickel plated S&W .44 mag that I used on them when I lived in Valdez but don't want to chance losing that revolver in a kayak if the ride gets bumpy.

Bang stick.  It's what we used on our sharks.

-Allen

A fellow kayaker saw a big salmon shark off WG last week.

Care to provide more details?  Is it something that was caught, or do salmon sharks breach the surface?

It was with michilutiiq and his wife Uuqutiiq last weekend. All I know is that it came up on her and she saw it swimming around on the surface for a little bit. 

I may keep a scarred up dipnetted personal use fish which I think you can use for bait and troll it around for a little bit.  Then when I get bored of that, I'll cut it up for halibut bait. 

The January fishing in K-Bay is an opportunity.  Closer to Seldovia than Homer but it can be done.  I've ben talking to Josh about setting it up next winter.  He runs the charters I think from January through March. 

I might have to try the mouth of Kenai on Friday. There shouldn't be too many people down there right?? where would be the best place to launch?

Open Ocean shark fishing in January... Now that's what I'm talking about! I need to upgrade to a warmer dry suit.

I think there will be a zillion people.  I would be amazed if you could find anywhere to launch even remotely close to the beaches unless you put up with the dipnetters.  You can catch Spiny dogfish sharks off the mouth as well as halibut and P-cod. 

Here's a camera (does not work for me in chrome):  http://www.ci.kenai.ak.us/camera1

Thanks for the update. I'm going to fight the early morning dip netters for a spot at the mouth. I'm going to start saving up for cold weather gear. Hopefully I can do it by January. 

I'm going to start saving up for cold weather gear. Hopefully I can do it by January.

If only I could convince the Air Force that I needed kokatat drysuits for my line of work...the plus side is I do have some awesome arctic survival gear(which will come in handy when I go for training in Fairbanks: 4 days sleeping outside in January with one can of spagettios, and my sleeping bag). 

I'm going to start saving up for cold weather gear. Hopefully I can do it by January.

If only I could convince the Air Force that I needed kokatat drysuits for my line of work...the plus side is I do have some awesome arctic survival gear(which will come in handy when I go for training in Fairbanks: 4 days sleeping outside in January with one can of spagettios, and my sleeping bag).

poopie suits are already in the federal logistics supply system. Actually there are many different types such as for aviation and rescue swimmers. I think they are all made by Mustang though. That was what (and how) I got the first dry suit I owned back in the 80's. It just depends on your who you know.

I'm going to start saving up for cold weather gear. Hopefully I can do it by January.

If only I could convince the Air Force that I needed kokatat drysuits for my line of work...the plus side is I do have some awesome arctic survival gear(which will come in handy when I go for training in Fairbanks: 4 days sleeping outside in January with one can of spagettios, and my sleeping bag).

Same here I just sent an email to LRS saying it's going to rain soon and my office is cold so a Kokatat drysuit is needed ASAP. Hopefully 1 of the 3 guys I know gets the email and helps.

A fellow kayaker saw a big salmon shark off WG last week.

Care to provide more details?  Is it something that was caught, or do salmon sharks breach the surface?

Salmon sharks will most definitely breach the surface!  It's quite the sight when you have an area of actively feeding salmon sharks.  It's one of those sights that is burned into your brain forever.

-Allen