GiAnts! - Tim Berg`s Alaskan Fishing
Transcription
GiAnts! - Tim Berg`s Alaskan Fishing
Awarded “Best Fishing Destinations in the World” ...Times Mirror Magazines (see page 4) Join The Action For Reservations and More Information Call Toll Free 1-800-548-3474 www.AlaskanFishing.com timmyberg@yahoo.com L L C GUIDE TO GREAT ALASKAN FISHING • KENAI PENINSULA A l ask a’ Land of the s IN THIS ISSUE Kenai RiverTrophies...............page 3 Derby Winner......................page 5 Resurrection Bay Bonanaza......page 6 New SeaBreeze Lodge............page 7 New SeaScape Lodge.............page 8 Silvers and Sockeyes..............page 9 Rainbow Trout and Fly-Ins.......page 10 Alaska Seafood....................page 12 VOLUME IX OUTSTANDING! INCREDIBLE! UNBELIEVABLE! AWESOME! Giants! INSIDE... These are just some of the words used to describe the legendary fishing found at Alaska’s famed Kenai Peninsula. The waters surrounding this area have established world records for both King Salmon and Giant Pacific Halibut and consistently produce unequaled sport fishing action for King, Silver and Sockeye Salmon. The Kenai River produces more Trophy King Salmon and more world records than any other river in the world. . . and it is here angler’s can set new World Records! How YOU Can Be Part Of The FISHING ACTION The Tia’ Rose, a 40’ super fast catamaran, is just one of Alaskan Fishing Adventures’ vessels taking anglers to waters rarely fished by others. Sportfishing on the Kenai Peninsula continues to exceed every angler’s wildest dreams. Whether you are in search of exciting action for saltwater Kings, acrobatic Silver Salmon, incredible size Halibut, huge Ling Cod, line-breaking Sockeye Salmon, Trophy Rainbow Trout or the wildest and largest King Salmon in the world, we have the trip for you! In fact, most of our guests enjoy fishing for all of these exciting species during a single stay at one of our elegant lodges. Serving discriminating anglers for over three decades and establishing several world records and being recently selected as Alaska’s Best Fishing Destination by Times Mirror Magazines is your assurance of a first-class fishing vacation when you stay with Alaskan Fishing Adventures! 50 lb. Kenai River Kings make every angler’s smile a little bigger. Tim Berg’s Alaskan Fishing Adventures Outdoor Writer Sets New IGFA World Record! (see story on page 2) A pair of Giant Halibut, both in excess of 150 lbs., were caught near Montague Island in June. If you are looking for Big Halibut, we have the trip for you!! It is here angler’s can set new World Records! Trevor Gowdy lifts this mint bright 65 lb. King Salmon during his recent stay. Chris Boyd is dwarfted by this incredible 350 lb.Trophy Halibut that measured 94 inches in length and took 2 hours to bring to the surface. Jim Frailioli nailed this mighty 74 lb. Trophy Lingcod during a trip with his son to Alaska. 1-800-548-3474 www.alaskanfishing.com 1 Outdoor Channel and Versus Visit Alaska Fish the World Salmon Capital Outdoor Channel Visits New Sea Breeze Lodge Mark Davis, host of the Outdoor Channel’s highly acclaimed “Big Water Adventures”, visited Alaskan Fishing Adventures in early June. You don’t want to miss these shows as Mark landed an incredible variety of Alaska’s Toughest Gamefish. Trevor Gowdy, host of ‘Quest for the One”, airing on Versus, had an action packed stay at Tim’s Trophy Lodge. Trevor landed a 74 lb. King Salmon, a 440 lb. Salmon Shark, Trophy Class Ling Cod and Halibut. If you missed these shows.... Call us and we will send you a DVD of Trevor’s Adventures with Alaskan Fishing Adventures. Mark Davis gets a quick photo with a huge 60 lb. Ling Cod during his film shoot in Alaska. We will be happy to send you a DVD featuring Marks Adventures in Alaska. Fuzzy Zoeller (middle) is all smiles as he holds up his 58 lb. Kenai River King salmon during his stay at Tim’s Trophy Lodge. “Tim - Everything you promised you delivered - 110%. This is not a plug but a true fact. If anyone doubts this in any way, have them e-mail me at trevcast@gmail.com or call me at my office at 978-764-3169. I am looking forward to my return trip next season for another round with those brutal Salmon Sharks and a try for a World Record Ling Cod. Tim - Thank you again for making the hard work of filming in the outdoors so enjoyable. It was your untiring preparation and attention to detail that Football legend Larry Csonka (l), Tim Berg (c) and co-host Audrey Bradshaw pose with a King Salmon after a day on the Kasilof River. Larry was at the Trophy Lodge shooting a segment for his award winning series, “North To Alaska”. Tim Berg’s Alaskan Fishing Adventures allowed us to get footage never shot before. All My Best” - Trev Gowdy. 1-800-548-3474 Alaska’s toughest Gamefish is the mighty Salmon Shark. 1st cousin to the Great White Shark, these ferocious predators make spectacular jumps and line-burning runs as they test your stamina and fishing tackle to the max!! www.alaskanfishing.com 2 Kenai River Home of the World’s Largest King Salmon Idaho Angler Lands 89 Lb. King Angler Fred Houtman of Meridian, Idaho, pulled this 89 lb. 4 ounce king salmon from the emerald waters of the Kenai River on July 31st, the very last day of king salmon season. As Yogi would say, “it ain’t over till it’s over”. According to the Department of Fish and Game Records, this is the 9th largest king salmon ever landed. The lucky angler was staying at The Trophy Lodge on the Kenai River. Fred also landed a 309 lb. halibut during his stay at The Grande Alaska Lodge in Seward, another of the Alaskan Fishing Lodges on the Kenai Peninsula. (Below) Huge king salmon are a specialty at Alaskan Fishing Adventures and have been for over 30 years. Tim was one of the original guides to work on the Kenai River. “I started fishing the Kenai River back in 1976. There were only a handful of guides in those days, 6 or 7 at most. A lot of things have changed since then, but one thing you can still count on is that the very largest king salmon on earth are still in the Kenai River. Nowhere else in the world produces big, brawny king salmon like the Kenai River”. - Tim Berg “Nowhere else in the world produces big, brawny king salmon like the Kenai River” Record Smashing Season for Kenai If you want a big trophy size King Salmon for your wall, look no further. The Kenai River is Undisputed as the “very best place in the world” to catch king salmon over 50 pounds. In fact, the 8 largest salmon ever landed have all been pulled from the emerald waters of the mighty Kenai River. “the very largest king salmon on earth are still in the Kenai River” Tim Berg’s Alaskan Fishing Adventures 1-800-548-3474 www.alaskanfishing.com 3 Tim’s Trophy Lodge voted ‘World Class’ A “Top 20 Fishing Destinations in the World” ttentive Service and Culinary Excellence -Times-Mirror Magazines Being included in the “Top 20 Fishing Destinations in the World” is a great honor. It is also a wonderful tribute to the talented team at the Trophy Lodge. Our lodge host, office staff, activity planners and superb culinary personnel make every effort to create an atmosphere of casual pampered elegance. After nearly 30 plus years our commitment remains the same - to provide a top quality fishing experience using only the very best equipment and professional guides combined with lovely accommodations and exceptional service worthy of the most discriminating outdoor enthusiast. Hospitality at the Trophy Lodge comes with a big smile!! Chef Mindy takes great pride in the food service at the lodge and she loves to fish too! The self-service bar and wonderful appetizers, including smoked Alaskan Seafood delicacies await anglers at the Trophy Lodge after an exciting day of fishing The selection as Alaska’s premier destination certainly is an incentive to our entire organization to contiue to work even harder to make your Alaskan Fishing Adventure the vacation of a lifetime! - Tim and Carol Berg Wine Events Afternoon appetizers are a big hit and provides the perfect setting for sharing “the fish story of the day.” Don’t miss one of our incredible wine events each summer! Your Alaskan prepared appetizers and dinners are especially created by our executive and guest chefs and are paired with amazing wines from the Napa Valley Region. Come and enjoy one of these fun filled and informative events! Now this is an Alaskan King Crab Leg! On the banks of the Kenai River Napa Valley’s Executive Chef Bob Hurley speaking at our 3rd Annual Fireweed Festival. Tim Berg’s Alaskan Fishing Adventures 1-800-548-3474 The Trophy Lodge is situated right on the Kenai River, giving our guests access to the massive sockeye salmon run just 50 feet from the lodge dining area. Many evenings anglers will catch their 6 fish limit of acrobatic sockeye salmon after dinner. www.alaskanfishing.com 4 Tim’s BIG Fish Wins SeWARD Derby Giant Fish Wins By Over 140 Pounds! By Joseph Robertia - Peninsula Clarion Tim Berg, owner of Alaskan Fishing Adventures, has seen a lot of halibut caught while guiding fishing charters for the past 31 years, He was amazed by his own catch Tuesday, and even more surprised that he caught it on light tackle. “It’s the biggest fish I’ve ever caught on a salmon rod,” he said, regarding the 319 pound, 9 ounce barndoor he boated “Getting while fishing out of Seward this near the Montague Flats incredible area. This unforgettable fish on light day began much like many others, except Berg had tackle was decided to spend time my biggest fishing rather than guiding accomplishment as a result of having some ever” friends up from California. They were aboard Tim’s boat, the Grande Alaska. “I don’t get to go out much, so I took the day off and we all headed out of Seward at 6 a.m.,” Berg said. “We put our lines in the water; I decided to drop a salmon rod over the side,” he said. Berg realized almost immediately that sometimes it pays off to be the odd man out. “As soon as I hit the bottom I got something,” he said, but Berg wasn’t sure what that something was. As he pulled up on the line the rod bent like a horseshoe, but he didn’t seem to move the unidentified item. “Everyone else thought it was a snag, but I thought it was a fish, and then it started making runs and we all knew it was a fish.” Maybe it was a skate or maybe it was a halibut. Berg wasn’t sure so he decided to bring it up cautiously either way. “I couldn’t put pressure on the fish. I had a 10 1/2’ rod with a new Penn Torque 200 reel, with 40 pound test that was doubled over the whole time. And with a light leader and a tiny hook, I didn’t know if I’d be able to do it. I just brought it up three to four inches at a time,” he said. Berg fought the fish for 41 minutes and said it helped that the massive creature never made runs of more than 5 to 10 yards. As Berg brought the behemoth up to a viewable level, all on board knew it was a big halibut and not a stingray. “No one thought it was going to be as big as it was, but as soon as we could see it and see it was a halibut, we all started scrambling,” he said. The Tim Berg, left, Capt. Mike Schmahl and deckhand Brian Erickson attempt to hold up a 319 pound, 9 ounce halibut caught by Berg on fish was dispatched and all 88 inches were Tuesday, June 24th, while fishing out of Seward near the Montague brought on board with some heave-hoes from Flats area aboard the vessel the Grande Alaska! Berg and others. As much as it seemed his halibut was the catch of a lifetime, Berg said he actu- plishment ever,” he said. Since Berg’s fish weighed ally had caught an even bigger barndoor in the past, more than the minimum of 250 pounds, he is eligible but the experience didn’t compare to taking this most to receive a trophy fish certificate through the Alaska recent fish on light tackle. “I caught a 360-pounder Department of Fish and Game’s Trophy Fish program. in the 80’s, but that was on halibut gear. Getting this His halibut also makes him a favorite to win the 2008 incredible fish on light tackle was my biggest accomSeward Halibut Tournament. Monsters of Montague The month of June catches the “Big Flatties” Happy anglers with huge catches of incredible halibut taken from the shallow waters surrounding Montague Island. June continues to be the “Very Best Month” for Anglers looking for Big Flatties!! Tim Berg’s Alaskan Fishing Adventures 1-800-548-3474 www.alaskanfishing.com 5 Ling Cod Fishery Ling Cod Fishery On Fire ON FIRE! Ling Cod Alaska’s Top Gamefish Guests of Alaskan Fishing Adventures just can’t say enough about the excitement they experience while fishing for the explosive Ling Cod. Best fishing is found while drifting the offshore reefs and rockpiles in 80’ - 140’ of water. One of the most popular techniques is jigging both metal jigs or lead-head jigs with soft plastic bodies. The bone-crunching strikes delivered by these aggressive predators while jigging light tackle sets this fishery apart from others. It makes this a must do for all anglers during their trip to Alaska. “Ling Cod have to be considered as Alaska’s Top Gamefish when you consider the bone-smashing strike, electrifying runs and the super aggressive nature of these crocodile-like Predators. Keith Farnham (right) lifts a huge 71 lb. Ling that hit a lead head jig. - Penn Tackle Pro-Staffer Mark Davis Outdoor writer, Dave Vedder, with his 62 lb. 10 oz. I.G.F.A World Record catch on 16 lb. test line. Trevor Gowdy (left) with a brawny 66 pound Ling Cod he landed during his most recent film shoot for “Quest For The One”. In Search of the New World Record Reknown Outdoor writer, Dave Vedder, on assignment with Saltwater Sportsman Magazine, ventures North to Alaska in search of a World Record Ling Cod. “I have been trying to set a World Record on Ling Cod for almost two decades,” exclaimed Dave after the official weigh-in put his mammoth fish nearly 5 lbs. heavier than the existing record. Dave was fishing onboard the vessel “Solo” in just 90’ of water when the big fish hit. Dave and his group fished in Seward for two days in search of this new World Record catch!! Arizona Angler, Paul Wyatt, with a pending Record Class Ling Cod. Paul’s big fish took a metal jig and tipped the scales at 77 lbs. Fishing for different species is every Saltwater Angler’s Dream! Multiple Species Trips!! Expect Hot Action battling giant halibut, ling cod, salmon, rockfish and more each day while fishing the protected waters of Seward. Fishing these waters for a combination of different species is every Saltwater Angler’s Dream! Carol Rizzo with his State of Alaska Record Book 24 lb. 9 oz. Yellow Eye! Tim Berg’s Alaskan Fishing Adventures 1-800-548-3474 www.alaskanfishing.com 6 SeaBreeze Lodge Has it All! Accomodations Luxurious and Incredible Views The New Luxurious SeaBreeze Lodge overlooks the awe-inspiring Cook Inlet with the rugged Alaska Range in the background. The view from this property is magical. It makes this the perfect location to relax and unwind after an adventure filled day exploring Alaska. Listen to the waves breaking on the beach as you enjoy a glass of wine with wonderful appetizers as your chef prepares an unforgettable dinner. Limited to just 8 guests, The SeaBreeze Lodge is perfect for couples or small groups looking for an intimate setting. With just four beautifully decorated guest rooms, all with private baths, this lodge was designed with the most discriminating traveler The guest rooms offer a sensational view of Cook Inlet. Some with your own private deck! in mind. Your stay includes a full breakfast, a take along lunch sure to please, late afternoon appetizers, beverages and a nightly gourmet dinner service. The SeaBreeze Lodge offers satellite TV, cell service and Wi-Fi throughout the lodge. The SeaBreeze Lodge has it all! Relax and enjoy a glass of wine on our outdoor decks which overlook the Cook Inlet and the towering mountains of the Alaska Range in the distance. The Great Room has a commanding view of the entire Cook Inlet. 20 foot high ceilings and grand windows bring the true feeling and spirit of Alaska inside this incredible room. Fine art and artifacts from throughout Alaska are tastefully on display at the SeaBreeze Lodge. Comfortable seating, Satellite TV with surroundsound, huge granite counter tops, wet bars and spacious decks exists. Dinner service each evening is a culinary masterpiece Tim Berg’s Alaskan Fishing Adventures 1-800-548-3474 www.alaskanfishing.com 7 SeaScape Lodge uperb Upscale S Ocean-front Accommodations The SeaScape Lodge captures the true beauty of Alaska’s coastline. Situated on a bluff overlooking the pristine waters of Cook Inlet, this location offers our guests an awe-inspiring experience. Just outside the The lodge decks are a favorite place to relax, read a book or enjoy your favorite lodge, the waves crash on beverage after a great day of fishing. the beach as they have for a million years as you relax in pampered surroundRange. With 20 plus hours of daylight, the sun will ings. The waters before you are home to 10 million barely set tonight. Welcome to Alaska! Welcome To salmon annually. In the distance you view the three The Great Land!! towering volcanoes that are part of the mighty Alaska Seven beautifully appointed guest rooms, some with spectacular ocean vistas, offer comfortable elegance. All rooms have their own private bathrooms. Modern comfort and spectacular vistas Guest rooms at the SeaScape Lodge offer guests wonderful vistas from many different directions and a trail from the lodge leads to the beach. The lodge has a total of 7 guest rooms and 8 bathrooms. Modern comfortable furnishings, plus marble and granite, compliment the fashionable décor found throughout this beautiful lodge. Welcome To Alaska! Welcome To The Great Land! Breakfast, a packed lunch and an aray of late afternoon appetizers and beverages are included. A good selection of local restaurants are located within a short driving distance of the lodge for your dinner dining experience. Tim Berg’s Alaskan Fishing Adventures 1-800-548-3474 www.alaskanfishing.com 8 Late Summer Action Continues Kasilof Salmon Action Sizzles The Kasilof River, long recognized for its outstanding action for King Salmon, produced nice limits of silver bright Coho Salmon this past season. This shallow, glacier-fed river which is located eleven miles from its big brother, the Kenai River, is perfect for MacKenzie-style drift boats. No motors are used here, as the water level is just too low. “That’s part of the attraction of the Kasilof River,” explained veteran guide Mike Price. “To fish this river you have to get on the oars. The only noise you hear are the oars creaking, the loons calling and the fish splashing,” continued Mike who has guided for Alaskan Fishing Adventures for 12 years. Big Bright Silvers begin showing up on the Kasi- strong through August. Come, get in on the acrobatlof River by the end of July and the run continues ic action all while enjoying the beauty of Alaska! Sockeye and Silvers Flood Kenai down to our private dock where you can wet a line and catch a limit of Sockeyes! If you want to double your Alaskan Fishing Adventure, plan your stay during the first part of August and enjoy a limit of Silvers and Sockeyes! Silver Salmon continue to be a big hit for action fishing on the Kenai River. The season starts heating up the first of August and continues well into early Fall. Our weather during this time of summer is excellent; mild temperatures and not much rain. As a bonus you can also enjoy fishing the annual migration of Sockeye Salmon which begins somewhere around the middle of June and continues through August. Some guests stay at the Trophy Lodge which is located on the banks of the famous Kenai River. At this lodge you’re just a short walk Sockeyes ranging from 8-12 lbs. are perfect for anglers of all ages! Tim Berg’s Alaskan Fishing Adventures Drift Boat Fishing Tough to Beat! Drift boat fishing on the Kasilof River has never been better. The Kasilof River is the “little brother” to the mighty Kenai River, which is located just 11 miles away. Healthy runs of Kings, Silvers and Sockeye Salmon make this fishery tough to beat!! Tips for Fishing Sockeye Salmon The preferred method is to use flies or special beads which the sockeyes have a hard time resisting. Fully-rigged rods are provided on the Trophy Lodge dock. The ideal rod is a medium action 8’ rod matched with a level-wind reel filled with at least 150 yards of 25 lb. test. A 2/0 or 3/0 quality hook rigged on a 32 inch leader is ideal. Put your pencil lead (just enough to bounce bottom) just ahead of the leader and you are all set. A roll cast just upstream and you are in business. The fishing can be extremely fast and furious when a large school is moving past the dock. Sockeye fishing is great for rod-toters of all ages. Large bright Silver Salmon are abundant in the Kenai River beginning in August. Silvers are the most acrobatic of all the salmon species and provide terrific action and BIG smiles for all anglers! 1-800-548-3474 www.alaskanfishing.com 9 Wild Native Rainbow Trout Premier Trout Fishing For the fisherman who prefers the challenge of wild, native, rainbow trout, the upper headwaters of the Kenai River is considered by many to be one of the premier trout fishing streams in Alaska. Native rainbows in the six to ten pound range are not uncommon and each year world-class fish in the eighteen to twenty pound range are landed and released. We adhere to a strict catch and release policy in order to preserve this unique fishery. Trophy size Dolly Varden (Arctic Char) as well as Sockeye Salmon are plentiful throughout this region. Fly-Out Adventures The vastness of Alaska is hard to image for people unfamiliar with our state. One of the best ways to explore this great land is by taking a flight on one of Alaska’s “Bush Planes.” Alaskan Fishing Adventures offers fully-guided daily fly-out trips to remote rivers, streams and lakes for our guests who are looking for exciting action and breath-taking scenery. We also have wildlife sight-seeing tours available during which you can expect to see moose, bear, caribou, dall sheep, mountain goats, and more! Our fly-out trips offer anglers an even larger variety of gamefish. Be sure to ask us about all of your options when planning your Alaskan Adventure. Float Plane Paradise Alaska’s endless waterways create an ideal situation for airborne anglers. Our fly-out trips have become extremely popular for anglers seeking top action for both sockeye and silver salmon. Grayling, char, rainbows and king salmon are available as well. The exact destination varies every day, depending on the species and the location of the largest schools of fish. Outstanding scenery and bear viewing combined with excellent fishing make a flyout trip an absolute must during your stay! “Dear Tim, We had an outstanding stay at your new SeaBreeze Lodge which greatly exceeded our expectations. Every day was a new and exciting adventure. Your lodge staff, chefs, guides all excelled. Every detail was taken care of for us. A week was just not long enough! Thanks To All!” - Sandy Michaels Tim Berg’s Alaskan Fishing Adventures 1-800-548-3474 www.alaskanfishing.com 10 Homer, Alaska Home of the HUGE Halibut Halibut, Kings, Lings Cod and more! Homer has long been recognized for it’s incredible halibut fishing. Anglers land more halibut here than any other seaport in the world. For good reason..... Homer is located right in the middle of the very richest tidal Marine Fishery in North America, producing huge schools of bountiful bait that hungry halibut feed on. Generous bag limits make both Homer and Seward popular choices for our anglers looking to fill their freezers. Two Halibut, two Ling Cod, four Rockfish and up to six Salmon per day!! Big racks of brawny halibut are brought in each day. Lucky anglers pose beside their catches that are soon to be filleted, packaged and frozen. Mint bright feeder kings are abundant in Homer. Bill Walters holds up a feisty 31 pound king he landed using cut plug herring. Huge schools of king salmon, silver salmon, ling cod and many varieities of rockfish also inhabit these waters in huge abundance, creating a virtual fishermans paradise. The GrandeAlaska New Location on the Homer Spit! The Grande Alaska, Homer’s fastest Charter Vessel, will get you to the halibut grounds in record time, allowing you more time to fish these incredible waters. Tim Berg’s Alaskan Fishing Adventures 1-800-548-3474 www.alaskanfishing.com Our new Homer Charter Office is located right on the Homer Spit, across from the Salty Dawg Saloon. 11 Wild Alaskan Seafood Delivered Overnight to Your Door! Call Toll Free and Order Fresh Alaska Seafood 360 Days a Year! Yukon King Salmon Being unloaded from our Stateof-the-Art Smokehouse. We use real local alder... not liquid smoke. We feature the very finest Wild seafood from the icy waters of the Gulf of Alaska. These products are brought Troll Caught White King Salmon A gourmet delight - very delicate flavor! from the local fisherman, processed and shipped to restaurants and households throughout the U.S. FREE Delivery Coast to Coast Via Fed-Ex Overnight Express Service (Minimm 8 lb. orders) Colossal “Dry” Sea Scallops Colossal says it all... only 8-10 per lb. These are the very finest available. No moisture has been added! Colossal Alaska King Crab Legs!! These are the World’s Very Largest Legs... most legs weigh nearly a pound each!! Holiday gift packs Fresh Kalgin Island King Salmon being processed in 1 lb. vacuum sealed pouches, locking in all the freshness! These fish are processed within hours of being caught. You just cannot find a fresher product unless you catch it yourself! Just a phone call away. Overnight Fed-Ex shipping is included!* The Gourmet’s Choice Fresh halibut, sockeye, coho and king salmon.. we have it all!! Order Fresh, Wild, Alaska Seafood Direct From The Source... 360 days a year!! Toll Free 866-262-8846 FREE Shipping www.Great-Alaska-Seafood.com