Mike and I are back in Alaska getting our boats ready for the upcoming fishing season. Jimmy had just flown up to "help" us get the boats and gear ready.
"Tough job, but someone has to do it," Jimmy told me with a beaming smile as we drove from the airport to my condo.
"It sure is good of you to drop all that easy work in the lower 48's to help with this ugly, hard, no fun job of shaking out the boat and reels!" I responded with a smirk on my face.
We both will do such miserable things for each other in the name of friendship.
Why, years ago I "had" to fly to the Virgin Islands to help Jimmy with some construction work he had down there. Once I arrived in the Islands I found that through some strange happening my swimming trunks and snorkel items has mysteriously appeared in my luggage.
"Shoot," Jimmy consoled, "don't want to waste those poor airlines peoples efforts lifting that stuff in your luggage... Let's go diving!" Many lobsters later we felt like we had justified the efforts. I think we even managed some construction as well.
Jimmy's Halibut rod was bending but not under the weight of some monster halibut, but rather something strange, like maybe an octopus.
Mike and I had to laugh. We have watched way too many rod tips through the years. When you start calling the type of fish on the hook 500 feet below just by the wiggle of the bite on the rod tip, you know it's probably time for an occupation change.
We had both guessed this as an octopus. The bite had pulled down hard. "reel, reel, reel," we had cheered Jimmy as he bowed under the effort. As soon as the "fish" got off the bottom there was not the smallest wiggle.
"Must have got off," Jimmy said while dropping the bait to the bottom.
The instant the bait hit the bottom the rod bowed in a big pull. No little wiggles, just a very hard pull to the bottom.
The tug-a-war went for a few times before Mike and I decided he had an "Octo" on his hook.
"Reel it all the way in this time," I said.
We had the net ready as Jimmy's bait approached the surface. Octopus are known for hanging onto the bait until they break the surface. They will then let go and drift back out of sight. Mike and I have both tried grabbing them by hand and they will get just one tentacle on the side of the boat and quickly pull out of your hand and scurry under the bottom of the boat. You can't manage a good enough grip to pull him off the boat.
A net is the only way.
Sure enough, dark orange greeted us as Jimmy's bait neared the surface. I had the net ready as Mike grabbed for the octo.
Mike swung the small octo on board and we all laughed and high-fived. I think it was more of Mike and I calling the difficult bite more than the catch.
Jimmy had to struggle to hold the octopus for some pictures, as it just seems to shrink right out of your hands and slither across the deck and into any hole it could find. They are the Houdini's of the ocean, for sure. Suction cups plastered his rain pants as he determined to hold it out for a good photo. We all got a good laugh.
Jimmy was forced to try out some of my new salmon reels as well.
"I see fish at 140 feet," I shouted out the door of the boat to Mike. He raced to the downrigger and quickly dropped the line to that depth. It had no sooner gotten down then the line snapped out of the down rigger clip.
"Fish on!" Mike yelled to Jimmy.
Jim raced to the rod and began the task of fighting in a big King Salmon. He worked hard trying to make this look like work... almost convinced Mike and I... almost.
The Kings were stacked in a little area near Cape Edgecumbe and we circled the school time after time. Mike and I were able to catch three kings each and Jimmy, as a non-resident, was able to catch two a day.
It took us a couple hours each day to limit on salmon and then we raced out to our halibut spots to see where the halibut were staged.
Mike and I like to do these pre-season trips to get a feel for where the fish are before paying clients arrive in a week. Jimmy likes to do these pre-season scouting trips with us as well... hmmm...
We had a great week getting the boat and engines in top working condition. We did have to stop and bleed the steering systems, change fuel filters, do some battery maintenance, but among friends early in the year, it is just pauses in a day of fun times.
The weather was some of the most beautiful one can have in South East Alaska. Bright sunny sky's and calm ocean. It just seemed almost too perfect.
We talk much of making sure we do things we enjoy with family and friends. Life is very fragile. There are no guarantees of tomorrow. While we have health, and the opportunities, we need to take advantage of each moment in time we can.
I feel this whole world system is winding down quickly. So many laws, rules, regulations... so many freedoms being taken away by those in charge.
We need to live life while we can. Not just breathe air, but live life. Go fishing, hunting, camping, or just driving. I feel like these are the areas of life that can be taken away at any time. I doubt the freedom of watching TV or sitting inside your home will every be frowned upon. It seems the big crunch is going to come in the outdoors.
I am so thankful that Jimmy's wife, Kristi, encouraged him to come and spend a week with me. These are the times we have logged into our memory banks forever. Our photo's will hang on our walls probably until we pass on and the "kids" have to find a box for them.
I'm not sure if his wall will include a photo of an octopus, but it sure will make this blog!
Well done Jimmy!
