Alaska/Canada/US '24

On Tuesday, the group had a kayaking trip planned on a glacier lake, but I yearned for one more Alaskan adventure before leaving the coast. Valdez is famous for its fishing, and Robe Lake was just a 2-mile hike from our cabin. I decided to take a chance and hike to the lake for a last fishing expedition instead of joining the group. It's one of those 50 / 50 decisions. Did I make the right call.

The morning began with a cautious walk down a misty road, surrounded by dense undergrowth - the bears roam the river area in search of food. How I missed Roga, my trusted advance radar specialist on hikes like this😪.

Fortunately, I arrived at Robe Lake without incident, but I was surprised to find I was the only person there - except for an empty pickup truck and a distant figure "mowing" the grass in the lake with a boat.
I wasn't sure where to start, but logic led me to a small intake from a mountain stream. This could be the place. To my surprise, I spotted salmon drifting towards the inflow and knew I'd found the perfect spot. Cast after cast resulted in zero bites, and I changed tackle multiple times. Then, suddenly💥 , I hooked my first salmon! The 6-weight rod was light, and this salmon was ready for a fight. After a few seconds, the line went dead. The line had snapped....

Thirty minutes later, I landed a Chum salmon. A local drove past, saw the commotion, and came to say hi. What I didn't realize was that I was on the wrong side of the road, and the salmon had to be released. He offered to take me to the hatchery near Valdez where Salmon can be harvested, but after seeing thousands of fish dying or decaying, I decided it wasn't the experience I wanted as my last Alaska memory.

So, I decided to walk the 5 miles back to Robe Lake. Along the way, I spotted a creek on Google Earth that could be a shortcut. Out came the bear spray, and I started the climb. What I saw next blew my mind - hundreds of wild salmon trying to get up the creek. It was insane and suddenly, the 2-hour slog in my waders next to the highway was worth the pain.

Back at Robe Lake, now on the right side of the road, the hunt was back on. My new attempts to catch a last salmon were rewarded with a decent fish, but nothing special. So, the decision was catch and release. Then, I saw it.... a Sockeye salmon flashing its bright red colors for mating. I knew it was mine. The strike was strong, and I prayed the rod and line would hold. After a 10-minute gentle but firm tug-of-war, I landed the salmon. This one was not going to get away. That evening, the tour group enjoyed some fresh salmon, straight from the river to the fire. 🥰

For me, the stars aligned. There are still three days in McCarthy, but I'm happy to close the chapter on my first fishing trip in Alaska.Read more