Sam And Saundra’s Year Long Adventure – Part 143

 Alaska

7/2/09 – 7/7/09 – Glennallen, Alaska – Surrounding Area

Small lakes.  We begin our search for the best lake on which to use our fold-a-boat.  We go back near Lake Louise and as we take the boat down from the top of Brutus, I discover that I have been mistaken … again.  The fold-a-boat is actually and Insta-boat.  Oh well.  It will always be a fold-a-boat to me.  We try it out on Old Road Lake and Round Lake, although they were too small to bother using the motor.  We oared.  No fish.  We went back towards Glenn Highway and tried it on Junction Lake.  No fish. We were done for the day, but stopped and scouted out Tolsona Lake.  We go to town. Sam decides we need to get some discounted fly-fishing gear.  Then, since we know absolutely nothing about fly-fishing, we go on a quest to find someone to teach us a little about this art of fishing. We need the basics, like - rigging and casting.  Everyone recommended Sourdough Joe, who sells not only fireworks at the Fireworks Stand – but sells his own tied flies. (you can check him out on the internet.  

Sam And Sourdough Joe

We talk to him and he arranges to meet us at Tolsona Lake to teach us the basics – for free! Sourdough Joe is a very nice, educated, well-read man, who is … Sourdough Joe.  We really like talking with him and listening to the information that flows from him like the Glutina River.  He’s not quite as pretty as the river, but does a good imitation of some well-known gnomes, with his long, white beard and general demeanor.  We like him. Sourdough spends a goodly amount of time showing Sam the ropes of fly-fishing, while I fish using the very worn jig I used in Edith Creek.  Sourdough gave me a tip in between casts with Sam.  The results were amazing.  I started catching one Arctic Grayling after another.  I released six and still went home with eight.  We prepped some and gave Sourdough a few.  We then met up with him the following day to try more Sockeye fishing.  But the fish were lazing around in the Copper River and not ready yet to come within our reach.  We did watch a young man of about 20 land a King salmon right on the very beach we were fishing from.  He was on a charter raft and had hooked one up river.  They beached the raft next to us and the ‘fish fight’ continued. The 60 pound salmon finally lost. The lucky fisherman was so tuckered, he needed help from a friend to hold it up for pictures. He was able to maintain a huge grin on his red face without too much effort.  We decide to try our luck again later.  We will be looking Sourdough up on our way back home.  Did I tell you that Sam and I like him? 

Arctic Graylings

We fish some and catch some more at Tolsona Lake and try out Tolsona Creek several times.  The creek runs right by our trailer, about 6 feet from our front door.  Sam catches a fish while on the bridge, but gives him back.   Then I cast for a fish that has been nibbling, and plain teasing me at the curve in the creek closest to us.  The problem is – the whole top section (1/2 of my Ugli Stik) goes with the cast and Sam is the one chosen to go after it.  I was too busy gasping and Oh My-ing, to be any help.  I did manage to hold on to the half I still had in my hand and I was pretty good about keeping the volume down on my ‘smile’, as I watched him almost swim after the top of my pole.  He is so nice to me.  I love my Ugli Stik. That pretty much ended our fishing in Glennallen.