In the middle of a Southern California Summer where 200 pound blue fin tuna seem to be the norm, the thoughts of fishing cold, dark, deep bottom dwellers seems kinda weird.  It is weird.  Weird as it is; sometimes getting out of your comfort zone, fishing new waters for new species, is just what you need to reset, regroup, and recharge.  My dad and I did just that when we replaced our pelagic filled July with a crisp Alaskan adventure.  We flew to Anchorage, then took a prop plane down to Kenai, before finally settling in into the quaint village of Ninilchik, located on the shores of Cook Inlet.  We would make Deep Creek Fishing Club our base camp for the next few days, where we wouldn't exactly be 'roughing it.'  The weather in Alaska is unruly, even in the Summer.  Rain, wind, and ginormous tides can take their toll on your equipment and body.  Things change quickly and the fishing is no different.  Below is a little photo recap.

Basecamp.  Plenty of firewood for the Summer.

The view from our room.

Poker?

Sunbathing . . .  24 hours a day.

The rig; Everglades 350EX

The local launch ramp.  

Biomass.

Jig bucket.

15 Heavy in Enlightenmint was the hot jig in the shallows.

Small guy yelloweye.

Exotic wrasse on the exotic jig.

Typical day's catch.

Yelloweye, aka Sebastes ruberrimus.

Pop's with a ling from Ling Land.

Enlightenmint 25 Light isn't just a So Cal favorite anymore.

A commercial tuna vessel in it's former life, Kraken is now an Alaskan mainstay. 

Fresh feesh..

Command center.

Fly out!

Man cave mud room.

Layering.

King.

Team Killer Whale.

Baby butt on the Pearl/War.

Alaskan seagull.

Captain Crusty.  Interesting fisherman.  Even more interesting human.

Cold water calico bass.

The fastest boat in Alaska.  Literally. 

Dad was stoked on the Yelloweye.

Pulling out.

My dad and I have talked about going to Alaska for as long as I can remember.  I can recall walking around the Fred Hall show with him as a five or six year old, stopping at all the Alaskan fishing lodge booths, seeing photos and mounts of ginormous halibut and thinking how rad it would be to go to Alaska.  Some twenty five years later, we made it happen, and I'm so stoked we did.  The place is gorgeous.  I can see why non-anglers travel to Alaska; the nature is incredible!  The bald eagles, killer whales, and snow capped volcanos are mind blowing.  The fishing; icing on the cake.