This past season was anything but ordinary. After teaching captain’s classes, I headed east to Marblehead, Ohio, where I spent April guiding anglers for Walleye on Lake Erie. When that season wrapped up, I made the long trip back to Minnesota, loaded up the truck, and headed west once again. My next stop was Portland, Oregon, where I picked up an Alumaweld river boat and began an even bigger journey north.
From Portland, I traveled through British Columbia, making my way as far north as Fort Nelson before continuing toward Alaska. After thousands of miles on the road, I finally arrived in Soldotna, where the real adventure began. For the summer, I guided anglers for Salmon on the Kasilof and Kenai Rivers, spending long days on the water chasing some of Alaska’s most sought-after fish.
But salmon fishing was only part of the experience. I also stepped in as a bear-viewing guide at Lake Clark National Park, putting me in some incredible wild country and giving me the opportunity to share Alaska’s wildlife with visitors. When I wasn’t chasing salmon or watching bears, I was guiding for Halibut, working in the shop on boat maintenance, and helping out on the docks in Homer and Seward.
The season became a nonstop combination of fishing, guiding, driving, boat work, wildlife, and adventure. I went from chasing Walleye on the Great Lakes to navigating rivers in Alaska, from working around boats in the shop to watching bears in some of the most remote country in the state. Every leg of the journey brought something different, and every job required a willingness to adapt, work hard, and get the job done.
Looking back, the miles were just as much a part of the adventure as the fishing. From Ohio to Minnesota, across Oregon and British Columbia, and finally into Alaska, the season was a true road-and-water adventure that allowed me to experience the outdoors from almost every angle.
