DEPARTMENTS

Publishers’ Note 5

Guest Editorial 6
Jim Repine on Catch-and-Release

Fishing News 10
Fishing with Bears

Fishing For A Compliment 14
Featured Fish Recipe 74
Teriyaki Salmon with Habanero Honey
Advertiser Index 75
Fish Alaska Services Guide 76

The Final Drift 82
The Problem with Living in Alaska

 

We’d like to spend this month’s column on the common sense items that make it enjoyable for all anglers on the water. We encourage you to share these tips on fishing etiquette with your friends, fishing buddies, and the other anglers you come across on the water. We know Fish Alaska magazine readers are a cut above the rest, so it is all of our jobs to educate the masses.

1. Don’t crowd another fisherman. If it’s on the river, from a boat, or in the saltwater, the rule is the same. Give other anglers the space that you would want. If you’re the type of angler who likes to combat fish, stay far enough away to avoid tangling, running over another boat’s lines, or interrupting someone’s drift.

2. Release your fish properly. When practicing catch-and-release, take care to handle the fish properly. Wet your hands before gently handling the fish, get it back in the water as quickly as possible, and give it time to rejuvenate in the water until it swims from your hand. Never toss a fish.

3. Beware the bears. Give the wildlife a wide berth, especially mothers and their young. Don’t feed the animals and make enough noise so they always know you’re there.

4. Control your casting in tight quarters. Nobody likes to be hooked, especially when they don’t do it to themselves. Keep your casts under control, especially when in small spaces with other anglers.

5. Don’t litter. This includes cigarette butts, fishing line, and candy bar wrappers. Pick up other people’s trash.

6. Help another angler in trouble. If the day comes that you are in trouble on the water, you’ll be sure glad that someone helped you. Do the same for other fishermen in distress.

7. Help others become better anglers. I wouldn’t give away all your techniques or your favorite fly, but as you help others to become better fishermen, the incidents of people breaking these rules of etiquette lessen.

8. Don’t overstay your welcome on the boat launch. You wouldn’t like to wait to get in the water while the guy ahead of you is putting on waders or ferrying their truck. Allow room for others to get around you and place your boat in the water when you are ready to launch.

Fish Alaska readers are smarter than your average angler, so just stick to these rules of the rod . . . and you’ll be contributing to the serenity of others, as well as a more enjoyable angling experience for yourself.



—Marcus Weiner and Melissa Norris
Publishers