The Remote Southeast Experience, Pybus Style

Story and photos by Stan Cunningham

The black-headed Bonaparte’s gulls were circling and diving just 100 yards off the bow. Captain Kevin kept nosing the boat in their direction. They would move, and then we would move. Finally, we were in the middle of them, both the gulls and the fish. Each of us cast our lightweight spinning rods with 1/4-ounce jigs and soon all of us were hooked up. Not only on the first cast, but on every cast for over 30 minutes. We were each catching 2- to 6-pound black bass and we kept Kevin busy deciding which fish we would keep, stacking them on top of the halibut that were already in the fish box.

I’ve always considered black bass a deep-water fish, and generally one great for kids, but that was non-stop action just a few feet below the surface on light tackle . . . yet another new experience in the beauty that surrounds every fisherman in southeast Alaska. After a short time, we motored to another spot and I saw two yelloweye caught that were both over 20 pounds. I was happy with my 15-pounder, my black bass and my 40-pound halibut. To be honest, I was ecstatic. After watching both orcas and humpbacks rise and breech all morning as we caught our halibut, the fishing was just icing on the experience cake. We were all smiles as we motored back to Pybus Point Lodge on the southern tip of Admiralty Island, where I was fortunate enough to be a guest for three days. The fishing, the scenery and the lodge did not disappoint. This content is available for subscribers only.

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