Being a Minnesota boy, I'm not sure how the fine people of Alaska expect me to be able to tell the difference. It's a fish, it's flat, white on one side, both eyes on the other side, various sizes and colors, but most times I'm not really sure on the specific species. In MN, if you pull something out of the water that weighs 400 pounds, it's most likely someone's snowmobile that went through the ice last winter. I do know that these bottom fish are pretty easy to catch, seems like I can throw a lure over the side in just about any anchorage and by the time it touches the bottom there is a fish on. Most of what I've caught are small and go right back in the water, but I did hook one halibut that was about 15 pounds and would have been a nice meal if I could have grabbed the landing net quickly enough. I also latched onto something in one anchorage that started stripping out line faster than I could reel, and when I tightened the drag it snapped the 40 pound test line without much effort, just to remind me that there are things in the ocean that I have no business trying to catch with the lightweight gear I'm using. There also seem to be some unusually ugly fish I pull up off the bottom, probably a sculpin, but I'm not doing very well at identifying them either.
Bottom line is that I'm not doing very well at feeding my family with fish, but I am pretty entertaining. At one point I was trolling while we sailed downwind, and had to put the fishing rod in a holder on the rail while we adjusted the sails. When I looked back, the line had caught in our wind generator, and did a good job or reeling in the line for me until it jammed up and everything came to a stop. I guess it's funny now looking back on it. I'll be sure and post more pictures if I actually catch something I should brag about.
love it!! we need more info - what are you fishing with? how are you cooking it? keep being funny - we love these posts! (and i know you have plenty of time to think up funny stuff)
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