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- Jan 30, 2014
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I got a chance to go fly fishing for Coho (silver) salmon last week in Alaska. This was my third trip up there but it had been a few years since the last time I went. I brought my production kephart and it rode on my backpack strap all week in my Rick Lowe kydex/leather sheath. I wanted it to be easily accessible at all times. I really enjoyed having it there. The only drawback was when I would set my pack down. It would often end up in the mud, when accessing my pack. I used the kephart to clean and remove the heads from all my fish and it was just awesome. I think the production kephart is a home run and I even like the handle as it is. The knife is very lightweight and easy to clean. It was a busy week getting up everyday before 5am and often hiking around 7 miles through thickets, water and mud. I didn't do any maintenance on the knife all week and the edge held up well. It was a very wet week and I should have taken more care to dry it out in the evenings. There was a little rust on it by the end of the trip, but most of it came off with some flitz polish. I wish I had put a knife in cmp154 through the same paces to see which faired better.
This was the river we would hike up and fish. The first time I went was almost ten years ago and it has gotten a lot more crowded since my first visit. We did our best to hike a ways out and get away from the crowds. You can pay to get to more secluded places but you are talking 4 to 10 times the amount I spent. The secluded lodges are at a premium price. I would love to do a trip like that someday as I don't like the idea of flying to Alaska to fish next to other folks. I was able to bushwhack and find some of my own spots though and got in to some good fish. Even with the rain, a few days of murky water and other folks, I was able to get my limit of three fish everyday. Some of the holes are ridiculous with fish. One morning I had my limit within twenty minutes of fishing. Fly fishing for silvers is a real kick. The spin rod folks have on really heavy line and can real them straight in. With a fly line you have to let them run a bit and tire them out before landing them.
The trail had a couple feet of water on it at some times. After looking at the forecast before I left, I was a bit worried there would be too much rain. If it rains too much you can't get into the trail, but it turned out to not be a problem.
Here is a pick with the kephart and Rick Lowe kydex/ leather set up.
This is a feeder stream that hits the murkier river. This day a lot of salmon were hanging out there. You can see the dark spots in the water. There was already a group of guys spin casting there so we decided to move on pretty quickly.
Before leaving the hole, I had to take a couple quick casts and land my first fish of the trip.
Here is my dad navigating a part of the trail they call the enchanted forest. You have to go up and over a bunch of logs and fallen trees. I don't think twice about it, but my dad at 68 and his buddy at 79, dread that section of the trail every time.
I loved using the production kephart to clean and take the heads off the fish. It was so nice to be able to rinse it off and not have to worry too much about it.
We did have a couple mostly rain free days and the mornings were absolutely gorgeous.
The locals kept out of site, but they left us some nice tracks to ponder.
The kephart turned out to be a good measuring stick.
The trip was not without a few mishaps. One morning I got a nice salmon on my line and he made a run into the fast flowing river. My line got down to the backing, the knot failed and I lost my line. My dad had an extra reel and line he had got at the Cabelas bargain basement. I think I figured out why it was so cheap because the tension would suddenly slip and my line got rat nested three times. Luckily someone had a multitool so I could take it apart and fix it. I will never travel anywhere again without a multitool. I usually have one, but just spaced packing it. The good news was that my dad found my line down river rolled up nicely on the side of the trail. Some one had found it and was kind enough to coil it up and leave it on the trail. I was relieved to not have to use that Cabelas reel again.
On one of the windy days, my dad managed to catch himself while casting.
The hook had a barb and it would not come out. I had to push it through, smash the barb and then it came right out. I guess that is the proper way to do it if you ever find yourself in that position.
He was back in action in a few minutes.
Shameless selfie in the rain.
You can see why they call these beautiful fish silvers.
When it wasn't raining the local scenery was stunning.
My dad on the right and his buddy on the left. I hope I am still doing trips like this when I am 68 and 79 years old.
This is what my kephart looked like after a week of abuse and neglect. A little rusty but still relatively sharp. I was able to get the rust off with some flitz polish, but there were a few spots on the edge where it might have caused some pitting. I will have to sharpen them out. It was a great companion to have with me on the trip.
.
Here is a pic of it cleaned up along with the $8 waterproof case that I got off Amazon to put my phone in. All the pics were taken with my iPhone. Some were taken in the case and some were taken out, but it let my carry my phone in a very wet environment without having to worry.
I hope you enjoyed the pics. Thanks for looking!!
This was the river we would hike up and fish. The first time I went was almost ten years ago and it has gotten a lot more crowded since my first visit. We did our best to hike a ways out and get away from the crowds. You can pay to get to more secluded places but you are talking 4 to 10 times the amount I spent. The secluded lodges are at a premium price. I would love to do a trip like that someday as I don't like the idea of flying to Alaska to fish next to other folks. I was able to bushwhack and find some of my own spots though and got in to some good fish. Even with the rain, a few days of murky water and other folks, I was able to get my limit of three fish everyday. Some of the holes are ridiculous with fish. One morning I had my limit within twenty minutes of fishing. Fly fishing for silvers is a real kick. The spin rod folks have on really heavy line and can real them straight in. With a fly line you have to let them run a bit and tire them out before landing them.
The trail had a couple feet of water on it at some times. After looking at the forecast before I left, I was a bit worried there would be too much rain. If it rains too much you can't get into the trail, but it turned out to not be a problem.
Here is a pick with the kephart and Rick Lowe kydex/ leather set up.
This is a feeder stream that hits the murkier river. This day a lot of salmon were hanging out there. You can see the dark spots in the water. There was already a group of guys spin casting there so we decided to move on pretty quickly.
Before leaving the hole, I had to take a couple quick casts and land my first fish of the trip.
Here is my dad navigating a part of the trail they call the enchanted forest. You have to go up and over a bunch of logs and fallen trees. I don't think twice about it, but my dad at 68 and his buddy at 79, dread that section of the trail every time.
I loved using the production kephart to clean and take the heads off the fish. It was so nice to be able to rinse it off and not have to worry too much about it.
We did have a couple mostly rain free days and the mornings were absolutely gorgeous.
The locals kept out of site, but they left us some nice tracks to ponder.
The kephart turned out to be a good measuring stick.
The trip was not without a few mishaps. One morning I got a nice salmon on my line and he made a run into the fast flowing river. My line got down to the backing, the knot failed and I lost my line. My dad had an extra reel and line he had got at the Cabelas bargain basement. I think I figured out why it was so cheap because the tension would suddenly slip and my line got rat nested three times. Luckily someone had a multitool so I could take it apart and fix it. I will never travel anywhere again without a multitool. I usually have one, but just spaced packing it. The good news was that my dad found my line down river rolled up nicely on the side of the trail. Some one had found it and was kind enough to coil it up and leave it on the trail. I was relieved to not have to use that Cabelas reel again.
On one of the windy days, my dad managed to catch himself while casting.
The hook had a barb and it would not come out. I had to push it through, smash the barb and then it came right out. I guess that is the proper way to do it if you ever find yourself in that position.
He was back in action in a few minutes.
Shameless selfie in the rain.
You can see why they call these beautiful fish silvers.
When it wasn't raining the local scenery was stunning.
My dad on the right and his buddy on the left. I hope I am still doing trips like this when I am 68 and 79 years old.
This is what my kephart looked like after a week of abuse and neglect. A little rusty but still relatively sharp. I was able to get the rust off with some flitz polish, but there were a few spots on the edge where it might have caused some pitting. I will have to sharpen them out. It was a great companion to have with me on the trip.
Here is a pic of it cleaned up along with the $8 waterproof case that I got off Amazon to put my phone in. All the pics were taken with my iPhone. Some were taken in the case and some were taken out, but it let my carry my phone in a very wet environment without having to worry.
I hope you enjoyed the pics. Thanks for looking!!
