Homer and more fish

Waking and heading into Homer, I'm rather unmotivated for some reason. Perhaps I expect town to be rather touristy or maybe I didn't sleep well. It may also be some loneliness creeping its way into my grand adventure. Trying to shake it, I dive out to "the spit" which is what I assume is the real draw for most. This section of town, is all focused on the harbor and fishing, like Seward, but it does have a much different feel. Less commercial vibe despite the run of seafood restaurants and souvenir shops. It seems peopled by more legitimate fisherman than casual fishing tourists. Or maybe they payed plenty to be off on sea charters by the time I roll into town.

I took the opportunity to walk the beach for a while with my thoughts. They proved to be about as overcast as the sky was, a bit of optimistic clear sections and a few clouds muddying the waters a bit. I watch some people fishing out in to the surf and having moderate success with a few different species of smallish fish.

This is a fishing town, and although I cannot afford to splurge on a charter, I've read of a local lagoon that can have excellent fishing from the shore. Evidently, it has been stocked with salmon "fry" a couple years running and now salmon swim the small inlet with high tide thinking they are running upriver to spawn and end up in the sizable lagoon. I'd call it pond, I think if I were elsewhere. It is ringed with people fishing, but not shoulder to shoulder "combat fishing." After a quick van prepared lunch, I bust out my new rod and tackle and spend a couple hours trying my luck. Unfortunately, I'm far from the next high tide. and these beautiful, silver salmon are only interested in jumping out of the water to display just how large and how many are there... but no one is getting any bites. I've at least got my rod and reel all rigged and gotten a feel for casting it after a few hundred casts. Even with no luck, the hours were relaxing, cool and on the water. No complaints here.

About half the day spent, and feeling I'd gotten a feel for "the spit," I decide to move on. Its quite a few backtracking miles to get back off the Kenai and back to Anchorage, then back past Talkeetna and onto new territory- Denali national park. I cant help but get drawn into a medium sized creek I was able to see from the road as a small bridge passed over it. Something tells me it has trout. I've got no reason to trust this instinct, but turn around and pull over anyway, digging my fly rod out of the back of the van and assembling it to try some fly fishing today too. I bought a 3 day license- might as well use it.

The experience was similar, I guess, as far as the fishing goes. I did find a spot small trout were rising and biting on the surface and tied on a small mosquito dry fly to go after them. I even got a few strikes, but no real takers. My fly skills are probably laughable, but I got to the point I could get the fly just about wherever I wanted and could send it out further or land in closer and manage the line decently. I took the practice and the incredibly peaceful creek that I had all to myself as success enough. Just as I was feeling pretty content with my time on the creek and increased confidence in my casting a massive bald eagle flew overhead. With the amber sunlight behind it casually flying over me, it was likely scoping out the same fish I was after. Perhaps he saw they were too small to warrant the effort, because he moved right along. As I packed up, and adolescent bald eagle came over from the same direction the first had left, almost as if the elder sent his young one my way after scouting.

The day turned out to be pretty calm and relaxing, which I may have needed. Then again, it may not have been the exact prescription for me specifically, but its never a bad addition. I sure didn't make many miles north, but I did get as far as the Hope junction, where I changed plans and camped very close to my first excursion to Hope. The new plan was to chat up the kayak school about paddling the local six mile river I've heard has some pretty amazing whitewater runs. If I can sort out enough details to feel good about going for it, maybe they can even help set up shuttle for me.