An Alaskan Fishing Guide’s Farewell - Day 4: Big Fish, Bigger Bears, and a Bruised Ego.

Today's Team

Guides Patrick Harris, Luke Valentino, and I, along with 7 guests, were to float down Moraine Creek for a day of fly fishing and bear viewing.

Calm Before the Storm

The morning started easily enough with great weather and a glassy, calm lake ride to two planes that were waiting to take us to Moraine Creek.

The Gauntlet

I have experience floating the Moraine, which only adds to my concerns, as I know what to expect. The creek is more like a river and has a section called "Rock Garden." I call it running the gauntlet. This is a long stretch of water that is filled with boulders and a small waterfall that I have to go over. If you don't hit the right line in both, you will have problems, and that has me worried.

No Warmups

Again, you don't get a practice run; once you are in, you can't stop and step out. I'm ok with the bears, flying in a small plane, and floating 90% of the river. But these dang rocks are a thorn in my backside.

Take Off

The plane, a Cessna 185, drops four of us off on a small lake, and we jump right into carrying the rafts, frames, food, and fly fishing gear about 1/4 of a mile across the tundra to Moraine Creek. Another plane is right behind us with the rest of the crew.

Moraine Creek

Moraine Creek is in the Katmai National Park and Preserve. The park has the highest densities of brown bears anywhere on earth. It is estimated that 2,200 brown bears live within the park and preserve.

We Are On Our Own

After we were dropped off, pilot Derice Hochstetler did a fly-by, tipped his wings, and then he was gone. A feeling of isolation hit me. Not heavy or for very long, but enough to feel how far away we are from...pretty much everything. This is just as much an adventure as it is a fly fishing trip.

So You Want To Be a Guide?

I’d like to think I’m in shape, but I’m not in "let me grab a bunch of gear, plus a 75-lb raft, throw it on my back and walk a quarter of a mile across the tundra — which, by the way, is like walking in sand while wearing waders, a firearm, layers of wool, and boots — have a good time!" — shape.

Finally the Float Begins

The beginning of the float played out like I thought it would. It was fun, easy, and the fishing was good. The bears did their part and entertained us with doing what bears do.

The Test

And then the boulders appeared. One mile of not letting my guard down, sometimes terror, urgency, adrenaline rushes, and getting stuck on a rock.

No Room for Mental Mistakes

I did lose my temper once with a guest. At the beginning of this trip, I gave instructions that when we hit a rock, and we will hit some rocks, to lean in the opposite direction of the direction the raft is leaning. One of the guests kept leaning in the wrong direction, assisting the raft in tipping over.

It's a horrible feeling when the whole raft with everything in it feels like it's going to flip. I barked at him to lean in the other direction and that he needs to figure this out because we have a lot more rocks coming up. After we made it through the mine field, there was such a sense of relief that we all laughed and gave high fives, no hard feelings.

The Fishing

There is the adventure, and then there is the fishing. Moraine Creek is loaded with big Alaskan rainbow trout. The difficulty isn't in the hooking, it's in the landing. These are strong and wild fish with a lot of energy. Getting one to the net is no easy feat. They will peel off line, jump, run, shake their head, and do it on repeat. If you don't have good technique and cannot stay calm, the chances of success are against you.

Maybe Catch a Fish of a Lifetime

Down for the Count

This was a fun day, but it wasn't easy. I can do this for a week, I can't do this for a season. Carrying 75 lbs a quarter mile across the tundra is a one-and-done for me. I literally fell asleep on the lodge dock at the end of the day while waiting for our side-by-side to come pick us up.

I'm loving it up here, I'm glad to be back and feel good about making it through the day. But to do this as a job, you can't just "make it" through the day; you have to be able to own it day in and day out. A day that kicked my butt is every day for the guides at the Ridge. KB

- Follow my writing and the rest of this series on my Fishing On SI Facebook page.

"The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.” - Herbert Hoover

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