Alaska grayling fishing in Delta Junction

Grayling Fishing This idea for this excursion was hatched as we were playing poker in the bunkhouse in Anchorage Alaska waiting for spring to bust loose. Most of us had jobs but were waiting for the weather to break so we could start our work. Suddenly the place began to shake as the ground rumbled. Everyone became silent and we just looked at each other as the walls swayed back and forth. No buildings in Alaska are made of brick because wood frame construction allows a lot of give and will flex with the ground during the frequent earthquakes. This was a good one and we were glad when the rumbling stopped. JD decided it was time to get out of town for a breather and do some grayling fishing. His mom and her husband had a place up near Delta Junction so we headed up there for a week or so to get out of town and relax. The weird thing was that they grew hay and barley on a big farm up there. They had cleared off a bunch of brush out there and turned it into farm land. The trees in Alaska have a shallow root system because of the permafrost. To clear the land a long heavy chain is attached to 2 bulldozers that move along with 100 feet or so between them dragging down all the trees. They don't get too big up there so they go down easy. Then they push the trees into piles and burn them. The problem is though, you stir up all the mosquitoes and there are a lot of them up there in the spring time. JD's mom sought relief in the truck but accidentally left the movie camera running on the hood. She captured some tremendous footage of swarms of mosquitos buzzing around. Her camera was a newer model that had sound and it came out like a Hitchkok movie with all those mosquitoes attacking the camera. There were some lakes back there near the Alaska pipeline that you could drive a 4 wheeler to. It was nice because it was a couple miles back there so it saved a lot of leg work. Jim made several trips back and forth hauling us and our gear. We found a school of grayling and caught quite a few. Some of them would even bite on a bare hook. Maybe it looked like one of the mosqitos swarming all around us. Grayling are kind of an oily fish but I rather like them and filled my freezer. We came across a number of bear tracks back there too. JD was the last guy out and was kind of uneasy as it was getting dark so he was kind of happy to get back to the truck. An interesting thing about this area is that the Alaska pipeline runs right through it. These pictures show odd shaped fins at the top of the upright supports that hold the pipeline. What they do is to provide cooling to keep the ground under the supports from thawing out and sinking in the permafrost in the summer time. Another unique thing about Delta Junction is the open range herds of bison roaming around. You have to be real careful not to hit one with your car because they are one solid animal and will stop you dead in your tracks. Special care is needed especially in the winter because of the darkness and your vision might be hampered by ice on the windows. Alaska www.dutchpickle.com

 

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