Author Topic: Question for you Alaskans. (Read 23036 times)

darkhousefisher · « **on:** Nov 06, 2006, 05:21 PM »

There is a very good possibility that we will be moving to Anchorage this spring. My wife is an RN and has been talking to some hospitals and nurse agency's there. I am a welder/blacksmith/mechanic and I hope to gain employment when we get there or before if possible. Can you offer any general (and fishing

) advice and tips before we head there. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Darkhouse

icy mike · « **Reply #1 on:** Nov 07, 2006, 04:41 PM »

Go to the State of Alaska web site for job links. There are two hospitals in Anchorage and a new one in the Mat-Su Valley. I suggest living in the Mat-Su (short for Matanuska-Susitna Valley). It's an hour commute to Anchorage (and yes, the commute sucks), but housing is a heck of alot cheaper in the Valley than in Anchorage. There are plenty of opportunities for mechanics and welders. Check out the websites for Alyeska Pipeline, Veco, Connoco-Phillips, BP, Haliburton, etc for jobs on the north slope (usually two weeks on/two weeks off). Your wife should have no problems finding a nursing job in the valley. You can go to the websites for the cities of Palmer (where I live) and Wasilla that should have links for real estate and other jobs. The fishing in the valley is much better than Anchorage. There are a few major river drainages with plenty of creeks and the valley is dotted with many lakes. There is quick access to hunting and fishing, snowmobiling, four wheeling, skiing, shopping, etc...

Icy Mike

barley · « **Reply #2 on:** Nov 10, 2006, 07:44 PM »

I second the valley. I moved here in June and love it. I commute every day into Anchorage. It does suck but 30% of the valley does it and a carpool is easy to get into. I work in the middle of Anchorage and my commute is 50 minutes unless something goes wrong.

Barlinator

darkhousefisher · « **Reply #3 on:** Nov 10, 2006, 11:36 PM »

thanks for the help guys. We are not dead set on Anchorage, just thought it was a place to start and then look around. My wife has been talking w/ the hospitals and the nurse agency's but has not taken a position yet with any of them. We thought we would wait until April or May to move, which would be better. Thanks for all the help!!

Darkhouse

darkhousefisher · « **Reply #4 on:** Jun 29, 2007, 02:26 AM »

Well we did it!!!! We moved to Wasilla and just love it here! Now time to do some fishing!!

Darkhouse

C.C. · « **Reply #5 on:** Jun 29, 2007, 06:52 AM »

Congrats on the big move dark. I wish I could get my wife to make a move like you did

Jim

icy mike · « **Reply #6 on:** Sep 10, 2007, 01:59 PM »

Hey Darkhouse!

I see you and the Mrs made the move a few months ago. Congrats!!! Were you able to find work quickly??? Keep us posted and let's see if we can get the valley boys together for an outing this winter. It's just around the corner.

Icy Mike

darkhousefisher · « **Reply #7 on:** Sep 12, 2007, 12:34 AM »

Quote from: icy mike on Sep 10, 2007, 01:59 PM

Were you able to find work quickly??? Keep us posted and let's see if we can get the valley boys together for an outing this winter.

I just took a job at Usibelli Coal Mine in Healy and will be staying there during the week and coming home to Wasilla during the weekends. My wife commutes to Providence Hospital in Anchorage and really likes it there. I think a valley boys outing is a great idea. Let me know where and when. Memory lake is six minutes from my house so I think I will be hitting it a lot this winter, but I would also like to try out Nancy Lakes area. I am mainly looking for decent pike spearing, but I don't mind catching other fish. Tight Lines!

Darkhouse

icy mike · « **Reply #8 on:** Sep 12, 2007, 05:13 PM »

Memory is about a 20 minute drive for me. It holds some decent fish, including pike. I talked to a few guys that set up a spear shack on the north end of the lake in about 4 fow. If your thinking about building a shack to leave on the ice beware. The winds blow awfully hard in the winter and you may find your shack in pieces or across the lake from where you left it. Most permanent shacks I see are on Big Lake of in the lee of an island or shore line on other lakes. If you want good, local information, go a talk with the guys at Three Rivers Fly and Tackle in Wasilla (intersection of KGB and the Parks Hwy). Great guys with lots of info (the prices aren't too bad either). Some other pike lakes to consider are Fire Lake in Eagle River (holds big rainbows as well), Long Lake in Willow. If you have a snowmachine you can check out Flathorn, South Rolly, Trapper Lake, and Red Shirt. Go to the state website and look under the division of sport fish for lake maps, cabin rentals, list of pike lakes, etc... Hope to see you on the ice. I work up on the slope (2 weeks on/2 weeks off)- hopefully we can get the locals together and do some fishin'!!

Icy Mike

darkhousefisher · « **Reply #9 on:** Sep 12, 2007, 06:15 PM »

Have you ever fished long lake on Glen Highway? According to ADF&G there is Burbot in there. Wondered if you had any luck there.

Darkhouse

icy mike · « **Reply #10 on:** Sep 13, 2007, 11:07 AM »

I tried to fish there once. Had the kids with me and the wind was pretty strong. Needless to say the trip was a bust. But yes, I have heard there are burbot, bows, and lakers present.

darkhousefisher · « **Reply #11 on:** Sep 14, 2007, 02:15 AM »

Quote from: Gamedog on Sep 13, 2007, 11:13 AM

Hey Darkhouse. How's life in Alaska?

As good as I thought it would be times 10!!! We love it up here. So far we have gone halibut fishing, salmon fishing, logged 75+ miles of hiking, Picked 3 1/2 gallons of blueberries in a couple hours time, seen waterfalls, glaciers, moose, caribou, bears, North America's highest peak(Mt. McKinley), etc.,etc.,etc..
Errrrrrr, I mean, no, it's terrible here, clouds of mosquito's carry off small children, gangs of brown bears stand on street corners and mug old ladies, a gallon of milk costs three weeks pay. Tell everyone you know that Alaska is a bad place to live, let alone visit. Tell them to stay where they are, they will not like it here.

Darkhouse

icy mike · « **Reply #12 on:** Sep 14, 2007, 11:52 AM »

Errrrrrr, I mean, no, it's terrible here, clouds of mosquito's carry off small children, gangs of brown bears stand on street corners and mug old ladies, a gallon of milk costs three weeks pay. Tell everyone you know that Alaska is a bad place to live, let alone visit. Tell them to stay where they are, they will not like it here.

Darkhouse
[/quote]

I second that Darkhouse. My Northern Lights bill went up AGAIN, my outhouse is still frozen from last winter, all of the local news is out of Siberia, and I had to use my last can of Spam to pay the doctor (actually a self-taught vet from Arkansas) to treat my youngest's frostbite she got last July! The only time we have fresh milk is after a lactating cow moose is hit by a truck. Bent nails are $.50 each, we cook using a hubcap off of a 52 Plymouth (and that is only if the fire doesn't freeze), and we use spruce cones for... well, you can imagine... Well, I gotta run; the kids are fighting a wolf pack over some rotten caribou bones. If I don't help they won't let me eat!

Icy (and I mean ICY) Mike

darkhousefisher · « **Reply #13 on:** Sep 14, 2007, 04:43 PM »

Quote from: icy mike on Sep 14, 2007, 11:52 AM

I second that Darkhouse. My Northern Lights bill went up AGAIN, my outhouse is still frozen from last winter, all of the local news is out of Siberia, and I had to use my last can of Spam to pay the doctor (actually a self-taught vet from Arkansas) to treat my youngest's frostbite she got last July! The only time we have fresh milk is after a lactating cow moose is hit by a truck. Bent nails are $.50 each, we cook using a hubcap off of a 52 Plymouth (and that is only if the fire doesn't freeze), and we use spruce cones for... well, you can imagine... Well, I gotta run; the kids are fighting a wolf pack over some rotten caribou bones. If I don't help they won't let me eat!

Icy (and I mean ICY) Mike

Viking63 · « **Reply #14 on:** Sep 18, 2007, 06:51 PM »

Have you ever fished long lake on Glen Highway? According to ADF&G there is Burbot in there. Wondered if you had any luck there.

Darkhouse

I tried it this past March, same result as Icy Mike. The wind through there was rough. I believe ADF&G used to stock Long Lake with lakers, then got out of that business maybe 10 years ago. I have heard rumors of a spawning / surviving population of the original stocked lake trout, but I've never personally known of a true confirmed catch.

icy mike · « **Reply #15 on:** Sep 19, 2007, 11:52 AM »

I have also heard that there is a population of long nosed suckers as well. The lakers are present as well as burbot and rainbows.

Stump Puller · « **Reply #16 on:** Oct 21, 2007, 08:28 AM »

What is a Shefish, is it another name for White Fish? Just wondering.

Barleydog · « **Reply #17 on:** Oct 21, 2007, 11:32 AM »

Stumppuller,
"Sheefish" are much larger versions of the whitefish resembling more features of a tarpon than a whitefish. Here's a link for ya.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.danblanton.com/images/Sheefish_logo1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.danblanton.com/Alaska_sheefish.html&h=374&w=737&sz=85&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=rSfp_e6rHKG10M:&tbnh=72&tbnw=141&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsheefish%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4GGLR_enUS238US238%26sa%3DN

Stump Puller · « **Reply #18 on:** Oct 21, 2007, 05:27 PM »

Thanks Barleybog
I learn something new on this website everytime I log in. Looks like they can give you a good fight.

Stump Puller · « **Reply #19 on:** Oct 21, 2007, 05:28 PM »

Sorry, thats barleydog

ICEMAINEiac · « **Reply #20 on:** Oct 21, 2007, 10:03 PM »

GOD it must be just great to live there HW will be there soon im sure enjoy boys ill be waiting till JAN !!!

Fishin Fireman · « **Reply #21 on:** Oct 22, 2007, 12:11 AM »

IT'S ALREADY HERE and the fishing is on again on the hard water Whahoo!!!!

Here's another link for info on Sheefish

Great to see you back on IS again BD, we'll have to get together again this year and hit up a few lakes and scare up some Burbs; especially after the shanty is up and in production on Birch.

Barleydog · « **Reply #22 on:** Oct 23, 2007, 04:55 AM »

Stump puller, Yeah those sheefish are quite the fight, or so I've been told eh! Never hooked one myself, but hope to get into them next summer.

"Tarpon of the North"

Brad,
You betcha! It's time to fish.......... I picked up 3 older model snow machines this spring, so I'll have to force myself to run the river this year. Tired of sticking around town if ya know what I mean.

fishermanjake · « **Reply #23 on:** Oct 25, 2007, 05:21 PM »

Quote from: Viking63 on Sep 18, 2007, 06:51 PM

Have you ever fished long lake on Glen Highway? According to ADF&G there is Burbot in there. Wondered if you had any luck there.

Darkhouse
I've never heard of any big fish coming out of long lake....just lakers and char...I've caught char 12" there that's about it....the lake is super deep and if you go you can count on the wind blowing at least 20 mph down the lake. However bonnie lake and weiner lake are on both sides within a couple of mile, so if its to miserable on long lake one could always retreat to them.

Rdrash · « **Reply #24 on:** Oct 28, 2007, 01:37 AM »

Okay it seems here that there is a number of guys that fish this lake some with success some without...

Has anyone read the article in the daily news about this lake?

??

Aparently fish and game was under the impression that the lake was STERILE and were amazed when a woman pulled a large lake trout out of it... here is a link

http://www.adn.com/outdoors/fishing/story/9396762p-9310099c.html

Well I know for a fact that it is not sterile as it is a destination every year for myself for lakers cusk and...well suckers as a matter of fact my wife is the queen of the suckafish as we say for it is the only thing she can catch out of the lake sometimes her counts are in the dozens of suckafish...another story.

But I just find it amazing that fish and game think this is a sterile lake so on monday I will be emailing some pics to fish and game if you have any you may want to send them in as well and maybe they will start paying attention to this lake and maybe even start the stocking program again. Thanks

Doc Stubbs · « **Reply #25 on:** Nov 05, 2007, 11:09 PM »

Quote from: darkhousefisher on Sep 12, 2007, 06:15 PM

Have you ever fished long lake on Glen Highway? According to ADF&G there is Burbot in there. Wondered if you had any luck there.

Darkhouse

I have fished Long lake on the Glenn alot, this is a great lake for the later months of winter when O2 levels drop elsewhere. Great fishing for char, lakers and the burbot isn't bad if you have a night to give up. The wind is pretty brisk out there and the state doesn't keep the parking lot cleaned off so you may have to park on the shallow part of the lake or drive to where you want to fish. But a great lake for late winter, it is worth the trip!! Plan on fishing it early this year to see if there is a big difference in the early and late bite. When you can't get a bite anywhere else this is a great lake to go to. Low traffic, on the ice.

MrMarty51 · « **Reply #26 on:** Dec 12, 2007, 10:47 PM »

Quote from: icy mike on Sep 14, 2007, 11:52 AM

Errrrrrr, I mean, no, it's terrible here, clouds of mosquito's carry off small children, gangs of brown bears stand on street corners and mug old ladies, a gallon of milk costs three weeks pay. Tell everyone you know that Alaska is a bad place to live, let alone visit. Tell them to stay where they are, they will not like it here.

Darkhouse

I second that Darkhouse. My Northern Lights bill went up AGAIN, my outhouse is still frozen from last winter, all of the local news is out of Siberia, and I had to use my last can of Spam to pay the doctor (actually a self-taught vet from Arkansas) to treat my youngest's frostbite she got last July! The only time we have fresh milk is after a lactating cow moose is hit by a truck. Bent nails are $.50 each, we cook using a hubcap off of a 52 Plymouth (and that is only if the fire doesn't freeze), and we use spruce cones for... well, you can imagine... Well, I gotta run; the kids are fighting a wolf pack over some rotten caribou bones. If I don't help they won't let me eat!

Icy (and I mean ICY) Mike

Hey I got an old Chevy hubcap I`d trade Ya cause I got a 52 Plymouth but Ya gotta scrub out the burnt beans and Grizzly fat first.
Darkhouses Dad

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Author Topic: Question for you Alaskans. (Read 23036 times)