8/16/25: Discount Fishing Tackle & The Wild Alaskan Lodge – Sportsman Of Colorado 2025 Trip to Beautiful Alaska Today’s Guests: Austin Parr, Owner of Discount Fishing Tackle joins Scott and Kevin big discussion about the proposed Minnow ban. Austin also shares some fishing updates and a report on Chatfield and Cherry Creek Reservoir. Scott and Austin also recap their visit last Monday to CPW. Then, its all about The Wild Alaskan Lodge in Alaska. Scott and Kevin talk about their recent Alaskan adventure with The Wild Alaskan Lodge in Pelican, Alaska. Close friend David Fields was also on the
SPEAKER 02 :
Welcome to Sportsman of Colorado, Colorado’s premier outdoor radio show heard every Saturday afternoon on KLZ 560 with insights on hunting, fishing, archery, guns, and ammo from Colorado’s top outfitters featuring the industry’s leading experts on how to enhance your experience in the great outdoors. Now, here’s your host, Scott Whatley.
SPEAKER 04 :
Good afternoon and welcome to Sportsman of Colorado. Thank you so much for being with us. Got Kevin Flesch in studio with us. I know it. Here I am. What’s happening? How much? It’s good to see you. Good to see you, man. Did a little fishing this morning?
SPEAKER 06 :
Did a little fishing. A lot of fishing this morning. Not a lot of catching. Yeah. Caught a giant carp.
SPEAKER 04 :
Did you? Yes. Cool. Awesome.
SPEAKER 06 :
Which was super fun on a jigging wrap, which was unusual. They do hit jigging wraps. I’ve had that happen before.
SPEAKER 04 :
at cherry creek reservoir and uh it was just over it was about 33 inches it was a giant fish as soon as i hooked it i’m like oh this isn’t a walleye this is not a wall well hey kevin we’re gonna visit here a little bit but you know what we got austin we got a guy that does catch fish that’s right austin parr discount fishing tackle 2645 south santa fe austin parr how are you my friend
SPEAKER 11 :
I’m doing great, guys. How are we doing this morning?
SPEAKER 04 :
Good. Give Kevin a lesson now over the phone. What did he do wrong? Exactly.
SPEAKER 11 :
It was interesting. Go ahead.
SPEAKER 06 :
No, go ahead, Austin.
SPEAKER 11 :
I was just going to say, you know, at Cherry Creek, certainly seeing a lot of the bait fish out there. And for listeners that may not be familiar… The main forage base is a large bait fish called a gizzard shad. Adults are in that 12 to 16-inch range, and then they spawn early in the season, in around the April and May time frames. This time of year, all their little babies are out over the open water, and it creates an abundance of food, and those fish are healthy in there. They are well-fed. So as you were talking about with those jigging wraps, the whole key at the moment is to be trying to imitate some of those small wounded bait fish, and the jigging wraps can certainly do well. Blade baits are another really good option, and the water out there, I imagine you were seeing still somewhat dingy, a little off-color, kind of brown. And when that happens, a lot of times I’ll go more to the blade bait having a bit more vibration rather than the jigging wrap, which is very visual. That’s been working extremely well at Chatfield with the jigging wraps with that a little bit more clear water. But I’ve been doing a little bit better with blades out at Cherry Creek.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, I was surprised this morning because I did because I stopped in the shop and got some. of your secret blade baits this week and used those a little bit too and just didn’t have much luck. And then this particular, this was interesting. So I was fishing a spot on the west side, and I saw a bunch of pelicans and a bunch of seagulls over a couple hundred yards. They obviously had a ball of bait or something was going on there. So I zipped over there and second cast with a jigging wrap. I caught this giant carp. So they were keying in on some little bait.
SPEAKER 11 :
For sure, yeah. And I mean, that’s something where you find the bait and you find the fish is the old adage. And at Chatfield, that’s absolutely the case right now with a little bit less bait than we’re seeing at Cherry Creek. But at Creek, there’s bait everywhere. So it makes it more challenging with having those fish really get spread out. And then, I mean, another technique that you can work a little bit at this time of the season are some of your trolling techniques. A lot of times those walleyes will push those bait fish up pretty high in the water column, and they won’t crash like a wiper will. But patrolling just underneath the surface, only a foot or two down with small crankbaits like salmon hornets and little flicker shads and size 4s and 5s can be very effective. And the planar boards really are critical because of how high they are in the water column. your boat will push those fish away from you quite a bit. So if you have a flat line behind you, you’re missing all the fish that are up high. So being able to push those fish away from you into your planer board can be pretty effective at times. And I’ve had good success out there even with baits 15 feet behind a planer board. That only puts it down like a foot and a half under the surface. So it’s kind of interesting how that works. But As we’ve talked about, I mean, this time at Cherry Creek can be definitely pretty challenging.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, yeah. And there were a number of boats out this morning, and I was kind of watching folks because we were all sort of in the same area, and nobody was, you know, doing anything crazy. You had one guy that I talked with for a few minutes. He had caught a few. He was using bottom bouncers and going slow, sort of the customary with bait, and that seemed to be working for him. Sure. The other guys that I saw trolling fast, doing the planer boards and everything else, I didn’t see much action there either. It was just a slow morning, so it is what it is.
SPEAKER 10 :
That can happen sometimes.
SPEAKER 06 :
Beautiful sunrise, though.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, I bet. Yeah, I mean, the unfortunate wildfire creates some pretty vibrant sunrise at this point in the season, and we’ve definitely been enjoying them out of Chatfield for the last couple weeks. Yeah, sure.
SPEAKER 04 :
austin pars with us once again it’s discount fishing tackle is the store 2645 south santa fe austin does guided trips so if you’ve just listened the last three minutes yes he’s the guy you want to fish with all right kevin too but austin knows what he’s doing i’m just wandering around in the dark Hey, Austin. Man, let’s get into this thing. And you and I have been talking here a lot the last few days over this and went over to a commission meeting, and we can talk about that maybe a little bit. But fill us in on everything that’s up to date now with this live bait thing. And, again, a lot of people – man, I’ve talked to so many people who have no idea this is going on. Yeah, let’s start there. Fill our listening audience in of what’s happening.
SPEAKER 11 :
I wish I was just on this show to be just discussing about some great hunting and fishing opportunities. But unfortunately, we’re dealing with quite a few different issues being run through the commission. So if any listeners are familiar with any kind of Colorado politics, we’ve been seeing quite a few voter initiative type things coming through over the last couple of seasons. Obviously, the Wolf Initiative and the Mountain Lion Band and a Denver Fur Band. And we’re kind of used to seeing some attacks on that angle, but some of these animal welfare groups are starting to change their tactics a little bit. This live minnow ban is certainly one of them. There’s an out-of-country funded animal welfare group. The group’s name is Charity Entrepreneurship, and they have created an organization in the U.S. that is attempting to attack the live minnow trade. They’re doing this in New Hampshire and New York. and now Colorado, where they have determined the various vulnerable political climates. And they have submitted a citizen’s petition. to CPW to ban either the import or the sale of live bait fish based upon aquatic nuisance species standpoints. However, this group’s funding comes from a group that is big on anti-bait, anti-fishing, and they would like to see all bait outlawed. So obviously, when you put two and two together, you’re seeing that the ANS type of concerns are certainly not genuine. But this coming Thursday and Friday, there is a CPW Wildlife Commission meeting down in Pueblo. And for listeners not familiar, the CPW Wildlife Commission is appointed by the governor, and they are essentially the governing body of CPW, where they are able to change various things and create legislation that changes the rulemaking process and changes your overall regulations. So they have the full power to do this. And over the last month or so, I’ve really been working a pretty large campaign to try and have folks email the commission and or attend this commission meeting coming up here. The email period is now closed, but still, if anyone has any interest in this, this will be heard during the consent agenda on Thursday. What that means is that if all CPW commissioners are going along with the staff recommendation, which has already been announced, to deny this minnow petition, then it just simply goes away. However, if one commissioner decides they’d like to hear it further, then there will be need for public comment. So kind of up in the air a little bit, but some of these groups are starting to approach this in some different ways. And, you know, you and I were down at the 10-year strategic plan meeting, and we’re hearing of some other things coming as well, including a potential commercial fur ban, which would devastate the fly fishing industry so we’re having to really watch this a little bit different the concerning part as much as i dislike all the voter initiatives at least anglers and hunters can kind of see what’s going on and have a say this type of a petition process if i wasn’t fully entrenched in this industry you would not have any idea of what’s going on right now
SPEAKER 04 :
No, you’re right. And, you know, I do have to say, you and I, we had a chance to meet the new director, Jeff Davis, and actually, you know, had him for about 15 or 20 minutes. And it was the first time, you know, I’d got to meet him and yours as well. And he has promised us that he would come on the show, which was encouraging. And just trying to get a little bit more communication, you know. And here’s what I appreciated about him giving us some time. You and I were really honest with him. I’ll put it that way. And he took that feedback and, you know, graciously and all. And, hey, I’m looking forward to getting him on. And I think – you know just some communication there is going to help all of us be more aware of what’s going on because as you said hey i wouldn’t have known about that meeting if you hadn’t texted me you know and so we just gotta get a lot more because you know what that room should have been packed with people and unfortunately what 30 people there yeah and it’s challenging because obviously you can’t read the book by the cover but it definitely did not appear that we had a heavy sportsman’s influence
SPEAKER 11 :
in a meeting that can potentially change the trajectory of how CPW is run for the next decade.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah. Yeah, Austin, maybe give us a little background relating to I think, wasn’t there also an initiative in Denver? a year or two ago about the same thing, trying to get rid of live bait.
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, not live bait, but there was an initiative in Denver to have a full commercial fur ban, which would have been in the city and county of Denver. And that one also includes about half of the flies that I sell at the store. And all of this, obviously, I’m obviously entrenched in this industry. I own a company that sells all this stuff. So I don’t want to sound like I’m concerned about this for the store, and of course I am, but at the surface, this is a minnow ban, this is a potential fur ban coming, but I want everyone to look past the fact that it’s just that. I mean, you could easily say, hey, I don’t fish minnows and I don’t fly fish, so what do I really care about this? Well, I want everyone to kind of take a step and consider the fact that there’s an out-of-country funded group that is having some traction to be able to change what we do in Colorado. Same similar situation on the Mountain Lion Initiative, where they were able to get enough signatures to put a mountain lion hunting ban on the ballot. And in Oregon, over the last couple of seasons, there’s been a group trying to put a full ban on hunting and fishing on the ballot, unsuccessfully, thank God. But there’s nothing stopping these groups from adding elk hunting or adding… fishing with live bait, period. I mean, the list goes on and on. And I am committed to stopping these types of groups from doing anything that the biologists are certainly against. And in this particular minnow initiative, they’ve come out and specifically stated that this is not what they are recommending, and they are recommending the commission to deny it. And if the commission comes out and goes against the biologists, we’re kind of in trouble on some of this stuff. So, I mean, I am in full support of the biologists. And I’ve always said that if they say there’s not enough game in a certain area and they’re going to be closing it, I’m always saying, absolutely, there’s no problem with that. But when you have groups having outside influence that are obviously anti-hunting and fishing and we are definitely going to be continuing to fight these groups.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, and that’s kind of what I was… My preamble was exactly that, is that these folks aren’t really concerned about the minnows or the biology. What they’re most concerned about is limiting our opportunities in both hunting and fishing. And it’s just a gradual thing, right? They’re hoping that they can get something done with the minnows to then say, well, if minnows are… We shouldn’t be doing that. We just shouldn’t be fishing, period. Exactly. And that’s obviously… something that everybody needs to know about so that they can talk with CPW when the time comes. And it sounds like this Thursday is definitely one of those times where people can be at the meeting and raise these issues and their objections to it. Yeah.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah. And the thing about this meeting is that with it being on the consent agenda, it’s heard right off the bat. Yeah. it is unanimously consented against this, then you’re going to be having a situation where there’s no room for comment period. But then also included on this particular commission meeting is a spearfishing initiative that’s going to be opening up spearfishing for game fish in a variety of waters, including Aurora and Horsetooth. And that’s something that I’m also kind of been talking about quite a bit because When you’re talking about this whole other issue here, it’s on the complete other end of the spectrum, but you’re having the ability to go target trophy fish, hurt the overall biomass as well as overall fishery. And then the other thing about this particular initiative is when you have divers in the water, there is a large area that the divers cannot, you can’t have other boat traffic on. So when you have it on Horsetooth especially, it gets pretty congested. So that’s another thing that if the public is concerned about, there will be comment period on that as well.
SPEAKER 04 :
Good. And that’s allowed in some places here in Colorado, right? The spearfishing?
SPEAKER 11 :
Only for rough fish in Colorado. So things like suckers and carp. But don’t get me wrong. I mean, I’m not against spearfishing. Like Lake McConaughey, when you have a large body of water that can handle it with the biomass that’s insanely big, then we’re fine. But when you’re on these fisheries that may only have big fish in the dozens count on walleyes versus you know you’re having hundreds if not thousands of those fish if you have them congregated in a certain area those spear fishermen do have an ability to hurt the population greater than rod and reel fishing most certainly you can obviously let a big fish go but if you put an arrow through his side he’s not going to be uh yeah he’s not too healthy super great yep so and we’re just in a limited water situation around and And it may not have the straight implications in the future for hunting and fishing in general like some of these other initiatives have. But I still think it is an important thing to consider as an angler who is concerned with the continuation of high-quality fisheries. and being able to have good opportunities for my kids and grandkids.
SPEAKER 04 :
Austin Parr is with us at Siscount Fishing Tackle, 2645 South Santa Fe. If you’ve never been in the store, let me tell you this. You will be overwhelmed when you walk through the door. There’s a lot of stuff in there. It’s very deceiving from the front. Of all the great stuff they have there, I mean, they’ve got it all. And, Austin, your staff, I’ll let you explain here for just a second, but, man, you’ve got a great staff in there that knows fishing and can help people wherever they might be in their fishing knowledge, correct?
SPEAKER 11 :
That’s it. I mean, I’m very lucky to have the staff like that, and those guys all fish, and we take pride in that. We may have not been on the specific water that somebody’s heading off to, but we definitely know about it. So it’s something where we pride ourselves in customer service selection, and I intend to have that continue into the future here.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yep. Hey, real quick, and I know you’re busy on a Saturday. I appreciate your time. Over on the western slope, Meeker, Craig, all this with these wildfires, of course, big game season is probably going to be impacted quite heavily. What does that do for all the fishing and streams there when you’ve got that much fire and smoke and just, you know, stuff from everywhere?
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, I mean, and on, like right now, it’s going to do less than it will in the future, and it all depends upon exactly how these fires are positioned. So, you know, if you have a fire that’s not on a major drainage, it’s not going to be providing as much issue as you’re going to be having if you’re having something like on the Platte, like we had on the Hayman Fire back in the early 2000s. The big issue is the runoff and the ash into the water, and That can definitely affect water quality for oxygen on the trout, but it also really can silt in some of your nice rock, riffley areas, and that eliminates a lot of insect life, which hurts those trout up there as well. So somewhat to be seen. Sometimes they hurt stuff really, really bad, and other times it’s not quite as bad. So obviously we don’t want to be seeing these fires, but… You know, there’s area that it’s going to affect, but maybe not quite as drastically as big game seasons, at least in the immediate future.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yep, absolutely. Hey, follow Discount Fishing Tackle on social media and all. Austin is really good about putting some things up there about upcoming meetings and all. And hey, if you’re an angler in the area, stop by the store, meet Austin, let him fill you in on things. Because Austin, one thing that came up, is some of the meetings and they brought up the angler board i think they called it they said you know we just didn’t get a lot of people there and that’s something that you know we need to change in all these meetings is getting more people to come right i’m going to be working on it yeah i mean because
SPEAKER 11 :
Even as, like I said, someone who’s well-entrenched in this industry, unless you are paying incredibly close attention, it is challenging to determine exactly what the schedules of these types of meetings are. I mean, heck, you’re a radio show host for well over a decade and dealing with CPW all the time. And if it wouldn’t have been for the fact that I saw a random email, you would have had no idea that we were dealing with a 10-year strategic plan meeting where all of a sudden we’re talking to the director and actually providing meaningful insight. So the rest of the meeting may have been questionable on how the meaningfulness was, but at least that type of a deal is something that’s important.
SPEAKER 06 :
going to continue to try and provide the public with at least information to have them make their voices heard yep and i think the other thing you guys learned is that they do put these meetings on their their website yeah they said go to the website the website unless i’m buying a tag yeah for big game which is my fault you know so i am going to try to check it once a week yeah and just see what’s going on because they do have a calendar there with all the events so It sounded like that was the only way that they really communicated to the public where these things were, right?
SPEAKER 11 :
And with these commission meetings, it’s interesting because I found out that during the summer months, all the commission meetings are taking place in places other than Denver because of potential commute and snowstorms and all that kind of stuff. So things from the western slope, now on Pueblo, we’re seeing that. But as we get into the winter months, all the meetings are in the Front Range and Northern Front Range. So if folks have the time and want to really kind of come and make a difference, the commission meeting really is the place to be doing that. Because whether anyone’s left, right, or center, it’s challenging to look past the fact that this particular commission right now is slated against sportsmen and without the voice of the sportsmen that only leaves the voice of the opposition and i am passionate about like i said continued high quality hunting and fishing opportunities in this state the only way to do it is to become involved yep absolutely austin well bud we appreciate all you’re putting into this stay in touch with us anything you need you’ve always got an open door here on sportsman colorado radio i promise you that bud
SPEAKER 10 :
I appreciate you guys, and thanks for the opportunity as always, and hopefully we can have some good news coming up next week.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yep, absolutely. All right, that’s Austin Parr, Discount Fishing Tackle. Once again, 2645 South Santa Fe. We’re going to hit a quick break. Back with more right after this.
SPEAKER 08 :
Riding an e-bike will make you feel like a kid again. Just try it. Hi, I’m Randy Curranci, founder of e-bike of Colorado. E-bikes are a fun way to ride the trails. Pedal assist technology flattens the steepest hills. We have 14 major brands to choose from and our expert staff will find you the perfect bike. Come take a free test ride at e-bike of Colorado in downtown Louisville next to the historic grain elevator. Open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Learn more at ebikeofcolorado.com. Just try it.
SPEAKER 04 :
Need new glasses fast? With Stack Optical’s on-site lab, you’ll get your prescription glasses in just three to four days. No long wait times. Hey, this is Scott Whatley, and I’ve trusted my eye care to Allen Stack and Stack Optical for the last 15 years. Eye exams are only $69. And that should be a part of your physical checkups each year. For over 50 years, Denver has trusted this family-owned boutique eye care center for premium vision care, custom eyewear, and expert repairs. See the Stack Optical difference today. Call 303-321-1578. That’s 303-321-1578. And tell them Scott sent you. Stack Optical. Since 1968, at Stack Optical, you’ll see the difference.
SPEAKER 13 :
Here’s why you need personal injury attorney Kevin Flesch on your side. He understands the way the jury thinks. In the context of a personal injury case, you’ve been hurt by someone else’s negligence. The idea is that you’re going to try to recover so that you can get back to where you were just prior to that incident occurring. What that really means from a jurist’s perspective is that you’re going to be asking them to award you money. So when we talk about fairness, we’re talking about six people that you don’t know. Those six people view the evidence and make a unanimous decision that will decide what the fair value is. When you’re the one who’s hurt, you have a good idea of what you think it’s worth. The question is, can you persuade those other individuals whom you don’t know and were witnesses to believe that’s what the case is worth? Kevin Flesch understands the way the jury thinks. Call now for a free consultation. 303-806-8886
SPEAKER 04 :
Now that the summer heat is on with temperatures in the 80s and 90s, it’s easy to forget that our pets can’t cool off by changing into shorts and t-shirts like we do. Pets wear fur year round and are limited in how well they can cool their bodies. It doesn’t take long for them to overheat and get in serious trouble with hypothermia or heat stroke. Hey, this is Scott Whatley and every summer we hear sad stories about pets being left in cars or out in the hot sun and the tragic outcome that follows. The team at Lone Tree Veterinary Medical Center wants your pets to be safe this summer and have a few tips that can help. Be sure your pet always has access to fresh water both indoors and outdoors. Limit your pet’s outdoor walks, hikes, and other outdoor activities to early morning and evening hours when it’s cooler. Bring plenty of water along for your pet. Keep pets inside during the day where air conditioning or fans keep it cooler. Make sure your pet has a shaded area if out in the yard. And never, never leave your pet in a parked car, even for a quick errand. Temperatures in a car can rise to dangerous levels within minutes, even if shaded and the windows are open. For more information on hot weather safety, check out the Stay Cool Avoiding Hypothermia in Pets blog at LoneTreeVet.com. For more information about the many wonderful services at their facility, just give them a call at 303-708-8050. That’s 303-708-8050. Lone Tree Veterinary Medical Center. It’s the place where my pets go.
SPEAKER 06 :
If you’re in the market for a new rifle for the big game season or a new shotgun for some doves or upland game birds, head on over to The Gun Room. Kevin Flesch here from Sportsman of Colorado, inviting you to visit Denver’s oldest gun dealer. And that’s The Gun Room at 1595 Carr Street in Lakewood. They offer buy, trade, consignment, transfers, and appraisals. And if you purchase a gun, we’ll cover your background check fee. It’s The Gun Room, 1595 Carr Street. Tell them Sportsman of Colorado sent you.
SPEAKER 04 :
Save now at the Outdoorsman’s Attic. It’s your go-to consignment store for outdoor gear. Hunting, fishing, camping, they’ve got it all at unbelievable prices. Right now, save up to 30% on sleeping bags and tents, up to 40% off on footwear, and up to 50% off on clothing. Located at 2650 West Hampton in Sheridan, they’ll even turn your old gear into cash. And don’t forget, for expert firearm cleaning and repair, see Scott the Gunsmith and mention Sportsman of Colorado. It’s the outdoorsman’s attic. Gear up and save.
SPEAKER 12 :
KLZ 560, your home station.
SPEAKER 04 :
Welcome back to Sportsman of Colorado. Hey, once again, remember we’re live here on Saturday, Sundays, 8 and 8, 8 a.m., 8 p.m. You can hear a replay. Then the following Thursday from 9 to 10 a.m. So four times you can catch Sportsman of Colorado. We’ve got our Flesh Law text line sponsored by our guest in studio, Mr. Kevin Flesh. So, hey, if you ever have a question, if you’ve got a question for the commissioner or the director, I should say, Shoot me a text. Maybe you’re listening and you can never call in. You’re working on Saturdays, whatever. Shoot us a text, 720-201-8585. And if you have a legal question for Kevin, anything. Hey, we just use that text line here for the shows with Haystack and Sportsman of Colorado. And we thank Kevin for that. All right, Kevin, we’re going to reflect a little bit from a few weeks ago. Yes. Our trip to Pelican, Alaska.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah. Wild Alaskan Lodge. So we’ve been to Alaska a number of times. Always guided. This is a self-guided trip. First of all, getting there was a bit of a struggle, but it’s a really cool experience. Just from Juneau, you fly to Juneau, and then you have to get from Juneau to Pelican, which is about four hours. It’s about 80 miles, right? We took a catamaran down to Pelican, saw whales. I mean, really cool, beautiful scenery. I mean, if you haven’t been to Alaska, you need to go. That’s all we can say. I mean, it’s just you have to go, especially if you like to fish. So we made it down to Pelican. We got to the lodge, and the lodge, right on the water.
SPEAKER 04 :
I mean, you can’t get much closer. You cannot. How high do you think the rooms are on those stilts?
SPEAKER 06 :
So it’s basically on stilts. We’re right up against the mountainside and the water. There’s no front yard other than water and the dock. Yeah. You go through sort of a discussion at the beginning about boat safety and how their boats work and what the fishing has been like. And then they send you off with a beautiful… On the ocean. On the ocean. Which, in retrospect, you’re like, what were we doing? But I felt safe the whole time.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, I did, too, because you were there as the captain of our boat. So, yes, I did feel safe the whole time.
SPEAKER 06 :
But really nice boats. They’re relatively new boats. I think with the last year or two, nice Suzuki motors on them. And those motors run all day. You get in the boats at 530 and you’re out. Fishing, so you’re primarily fishing for halibut. We caught a lot of lingcod, although we weren’t trying to catch them, but we got really good at it. Rockfish, a whole bunch of different rockfish, yellowfish, the widowfish, blackfish, all of those sort of rockfish family. And, um, and then what else did we, Oh, salmon, of course. Um, we were catching, uh, cohos and you, you can get a King stamp when we were there. So you’re able to catch one King a season. And we did that. And then the yellow eyes and the yellow eyes.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 06 :
Which, um, we we’ve eventually got those figured out. So what is interesting, this trip is really set up for the group that has one or two captains, right? The folks that feel comfortable getting in a boat with Garmin Electronics, and it’s a 21, 22-foot boat, semi-covered, so you get into weather, it’s good, big, deep Vs. Yes, you’re out in the ocean, but you get to choose because the lodge is in an arm, about a 20-mile arm that stays relatively calm and is an area where you can retreat to in the event that the ocean is bumpy. And we had one day out of the five that was – we came out of the mouth of the arm and we had a quick staff meeting about – whether or not we should continue. Um, I was a bit concerned that the seas were a little angry. Let’s put it, let’s put it that way. And the rest. So there were three other groups that were there with us. They stayed out all day, um, and, uh, kind of muddled through and they caught a bunch of fish doing it, but we made the decision to stay in the arm and we still caught fish in the arm, but it wasn’t, we didn’t catch the halibut. Um, And we didn’t get beat up like they did. Yeah. But you don’t fish a whole lot. So maybe talk about what you saw from the fishing experience and what you learned. Because I think you learned a ton, too.
SPEAKER 04 :
Oh, a ton. And we’re going to bring up a buddy here that was with us here in just a second. Oh, good. Yeah. But no, as Kevin said, you know, I don’t fish a lot here. And my deal is more hunting. But I certainly love when we go to Alaska fishing. Yeah. Having just all the different types of, it doesn’t take long to figure out how to, you know, switch different lines for different baits, different things we’re doing. And then just getting to know your rod and reel a little bit, how all that kind of things work. But then dropping down to certain footage that we were fishing in there, man, pulling up and you don’t know what you got. That is the funnest thing in the world.
SPEAKER 06 :
That is true.
SPEAKER 04 :
Because you just don’t know.
SPEAKER 06 :
You don’t. So we got into a situation where we were trolling, and David will talk to us once he gets on. We were having some trouble. Trolling, because we had downriggers, but quite frankly, what we were doing the first day is we were going too fast. So we were popping the downriggers, the line off of the balls, just because there was too much tension. We were basically using regular straight lines on the downriggers to a big, I can’t even think of what they’re called now, but basically it’s a flasher unit. that was behind there that create a tremendous amount of pressure on the line because it’s making these big circles in the water, probably 10 or 15 feet in diameter. And then you have a little what they called hoochie, which was just a little plastic skirt with a hook on it that the salmon would see the flasher, then see the hoochie, and then grab that, and then you’d hook them. And we were having a bit of trouble with that. And quite frankly, that fishing, unless you’re running the rods, you’re the guy kind of doing that, or you’re driving the boat, you’re not really doing much. You’re just kind of sitting around waiting for those fish to hit the rods and then reel them in. So we stopped after the first couple of days doing that because we realized once we got into an area where there was a bunch of fish that we could just drive over them with the graph, with the Garmin, and when we’d find the fish, which you’re talking about, is we’d have two people in the back of the boat, because we had the rods with line counter reels on them, and we had basic jigs, flutter jigs that we had. And so we would get to these spots where maybe you’d have fish between 40 and 60 feet, and you’d just stop the boat, and then you’d drop down into those big balls of fish. And then what would happen?
SPEAKER 04 :
Man, just instant. I mean, going down, I mean, you just release the line, and they’re on. Yeah. And game on. Game on. David Fields joins us from Florida. David’s a good buddy, been on several trips with us, a great personal friend, and he had to only be there a couple of days. David is a Delta pilot and had to fly to Iceland for some folks, had to be their pilot. David Fields, how are you, bud? Hey, General, I’m doing great.
SPEAKER 14 :
It’s great to talk to you guys.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, so we were just kind of given a preamble of sort of how our trip went. Maybe describe for the audience what your experience was like in the fishing, in the lodge, and everything else, what your impressions were.
SPEAKER 14 :
I’ve got to say, first of all, coming from Florida, it was beautiful and fantastic. Alaska is always just gorgeous. It’s like the last frontier. and everything up there is just so beautiful. The scenery is beautiful. For me, that’s the first thing that you take in. Starting from the beginning, getting into Juneau, and then getting from Juneau to the lodge, that’s always an interesting and fun trip, whether it’s by the float plane or the camera, whatever it might be. And the views are just gorgeous. And then you get to the lodge, and the people just… so hospitable there. Jason and Melanie, they just couldn’t do enough for you. So they’re just fantastic folks. But getting to the fishing itself, like you guys were mentioning, if you have a seasoned angler like Kevin in our case, that’s a huge help just for all the small particulars of tying a the right type of fishing knot, for example. You can go to Google or whatever and figure it out, or you can do my technique, which is tie knot after knot after knot. Those little type of things. But their equipment was, I thought it was all new, it was all top-notch, which is a huge help also. I think if you were somebody like Scott and I, for example, that aren’t fishermen in the way that Kevin is, I think probably after a day or so, you know, you can figure out how to run the equipment. You know, they do give you a quick lesson there when you first get on. But, you know, having somebody that’s seasoned at it is a huge help. Even with things like, you know, once you land the fish and you decide that he’s not a keeper, then releasing them properly without, you know, without killing the fish.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 14 :
Or if it’s a large fish you want to keep, you know, depending on the size of it, getting on the boat, you know, getting it on the boat properly. Yeah.
SPEAKER 06 :
We haven’t even gotten to the harpoon and everything else.
SPEAKER 14 :
And it, and it, I mean, it even figured out is so much fun. Like Kevin was saying about, you know, the down riggers and we knew what they were supposed to do and knew how to set them up. We just have to, just had to figure out how we were fine tuning them. We had the, I think the one was staying down, but the other one, it was a little, um, uh, we were having problems with the other one, but then we figured that one out. Um, And that wasn’t a big issue. And then other than that, like you said, you’ve got the Garmin. And you drop down, there’s a ball of fish there. And you’re hitting as soon as you drop it down to that depth, which is really cool on the rods, too. On those rods, it’s got the counter on it. And I drop it down 60 yards or 100 feet or whatever it might be. And sure enough, like Scott was saying, game on. and then as you’re watching the Garmin, you say, okay, now, you know, bring it up another 20 feet or whatever it might be. And, and, uh, and then you’re not sure what you’re going to bring up, but it was just, that was just a blast. And then the, uh, the halibut, you know, just dropping that darn cannonball down, let it, um, let it hit bottom. And then, uh, and seeing if they’re there, you know, usually have some, some suggestions on where they, you know, where they should be. And, uh, depending on the size of those and, Hopefully you don’t make the mistake of catching bottom and think you’ve got a huge halibut.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ve caught the ocean floor several times.
SPEAKER 14 :
Man, I’ve got it.
SPEAKER 06 :
I think there was a bit of a learning curve with that, too. And I think finally, David, I think after you had left the first couple of days, you know, the end of the week we had figured that out. And I had done a little bit better job of scouting out areas that, you know, what we were finding is, In our nightly debriefs just before dinner. So you’d come back and then the groups would talk and the owners of the lodge would sort of ask pointed questions to folks. Which I appreciated. Oh, my gosh. Yeah, it was so helpful. And what it turned out is that everybody was catching fish. If you could find flat, sandy spots that were in that 250-foot range… That’s where those halibut were sitting for whatever reason. And we started anchoring up. And so anchoring up and just waiting. And then we found a couple of spots that we ended up catching fish. And I think the fourth day, you and I and Janet, I mean, we caught 16 halibut, I think. And our limit was to a day. Yeah, so we could have kept… six we kept five trying to catch that big one david you know we were trying to catch that 150 pounder but what ended up happening after we got to halibut number 15 is all three of us were just dead tired i mean you’re dropping two pound balls down on 250 feet right jigging but once they came in then it was almost instantaneous we went for Like an hour and a half we caught those 15 fish, and it was just you get the fish in, you kill it, you put it in the box, and then you sort of load up again with bait, and it’s the first drop, and they were there, right?
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 06 :
I mean, and we did that until all of our arms were tired, and then we were like, fine, we’ll keep this last one, whatever it is, we don’t care. And then we did that a couple of mornings in a row that we did that same sort of program and got it taken care of. And I would agree, David, the day that we had when we didn’t want to go out into the ocean where I think the three of us, we got into that school of rockfish. And I think for like, and it was raining pretty steady. The three of us were outside of the cabin of the boat.
SPEAKER 04 :
We were catching them right here.
SPEAKER 06 :
Just one right after another.
SPEAKER 14 :
It was like catching panfish in a pond. It was exactly that. It was fantastic. It was so much fun.
SPEAKER 07 :
Go ahead.
SPEAKER 14 :
I was going back to the hell, but I know your arms just get worn out if you come across a nice school like that. I think we saw there was a video or something where they’re actually using a type of drill gun. I wonder if you’re actually able to use those types of things.
SPEAKER 06 :
Oh, yeah. I’m sure you could use an electric. You’re talking like an electric reel? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, if you brought your own electric reel, I’m sure they don’t care.
SPEAKER 04 :
Dude, I had to go to the chiropractor and get my wrist reset. I’m telling you. I talk for a living. Man, I’m telling you, it was crazy. I mean, my hands were numb, buddy.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, towards the end of the week, we were going in a little early because we were all just so tired of catching fish.
SPEAKER 04 :
If you’re just joining us, go ahead. We’re talking about the Wild Alaskan Lodge, Jason and Melanie. Hey, check them out on social media. They are awesome folks. I know they’re going to be here in January. We’re trying to get them set up for our Mile High Hunting Fish Expo, which, by the way, a lot of new information there. We will not be back at the Gaylord this year. We’re going over to the… New Western Complex, New Expo Hall, down where they have the, what’s the deal, Kevin? Mine just went blank.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, it’s at the Stock Show.
SPEAKER 04 :
Stock Show. Yeah, okay. Yeah, it’s the New Western Stock Show. Yeah, the New Western Event Center there. So it’s going to be March 20th through the 22nd. So a lot more information coming up there. But this was a great trip, again, to Wild Alaskan Lodge, and it is self-guided. They do cook all your meals for you. A couple of things we want to point out, and you guys can comment as well. Whoever is on your boat is in your room. Yep. Okay. So most of the beds, I didn’t go in all the rooms, but we had like a full or queen bed with three other twins beds. And then there’s a private bath. And if you have six people, then two of those people would feed over. They will be by the end of six days. Then they will feed over to the next room. And then if there’s a couple of people on the other boat, then they would kind of bunk with them. But I’m going to tell you, it worked out fine. Kevin’s wife was with us with Janet and David. And, you know, man, when we came back, it’s – and, again, you can do whatever you want. And that’s what we loved about this. But if you’re there to fish, you can go from 5.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. You’ve got to be back at 5.30 so they can clean the fish. We can all have dinner together. it gives them time to clean the fish go through the boats um replace all the things you lost and broke broke yeah which we we helped them out in that area as well um but um it is a fantastic time like i say way different from anything we’ve ever done as far as on the self-guided thing and and being on the ocean as kevin said but fantastic experience i think all three of us would highly recommend it for people but as kevin said we’re just being honest with you hey having a couple of folks that are familiar with a boat and being able to drive the boat, so one guy just isn’t stuck doing everything the whole time.
SPEAKER 06 :
And you all drove the boat throughout the week, and that was, you know, if you have one person that can be the captain and has some experience with it, you can have other folks that aren’t as experienced. But you do need, I think, one person that has a sense, a fishing sense.
SPEAKER 04 :
Scott, your other right. David, your other left. No, David’s a pilot. He’s smart. He’s good, yeah. He was good.
SPEAKER 14 :
So, David, any other comments on it? We don’t have starboard and port on the airplane, so that’s good. What’s that mean, Kevin? Yeah, exactly. David, any closing comments? No, it’s different from the guided ones. The guided ones are fun also, but it’s almost more rewarding whenever you’re going out and you’re doing all the work yourself and baiting it and figuring out the depths and all that. That’s fun. And just being in Alaska is just so gorgeous. You know, there’s No other place in the States like that.
SPEAKER 06 :
No, completely agree. And I think what it also, the other thing that I learned about this trip, much like any other fishing trip that you do that’s self-guided, is the first time you’re there, you know, you have several days where you’re learning. Towards the end of the week when you weren’t there, David, we had really kind of locked it in. So the next time we go, then we’ll start out right away with like, okay, this is what’s going on. This is a program. This is what we need to do. and it’s just going to be that much better. Sure, sure. And so we’re looking forward to it.
SPEAKER 04 :
And one thing I want to mention on their packing list, again, it’s the Wild Alaskan Lodge. Jason and Melanie just told me, heard Scott and Kevin on Sportsman of Colorado. I’m telling you. The limits change now in your favor when you’re not guided. So that’s really a cool thing. But pay attention to their pack list and do what they say. I took enough stuff, son. I could have lived in Alaska a month with all the stuff I brought. You guys listen. So they do your laundry for you. in the evenings and things so hey you you got all your uh rain gear yeah you you put that over your clothing so you’re it doesn’t get too messed up i would bring a couple of five dollar pair of gloves because son your hands do get beat up a little bit that’s right i’ll taking the fish off you’re absolutely right we had picked up those cheap uh sort of neoprene gloves and they made a difference that really helped us out yeah now you do spend a little way go ahead david
SPEAKER 14 :
You’ll get a little rape after a day or so.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, yeah. The sun. I had Victoria about kill me when I brought those in the house. That’s another show. But you do spend the night. Let me just say a couple other logistics. You fly in to Juneau, and then you spend the night in Juneau. The next morning, they will get you about noon. You can do the catamaran, or you can fly in. And same way on the return. I would highly recommend this. We don’t have time to go into all this, but Kevin and I will do it on another deal. If you are going to fly, make sure you check the weather and fog is not rolling in. Now, for me to say that, there’s a story. Yes, there is. We’ll hit that here another time. But we made it back safely. A day later. Everything was great, and that was our fault. We didn’t check it out. Want to give Jason and Melody an A+. The Wild Alaskan Lodge, A+. Fish was great. Man, we had some just the other night. Yes. It is so fresh. They take care of all of you. Clean it all for you. Packaging it up. Come home with 50-pound boxes. As many as you have, they just box it up in about 50-pound boxes and send it back with you. And it is all good. So, David, hey, man, we’ll do this again and get you back on the show. And then, hey, we’re already planning our next adventure with you, my friend. Love it.
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, speaking of it, I just had –
SPEAKER 04 :
fish tacos uh night before last okay fantastic all right well good deal man we appreciate it david thanks so much man i’ll be in touch with you thank you guys all right that is david feels your friendly delta pilot yeah next time you get on delta flight that’s right they know dave exactly your list of sports from colorado we got to hit a quick break more with kevin flesh coming right back
SPEAKER 09 :
Are you in the market for a new firearm? Or maybe looking to purchase your very first firearm? Well, wouldn’t it be great to have an experience worth telling your friends and family about while making such an important purchase? At Bighorn Firearms, we know how important that is and it’s our mission to provide this experience to every customer that walks through our front door. Hi, I’m Ryan, owner of Bighorn Firearms, located in southeast Denver, and my team and I are customers too. We know what it’s like to experience the typical specialty store attitude, and we believe everyone deserves a first-class experience when purchasing a firearm. If you’re searching for friendly service, a knowledgeable and passionate staff, and a great selection of firearms, we’d like to invite you to Denver’s best independent gun store, Bighorn Firearms, one mile east of Evans and I-25. Whether it’s your first gun or you’ve been collecting for years, our friendly and knowledgeable staff are passionate about answering all of your questions. Service and selection is our commitment to you. That’s Bighorn Firearms, located at 2175 South Jasmine Street, Suite 105, Denver. Call us now, 303-758-9423, or shop online, bighornusa.com.
SPEAKER 04 :
Here’s your Water Talk Minute with Paul the Waterman, brought to you by Water Pros.
SPEAKER 01 :
So one of the things that we’ve learned, and you can check this out factually information for yourself by going to the EPA.gov. The EPA has a laundry list of unregulated contaminants. And what that means, folks, is that your municipality does not have to test for these contaminants. And so they’re not reported in your annually water quality report. This is something that has to change. We have a false sense of security about the quality of our drinking water, from pharmaceuticals to the levels of PFAS and Gen X chemicals, which was recently removed from the EPA contamination list. And for example, there’s a contaminant on the unregulated list called 1,4-Dioxin. 1,4-Dioxin has been in our water supply since the early 1900s. Check out my podcast on Spotify, Paul the Waterman, or waterpros.net.
SPEAKER 04 :
For over 10 years, hunters have relied on OnX maps to help navigate public and private land boundaries across the country. OnX Hunt is the only tool comprised of more than 400 countrywide maps that give clear private and public land boundaries, trails, hunting specific data, and more. New map layers are constantly being added by pairing with some of the leading names in conservation and the outdoor industry. like the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Boone and Crockett Club, and Eastman’s. Whether it’s on your smartphone or handheld GPS, make the most of your precious time in the field by navigating with OnX Hunt. Go to the App Store or OnXMaps.com.
SPEAKER 15 :
Hey, Dan. You know, our jobs are pretty different. I’m a baseball announcer. You’re an attorney and a talk show host. Yeah, but we do have something in common. Really? What’s that?
SPEAKER 03 :
Our favorite car dealer, Len Lyle Chevrolet.
SPEAKER 15 :
Yeah, definitely not your typical dealership. That’s so true, Jack. No high-pressure sales tactics. They respect your time. And when you have two jobs, that’s important. You know, I’d recommend Len Lyle Chevrolet to anyone. And with their low overhead, that means… Lower prices.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, we really do have something in common.
SPEAKER 15 :
Len Lyle Chevrolet. Go east and pay the least. Chevy. Find new roads.
SPEAKER 12 :
KLZ 560. Your home station.
SPEAKER 04 :
Welcome back to Sportsman Colorado. Again, thank you so much for being with us. Kevin Flesch joins us in studio. Hey, always remember Flesch Law 303-806-8886. We had a few things we wanted to go over here. Some common violations that happen in Colorado. Just remember. Kevin handles wildlife violations, anything to do with CPW that you may get into a bind with.
SPEAKER 06 :
Just give us a call if you’ve got issues that you need questions or you just have some questions reviewing the big game. All of the new rules that are out there, and if you have any questions about how to handle certain situations, certainly just give us a call. I’m more than happy to speak to people about it.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah. Put that number in your phone, 303-806-8886. Hey, got a text. We were kind of talking about being on the ocean and the rough waves, and a gentleman said, yeah, people in Colorado are never ready for real ocean boating trip. That’s for sure. We’ve seen some deals where people have gotten in trouble and drowned with some waves coming up. They’re just not ready. So that is one thing. Hey, takeaway from today’s show is always be prepared and look at weather. Be safe.
SPEAKER 06 :
What’s going on. I’ll give you an example. I was fishing up in Twin Lakes, which is just south of Leadville, and that lake gets really crazy windy middle of the day sometimes. And I was out there lake trout fishing a few years ago, and we had wind come up, and we saw that it was coming up, and we got off pretty quick. But in the midst of doing that, just getting the boat on the trailer, we filled the boat up with water. I’ve got a small boat that I use for those sorts of lakes. Luckily it has a bilge on it, but I mean, the waves were crashing on the shore so badly that it was filling up the back of the boat as we were getting it on the trailer. And that’s just an indication that those lakes can get scary. And just use your head. You start seeing the wind come up a little bit, make sure you get back in time so that you’re not getting into any trouble. Because I’ve certainly been in that situation where all of a sudden you get your Gore-Tex pants on and everything else because you’ve got water coming over the sides of the boat. You don’t want to do that. You want to make sure you’re safe. Alaska and other places, I mean, it’s just use your head and think about what you’re doing and making sure you don’t want to be out. We saw last week we were out on Cherry Creek and the wind came up and there were a bunch of folks and paddle boards and things. No, we were up in Lake Dillon. Same thing. That’s another lake that can get really dangerous. But just use your head. Middle of the afternoon when that wind comes up, probably not a good idea to be out there on a paddle board. Right. Yeah, no doubt.
SPEAKER 04 :
Hey, if you’re interested in the Wild Alaskan Lodge, give me a call, 720-201-8585. That’s also our text line.
SPEAKER 06 :
um we’ll be glad to answer any questions for you and help you and if ladies uh gentlemen if you want to take your your wife and talk to kevin’s wife and get it from a lady’s perspective we can help you do that as well exactly sort of to wrap up our trip i think the wild alaskan lodge where their niche is is for the folks that are are going to be comfortable in a boat and comfortable fishing in a different environment if you’re a really good walleye fisherman or a really good maybe lake trout or other sort of fishermen that you can use different techniques to catch those fish and you feel comfortable in a boat using your electronics, this is a trip for you. And I think talking about the size of the boats and the amount of people on the boat, I think four to a boat is probably the sweet spot. And because when David left, four was good. When David left and you had three people, then you had one drive in the boat and two in the back sort of ready to do that sort of sharpshooting that we were doing. That worked out well. But if you had four, you’d be perfectly fine as well. And you’re out all day. And so it’s one of those things where, and then you come back, you have dinner. And you’re spent. You’re done. I mean, we had a lot of early nights. In fact, we were there for 4th of July. They had fireworks at midnight. Yeah, they didn’t go out until like midnight. And Kevin and I was like, we’ve seen fireworks before.
SPEAKER 04 :
Y’all have fun.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, exactly. They also had the – they did the – They had another event one night.
SPEAKER 04 :
What do you call those, luminaries?
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, luminaries. Basically these paper kites that you could heat up and they would take off. Again, you and I didn’t take part in that because we were worn out. So if you’re looking for that sort of trip, food was great. The rods, the boats, everything else was top-notch. The location is spectacular.
SPEAKER 05 :
It is beautiful.
SPEAKER 06 :
And Pelican’s a cute little town that you can go over to and spend a little time in. And just an Alaskan, if you’re looking for a true Alaskan sort of outback experience, that’s what that place is.
SPEAKER 04 :
Hey, catch our show with Kevin every Thursday. It’s Legal Talk on Haystack Help Radio. That is noon to 1230 every Thursday. And again, if you ever have a legal question for Kevin and maybe you can’t call in or listen, text me 720-201-8585. We’ll get an answer to your question. And get it taken care of. So thanks for being with us, Kevin. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks again to Jason Mellie at the Wild Alaskan Lodge. We’re going to be rebooking with you soon. Thanks for being with us. Hope you have a great rest of your day. Leave it right here on KLZ 560.
