One year ago today,on May 2,2002,I began buliding my empire.I put $1,000 down on 4.5 acres of land over 200 miles south of Anchorage for the purpose of putting up cabins and starting a tourism business(By fall of 2004 or spring 2005).My Mom has a 2.35 acre lot about 125 miles south of Anchorage that she will let me use.I only owe about $3,500 on my lot and will try to buy another piece of land north of Anchorage in about a month.From that point on,it's save,save,save. If I can,I will put in a driveway in my most southern lot this fall.That mostly depends on if we have another late winter or not.Here is a picture for another lot for sale that shows mine in the view.My lot is between the treeline at the bottom and just past the treeline with the snow background.On the very left,there is a road that comes into the picture and goes back out again just under my treeline.Very small on the left.Great snowmachine country and near world class fishing with road access.Sweet. http://www.alaskarealestate.com/scripts/picdetail.idc?picsfx=0&ln=1412131&picdir=31 2004 is going to be chock full of hard work throwing together about 4 to 6 cabins.If that happens,in spring 2005,I will try to go part time at my work to keep the benifits.I intend to have 10-12 cabins up by the end of 2006.If I have all of that going by then,I hope to walk away from my job forever. I'm tired of working for somebody else.Tilt one for me tonight and if you can,come visit Alaska sometime.It rocks. PEACE
But will the cabins get Fox Sports World? I went to Alaska for the first time last year. It was incredible. I was outside of Dillingham, and the sheer variety of landscapes within an hour of Dillingham was staggering. And the fishing's not bad, either. Good luck!
First thing,to any visitors coming to Alaska,CHECK THE FISHING REGULATIONS!!!The Fish & Game fuzz live for busting tourists not paying attention to the rules. King salmon(Chinook)run from mid May through July and red salmon(Sockeye)are also spring runners,late May through early August.Big salmon(Kings,4-6 year cycle) and the tastiest salmon(Reds,3-4 year cycle) brings out the worst in other fishermen.Come on in and battle all of the tourists and mosquitoes...I fish later on in the year. Pink salmon(Humpy) start late June/early July through early September.Considered to be the pigeon or rat of the salmon species by most Alaskans.Since they only live for two years and are quite small,I like to go with either 2 or 4 lb. test line(depends on the speed of the water current)with a light trout rod.I throw back about 99.9% of the fish I catch and these fish are more or less therapy for me more than anything else.I'm not a people person.Since most people don't like fishing for them,there aren't many people in my way.Kind of like falling in love with the lime lollipops at the bank. Chum salmon(Dog or calico) are also a species that's looked down upon by the locals.These are a fun fish to fight though.They are a 3-5 year fish that get pretty big and fight like Hell.Careful removing a hook from a Chum's mouth.They are nicknamed "dog" because of their jagged teeth.When they hit fresh water,they lose their scales and reveal a vertical stripe pattern on their sides.Orange,yellow,red,brown and sometimes some blue line their sides.A beautifully ugly fish. Silvers(Cohoe) start trickling through Mid July through ???About 5 years ago,some friends floated down the Kenai river on January 9th and caught 9 silvers.That's how they run,too.Small schools of 6 or 9 or 11,but never in large schools like red salmon(500-5,000)When the reds are in...they're in big time.Silvers(3-4 year cycle) are known for their active fight and lots of jumping.A little bit bigger than a red and a little bit smaller than a chum but they are electric on the end of a rod.If king salmon fought like this,I would fish for them.They just kind of sit there until you piss them off then they go downstream.Silvers are pissed before they hit your lure/fly/bait. Trout season in the rivers is usually catch and release and only after mid June.This is my kind of fishing.HUGE rainbow trout 20 to 30 inches long and full of fight.Since it's only catch and release,you are usually going to be fishing along side other people that respect nature and what the river gives us.Salmon fishermen are almost always very selfish and messy.Late August until early October is the best time.There is no bad weather...only bad gear.Look for schools of spawning red salmon and cast into them.After it passes through the school,there should be a trout waiting for some eggs floating down from the salmon spawning.If he's interested...set your drag so he doesn't bust your line. Dolly Varden/Arctic Char are basically side by side with the rainbows as far as seasons and locations go.The rules are a little less protective for the Dollies than they are for trout.Most catch and release streams will let you keep one under 18 inches,I believe.My boss and his son went to the Anchor river and in one day(Fishing early morning,sleeping during the day while the tourists claimed the river and fishing the whole evening)my boss beat his son 65 dollies caught to 64.They caught 129 fish in about 10 hours of fishing.I bought my lot that next spring(The one pictured in the link above)It's less that 13 miles from that spot and less than 18 miles from the sea harbor in Homer(d'oh!). Northern Pike are open season year 'round.They multiply almost 10 times as fast as trout and devour anything they can.Kill as many as you want with a good conscience.They're alright eating.I haven't had pike enough to give an honest opinion. Halibut is another reason I bought my lot near Homer.The salt-water season is almost 10 months long.When I was in 7th grade,a school mate and his dad caught the two biggest of the year...at the same time!!349 lbs and 330 lbs each.If you buy a derby ticket,then fish for the monsters.If you are fishing for food,go for the smaller halibut since they have less toxins in their systems and also because the big ones almost always have worms in their meat somewhere.(Usually,very easy to spot and cut out) Lots of good clamming along the road from Anchorage to my lot also.I haven't gone clamming since I was maybe 8 or 9 but I have lots of friends that go and have a blast.Typing this in may put clamming on my "schitt to do this Summer" list.I don't know the season for clamming or the restrictions but if you have any questions for clamming or anything else Alaska related,ask away and I'll try to look up the answers.I'll have to know them once my business gets going eventually. PEACE
Sweet. Thanks Baked, at some point in my life I would love to make the trek out there. A couple of weeks fishing is just what the doctor ordered. And beautiful Alaska is just the place for it.
I probably had more fun fishing for silver salmon than anything else. They are game fighters, and are often impressively sized. And getting to fight twenty or so salmon in a single say is an experience like no other. I did some fly-fishing for silvers, as well, which was fun, but a great deal of work (this was on the lower Togiak). The fly-fishing was great for the rainbows, char and dollies. I went out for a few hours on small river with three other people (and two guides), and we caught (and released) nearly 150 fish, and probably lost close to that. I also fly-fished and walked a small creek that was populated with grizzlies. And walking within 15 yards or so of those giants is an experience unlike any other. Bring a camera.
LOL! OK I was a little ambitious in my planning,but I did have a partner back out of the deal due to legal/family problems.I wound up paying off the lot by myself(At least I will...to be continued later in the post) except for a couple of surprise payments from my German grandfather.Not having my partners buy-in cash and not having his carpentry skills around made me of focus on paying off my land within 2 years(The negotiations for the purchase after the earnest money was deposited took all summer long)instead of building.I changed my $82.66 payment per month into $300 to $350 per month and just started wailing away at the principle. Next year I plan to throw up a few cabins on my Mom's property and put in that damn driveway in on mine.A friend is selling off an acre of his 10 acre lot to me for a steal and another friend just bought some property(4 contiguous lots that were foreclosures) near Seward for his radio station and he might sell me one of the lots if I don't find something else to tie me down financially. I told my friend/partner during our first business meeting that I can do all of this without his help.The only advantage of having him as a partner is that all of it would have started sooner . . . I can wait. Oh,btw,the reason that I'm posting this is thatI just sold off the last of my Seahawks season tix and I now have enough cash to pay this fvcker off and that's exactly what I'm about to do.I'm heading down right after this post and killing off a bill. Hoo-ray for me! PEACE -~~
Oh,but of course. I'm reviving this thread again. Why? Because I just got my business license for Alaskan Pioneer Cabins. I'm fvckin' stoked! Getting ready to go to work for my 75th straight day at one job and then I get tomorrow night off and I will be one wasted individual. PEACE -~~